Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-12-25
arDTo THE SOUTH.

The Philadelphia North american
has come to the conclusion that the
South is desperately poor, that after
the war there was nothing left put
Hand labor and tools, that stock was SO
scarce tie Southern armies were per-
mi ted to take home 4with them what
they had in their possession with guam
tities5of forage and subsistence, ard
that food was SO scarce there that tie
Government had to distribute rations
to keep the people from actual starva-
tioD. There was neither capital nor
credit, the banks were collapsed and
the railroads nearly as bad. But the
Southern people went to work heart
| and soul, men, women and children,
and with the help they received &C
compli2hed very much, but much re-
mains still TO be done.
The question that DOW presents Itself
! IS whether this Every much" remain
;lS TO be done before prosperity shall
return to the S3uth can be done by the
southern people without further help
from the 5ther portions of the country.
The -fmerica77 thinks not; and. II
thinks too, tLat It will be good thing
! for the ricl, \ orth to aid the poor
:ocutl.-not from any puerlle phiian-
thrcpic feeling in tie matter, but be-
cause it viii put mouey Ia its purse
for, i.s The 1fn2er5caas trnl: says, the
south IS the n1srket-of tie North and
! oar people their customers.
Ui;on the question Of the legal night
of the Federal Govern nlent 70 extend aid
20 the South, the Imerjca1e entertalns
no doubt If it has any right to feed
sta wing people. Tie West has been
aided ii every way, shape and form
and IS still asking fer more. And now
1t Is time to help the South, doubtless
IN ORDER that We may become largel
AID more promptly paying customers
to orr friends OF the North.
The upshot of the whole business il
that the 44utcrican thinks the bill nov
/ pending before Congress asking the
Fedora: Governments to lend q help
ing hand III the construction OF th'
: Southern Pacific Railroad ought Il
PASS AID this is the pro1mate caust
CT ali this Lew born Southern sym
= pat!ly. i}ne Notwithstanding, we ap
, i-rTecLlte tho motives OF this cry 10
help to tbs South, we fhal be vel
| satisfied If it shall prove successful
The b:,ild;rg OF TIC Southern Pacif
8 Railroad would undoubtedly give grea
lelief to many portions Of the South
That it vii be built sooner or later
-, 10 longer 4 matter Of doubt, but W
.rc not quite sule that its present az
=, olic.:tiou TO Congress for Federal al
: viii bc successful. All Of our Nortt
r plIil tn3ricaR. Many OF them tia
have hitherto iad neither conscier
tious uor constitutional scruples abor
giving government aid to works OF il
tcruai improvement ere row quit
| Shocked a. tie idea and their teEGt
, consc.enccs are utterly unable to bea
= tie burden Of such a palpable violatio
:. .: Il Constitution. How much OF tn
. newly awahe ued ssDsitiveness Of ii
, Northern conscience, il due 20 Il
fact, t!:a. ii times past the works {
= Internal in provemeut that asked fc
II Federal AID, were mainly for the benz
- Il q tie North and that TIE prese1
r application is for one that threatens
- prove az Irresistible rival to them,it
r L.: Icw necessary TO enquire.
x n Ue have 70 ,ay IS that we SINGER
% - ssgest the Southern Pacific Road vi
;, be very soon built and 10 that en-
: That al tue help that it can get viii /
., r;Y"n 2Ed that right speedily.