Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-04-19
Life at the South.
From Correspondence Philadelphia Times


Beyond the great areas of poor land
aud the absence of improved dwellings.
where Sherman marched with broad
torch from Savannah 10 Goldsboro. / was
most struck with the crude tastes of the
new race of Southern people. A versa
tile commerce is much dependent on cul-
tivation and luxury. Luxury" wrote
Queen Christina. who civilized Sweden,
'.does not ruin States, but polishes and
enriches them" To the south of Balti-
more, though the climate is warm all win
ter. the drug seldom show Il soda
fountain. Much of the coffee. particular
ly at railway stations, is unmistakable
rye. | heard meals eXtolled as "splend-
id" which we OF the North paved over
irritably and pined for one dish OF plain,
uugreased meat Bacon, greens. and
hard whisky seccmed to satisfy mankind
The lager-beer at Charleston and farther
on was either from the North or West
The negro women have changed their
dress in the past two years. dofling the
costly fabrics worn in imitation OF the
whites, aud there is again a market for
plaid Osnaburgs for scarfs and head
dresses. These goods, besides cotton
yarns and brown cottons, are manufactur-
agencies OF the Southern mills are uni
formly in New York and the North, and
the goods return to the population which
made them after 1900 miles OF movement
The South wants something beside cotton
to make the round of the year; cotton is
staple of credit and dependence, al
though immense in Weld and utility.
About nine hundred million pounds go 10
ha L-.f al INF
is mortgaged before it is sown, and little
side relief comes from the many available
tiles of the ground. from sugar. swine,
peanuts, fruit, money at interest, woman's
labor, notions, dairy products, wood,
basket-work, salt fish, or whatever swells
the vast aggregate OF productive society.
Not so much change as expected had
been made in diversity OF labor; the South
does not yet feed itself. Germans and
Hebrews appear to get most OF the super
fetal plunder Of the country: the native
merchants are tight in dealing and them
selves generally factors of Northern cap
ital. but they 90 little out OF their way to
assist the terminating or latent intellect
of the producing million. Impatience of
details distinguishes the multitude moth
ing but details distinguishes the merchant.
Hospitality is too much indoors and shy
of business topics, but in the North din
ner is the right place to agree upon CO.
operation. The social lite OF the South,
its pleasant feature, is in some respects
it, injury, standing across the high road
of understanding and development.
Georgia is the rising State OF the South
partly because it Is more of Democracy.
There is no city in the South of the equal
architecture and perfected appointments
of Charleston, but its destinies are poised
or wavering, and no one yet knows
whether it is to 90 forward or backward.
Gideon Welles wrote Of it in 1868, when
he closed the port TO blockaGe-runners
"As commercial mart, Charleston has
no existence; her wealth, her trade has
departed" This is not her present con-
dition, but the business forces of Charles
ton are yet impcrfectly awakened.