Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-02-12
Northern Capital In the south.

Its an universal belief in the South
ern States that the thing they most
need is capital. The people OF those
States are necessarily telling the world
about their exhaustIess stores of rudi-
meDtary wealth, and Of the marvellous
facility with which il can be worked
up into actual available wealth; and
they declare that the milduess Of their
climate, aud the greater cheapness Of
raw materials, labor and living with
them demonstrates the superior man
ufacturing advantages OF their region
over the rigorous regions ofthe north
east, where the laborer's family have
to 1--we on winter footing half the
year.
1t is impossible to deny these state
ments. and, indeed, nobody attempts
to deny them; the world admits them.
Still, the capital which the fascinating
picture is intendedsto invite, does not
come. Boston money cIings to the
granite ribs of New England, and re-
fuses to migrate TO Georgia where il
can earn ten to fifteen per cent. more
per annum; every foot of Massachu-
setts water-power is harnessed to ma
chinery, while that Of the Chattahoo-
chic and James runs to waste; and the
iron -mongers of Pennsylvania contin-
ue to buy ore at IS ton and make it |
into iron at $e4 ton, instead of going |
to Alabama where they can get ore for |
81 a ton and make it into iron at $14 a |
ton. The people of the South have
tried again and again to understand
this MYSTERY, without success, and they /
seem to have settled down into the be-
lief that capital, labor and trade in the
north are too blind to take advantage
of the opportunities that the south
presents.
But the matter is not so dificult of
comprehension, after ALL 1t is the
people of the south, not the capitalists
of the north, who do not appreciate
these boasted advantages. If there
are such superior facilities for manu-
featuring in Georgia and Virginia. why
don't the Georgians and Virginians
avail themselves of them? If there
are fortunes to be made in cotton-spin-
ming in Tennessee, why don't the Ten-
nesseeans aake them instead of invit-
ing somebody else to come and get
them? 1t is the people of Alabama
who ought TO be making cheap iron at
Birmingham, and the people Of Ten
nessee who ought to be making cheap
iron at Chattanooga and that vicinity.
The reply to this is that the people
of the south have not the capital.
But why, then, do not the people of
the south go to work and make capital?
This incessant appeal to foreign capital
- kkou e Ill fk<w l
er of the WAGNER to Hercules to come
and lift his wheels out of the mud.
The strong gods answer was that be
helped those only who helped them
selves. if the WAGNER would put his
own shoulder to the wheel, Hercules
would supply all the power he lacked.
This answer embodies the whole phil
1sophy of the southern situation.
The South does not need capital as
much as it needs willing labor--and
his it has, in abundance. Capitol is
nothing but a concrete form of labor,
now dead, and very serviceable aud
sfficient substitute for it is living la ,
Dor. This united with Industry and
in the midst Of such favora-
Die conditions as mild climate. cheap
living, accessible materials and water
power, accumulates capital, with sur
Drising fapidity. If the South wants F,
,apitaI, it must work for it; it must
sarn more than it spends, and invest
he surplus year after year in manu- !
Ii 5000 idle persons in Ten
lessee were to engage steadily and in
lustriously in productive employment,
t would be worth more to the State
han the inyestment of $5,0O0,0O0 OF
Boston capital iE it. Besides, there is
magical sympathy in labor that attracts
It's kind from all alIquartcrs.
Ii the people of Tennessee were to
help themselves with all their might ]
md main, they would be surprised to
ind how many others would come 10 ,
lelp them; if all the idle persons in
hat State we're to 60 to work, resolved
o make their own capital, thousands {
# intelligent laborers and millions of
rigilant capital would flow in upon Z
hem, eager to seek employment aud
Investment in the midst of an indus
rious, independent people, and to share I
D the profits of cheap manufacturing.
But as long as the people of South- /;
I'm States invite somebody else 10 come
nd do the work which themselves will
lot do, dig the ore which they will not Q
lig, spin the cotton which they will not
pin and build the shops which theywill !
lot build, so long will they fail of that
,ower which wealth alone can bring
%. Louis Republican.