The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-02-14

a. independence W. Z latil
maintained. sectional wealth more
surely secured. by the direct cz-
change OF the raw material. than
bv the admission TO competition Of
the corrapting ana mcrcenary IN
nuenccs Of manufacturers. the sue
ccsaful event Of i war, undertaken
/ 10 overthrow the system Of -layc-!a-
Dor, no longer makes the first con
dition possible and slavery being
oyerthrown. the unsoundness OF the
old political economy 1T once de-
monstrates itself.
There have not. however, been
wanting men in the South who set
themselves in practical opposition
these theories, and who, even be
fore the war, put the South in train
ing for the new and grand career
upon which 1t Is entering. The
ground work is laid for that change
which must soon be brought to
pass. Even If the success which 50
signally encourages the enterprise
undertaken by Southern experiment
tiers, was not enough to stimulate
us by It's example, there is 50 mueh
abroad OF interest aroused by the
alarm for the stability Of property.
or distru5c IN the control OF labor.
OF alarm at the increasing cost Of
manufacture, or diminunition OF
essential motive power, orinability TO
maintain conflicts with shrewd and
steadily improving rivals, that, by
common consent, the eyes Of ali
manufacturing regions turn to that
land where economical elements are
found in the happic5t proportions.
A letter III the New York Sua,
dated Washington, Feb, .th, IL
which the following passage catches
our eve as we write: 1.-The South
is destined before long to be the
chief manufacturer of its own cot
ton. 1t has already advanced rap
idly in that direction. Iron and
coal are found in great abundance
and of superior quality IN the Apa-
lachian range, from Virginia to Al
bama, and both are we'll developed"
This is the voice OF the North, too
sagacious to keep It's capital and en-
terprise clogged with any restraints
their more profitable use
and both in time will transfer them
selves to those points where the plan
ter and the manufacturer will be IN
contiguity, where the multi
of items of cost which now
the Northern manufacture
II to such close calculations to exc
Dut his margin OF profit, will be SO
essened as to widely extend that
margin where the season for work
5 extended through the whole year
md where the facilities for the rap
d transportation Of his fabrics are
II no way inferior to what he be-
ore possessed. These considera-
ions Will eventually draw large
Northern investments and capital
0 the South.
And if not the North, why not
england !? This latter country
les under greater compulslon even
han the North. Hitherto she sur
assed by the superiority of her ma
hinery, by the abundance of her
GAL, by the cheapness of her wages:
nd with the disadvantage of three
thousand miles of ocean transit, adj
ed to the four hundred miles or
lore from the cotton fields. was
bic to distance all rivalry. But /
nomentous changes for England {
re coming about. Yankee inge-
uity has equalled her in machin-
~, her coal measures give ominous> !
Igns of approaching exhaustion, !
nd her operatives, under the teach ;
ngs Of trade unions, orunder grow f:
az intelligence, are no longer con- {
ant to be mere slaves of the loom, t
o longer satisfied with the pittance
hat keeps breath in overworked (
odies, The English capitalist is f;
ainfully aware of the chance. hut !