The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1875-10-08
Decrease of the Wealth
OF MISSISSIPPI F an7
UNDER RADICAL MISRULE
HEADQUARTERS DEMOCRATIC AND Con-
sERvATIvk STATE EXECUTIVE Con-
MITTEK

HEADQUARTERS DkhOCRATlC AND OON-I
sERvATIvk STATE EXECUTIVE Con-
Jackson, MISS, Oct. sth, 1875.
That the present maIadministratiOn has
produced the most vide spread destruction
of the property and wealth Of the State,
and not only prevents all progress and
improvement, but is surely aud rapidly
consuming all we have, and all that can
be produced by the best energies of our
people, is truth which we all admit and
feel; but it is nevertheless we'll to show
this by actual figures, so that the extent
and steady progress of this ruin may be
clearly understood. Each individual
citizen is conscious from his own expert
ence that Notwithstanding his best efforts,
his greatest industry and his most
parsimonious retrenchment, he is gradu-
ally but surely approaching bankruptcy.
But he may think that others are more
favored, that the hard hand Of poverty
has not reached others, whom he may
consider more fortunate than himself; for
this reason also, it may be well to look at
the condition of our State, as shown by
official docments.
tits now ten, years since the war ended,
and during all that time, it is safe to say,
that no people ever worked with greater
zeal or energy, or lived closer, and with
fewer luxuries, than the people OF Mis-
sissippi and the result is that they
have not only failed to accomplish any
improvement in their condition, or to
make any progress or advance, but they
have, under a merciless system of taxa
tion, and a most dishonest, corrupt, and
wasteful government, been growing poor
er and poorer every day. This has been
the result up to the present time, and
during period when our great sta
pie, (cotton) has commanded in the
markets of the world, a higher price
than ever before and the question
now arises in every thoughtful mind,
what are we to do in the future, when
cotton has declined to its ante bellum
price, and is every day getting lower
There must be relief, or there is certain
ruin. Disguise it as we may, the people
of Mississippi are poorer after all these
ten years of selt-denial and hard labor
than they we're before. They are also
on the verge of universal bankruptcy and
ruin. .a5 s-nHts. faree..s -1sg.
This has been brought about by Rad
ical misrule, and all our lost wealth has
been consumed in taxes, which are levied
20 pamper and fatten worthless horde
of adventures, who have no interest in,
or sympathy with, the fortunes of the
people of the State.
The people of Mississippi are not
drones nor idlers. They have shown
their capacity to produce wealth, and
to improve their fortunes; they have
beer energetic and economical; they
have worked hard early and late; they
havehad no luxuries, barely the comforts
of life; they possess salubrious cline,
a fertile soil, and have been engaged in
raising the most profitable crops in the
world. Yet the result is ruin.
Let lis lock at the figures:
In 1850, the total population of the
State was 606, ,526, and the total value
of the property of the State was 1928,
951, 1870, or $S77 per head. In 1860,
the total population of the State wa,
791, 305, and the total wealth 5000, 472,
912. In 1866, the total wealth of the
State was S161, ISL, ,207, and the tota
population about the same as in 1860
and the valuation of the property pei
head was little over 5000, co. In 1877
the total wealth is sll9, 123, 0OS-abou
S166 per head.
This shows a large increase in popula
ton between 1850 and 1860, but still
LARGER increase in wealth; the inereas'
in population being 1874 1873, or about l;
ner cent. for the ten years; the increas,
in wealth being $3.50, 521, 782, or owe
120 per cent; the valuation of propert.
in 1860 being at the rate of $644 to eacl
inhabitant. In the next decade, from
1850 to 1870, four years of which wer
war, and six years peace, the increase u
population was only 36,617-the popu
lation in 1870 being o2I ,922; but stu