Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-09-09
WANTS OF THE SOUTH
Interview With an Old Indlanlan now
Living In Tennessee.
An Impartial Statement Of the SltHa.
tiOn and Needs OF the Southern
States.


Q An Impartial Statement OF the sltua,
z tiOn and Needs OF the Southern
/ States.
D indianapolis Sentinel.
A Sentinel reporter yesterday en-
joyed the privilege of half an hour 5
conversation with gentleman former
ly residing in this State, who has been
resident Of the South for sonle years,
and is we'll qualified 10 speak Of the
/ sentiments aud needs Of the people.
Mr.. Stephen Collins was a resident Of
Shelby county for many years until six
years ago, when he removed to Nash
vile, Tepn. Here he engaged 10 farm
ing, and became so impressed with the
advantages afforded by that locality
that he addressed a series Of letters 10
the GaZette under the signature Of
Northern Farmer in Tennessee" in
which he described the country aud
urged emigration from the North.
These letters led TO correspondence
with all parts of the country on the
subject, and Mr.. Collins soon found
himself in the position of sort Of an
amateur emigration agent. In this
capacity he has disseminated much
valuable information concerning the
South, and induced hundreds Of North
erners to settle there. On business
connected with this matter he has
travelled through most Of the South,
and Is particularly familiar with the
state of affairs in Tennessee, Geor-
gia,. Alabama and Mississippi. Mr..
Collins is most at home 10 speaking
of the agricultural aud labor interests
ofthe South and Of il sF 's
AS A FIELD FOR EMIGRATION.
Upon this point he waxes enthusiastic,
declaring il an agricultural EldoradO
for small farmers with limited capital.
The great need Of the section is North
ern enterprise and capital to develop
the agricultural wealth that is there.
There is plenty of land and plenty Of
labor. and both are cheap. Labor can
be had at for from $40 10 81 per month,
boarding themselves, aud improved
land can be bought for $24 20 $50 per
acre in Tennessee, for s. 10 $40 in
Alabama and Georgia. The yield Of
crops from this cheap land is as great
or greater than in the North, and
prices are higher The natives devote
their whole attention to the raising Of
cotton, and their consumption creates
home demand for all the grain, hay,
etc., that Northern emigrants can raise.
The growing Of early vegetables for
the Northern market is also extreme
ly profitable. Stock raising is another
lucrative pursuit, the mild climate al
lowing pasturage the whole year, thus
reducing expenses to a minimum,
while prices are higher than in the
North. In answer to an inquiry, Mr..
Collins admitted that some Of the soils
had been exhausted by constant cul.
tivation, but said that judleiOus North
ern management soon restored them.
Much of the land still retains its orig
inal fertility, and is wonderfully pro-
ductive. A matter Of interest 10 those
who contemplate emigration is
THE LABOR QUESTION.
Mr.. Collins did full justice TO the pro-
verbal shiftlessness Of the negro race.
He says the low wages they work for
are, after all, all they are worth. They
are idle, improvident, aud without
ambition to better their condition.
This induces feeling of independence
which is embarrassing TO the farmer
who may have large crop ruined on
his hands through the whim of a lot
Of iaborers, who leave him at critical
moment. Mr.. Collins seemed 70 de-
spair Of the ultimate raising Of the
colored race TO anything like q useful
or honorable position in Southern
society, and thought they would final
ly collect on the low coast and river
lands, where whites could not live, and
there flourish or die out as the case
might be. He spoke in the highest
terms of the kindly feeling of the peo-
pie for their former slaves. In many
cases they remain on the old planta-
tiOns and receive much the same pro-
lection and care as before the war.
With all its deficiencies in the matter
of labor, the south is no place for
working men without capital, prices
being at what would be a starvation
point at the north. Sill with q very
small capital, man can get on in the
world and soon become independent
As Mr.. Collins is lifelong Repub-
lican, his statements, and opinions re-
lating to
ANAAAASo AN AhA oobAAA oAAAAo
are entitled to peculiar weight. Upon
this point he said that ia all his travel
aud sojournin the South, he had heard
OF no Northern man who was not we'll
OF all the hundreds whom
he had induced to emigrate, and whom
he knew as Northern settlers, there
are not more than half dozen who
are not satisfied and pleased with their
Those who get into trou-
BILE there would do so in any locality
il is in the men. The talk of ostra-
cism is nonsense. All classes there
that immigration from the
North is the one thing they need 70 de-
Yelope and build up the country. Is
il likely, Mr.. Collins asks. thai they
would turn around and abuse those
whom they urge TO come among them
aud welcome as their best friends?
de could not express in strong enough
terms his sense Of the warm and hearty
welcome which enterprising Northern
settlers receive. The old war feeling
is all extinct. Mr.. Collins remembers
but one man who retains any feeling
of bitterness or desires separation from
the North. Upon being questioned rs
to the outrage business he pronounced
it, so far as any political Significance
is concerned, an unqualified humbug.
There are rough places in the South
as in the North. Some Of the Missis-
sippi river towns, for example, where
il would not be pleasant for quiet
man to live, but these places can be
avoided. Such cases as that at Ham
burg are exceptional. The South in
general is as quiet and peaceful as any
part Of the Union.