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

The culture of labor " to which
we referred in our last, may have
its answer In a form that Will salts
f. all the conditions Of Southern
property, if, while looking upon the
present systems and material Of la
Dor as most p~recaIious and unreila-
be, the South at the same time Is
wise enough to properly utilize the
fruits of that labor. That labor it.
self may diminish in quantity as it
certainly Will continue to lose III
efficiency. But, from It's char
acter, and the nature of the climate
and soil most congcnial to its appll-
cation, it Will continue to be APP
piled to the cultivation of the same
staples to the production of which
it has found It's most perfect adap-
tation.
How, with diminished force and
lessened efficiency, is the proportion
of profit in its application to be
maintained We think it is found
in the immediate connection of
manufacturers with cultivation by
bringing the two side by side, and
cementing an alliance, which seems
so natural that a rational answer
can hardly be found for the long
enforced severance. There is no
parallel among civilized people of
the fatuity which has unthinkingly
yielded all advantages of position to
astute and greedy rivals, and ready
assent, without a thought of indie
pendence. to pay tribute upon do
mestic industries. The South new
er seemed to reflect that hers was
the power to exact that trib-
ute, and bring all nations III subiec-
ton to her feet. She does do it in
directly, but hers is not the prof
it.
Now, if the Southern people were
only III the state of emi-barharian-
ism, with just so much o. the rudi-
mcnts of that knowledge which can
turn agricultural skill to account :
if their country was a boundless
plain, unbroken by rivers or rushing
torrents, and its bowels void of the
wealth Of the mineral kingdom,
then there might bereasonf for their
subsection, reason why they should
look abroad for their manufacture
ers. But they are not savages they
are not semi-civilized. On the
contrary they W. no Difference to
any other people on the ground of
superior refinement. They have as
keen an appreciation of the refine
.ents of luxury, or the more sub
stantial appliances of comfort as
as any other people. They are ex-
consumers of articles more
substantial IN value Than what plea
ses the savage in the interchanges
Of traffic for his rude commodities.
The Southern trade for three
quarters of Il century has been no
insignificant factor IN the worlds
activity.
Nor is the South a monotonous
plain with no attractions far manu-
featuring enterprise. So far from
it, there is no region on the surface
of the globe so intersected by fine
streams-so broken by frequent
falls or rapids ; there is 70 country
so Astounding in minerals of all
no country so rich in all
kinds of valuable timbers, none so
blessed with 81 happy a mean of eli
mate.
The burden of the pride and
false political economy of the past
generation of statesmen is upon us,
1t was its pride to build up an agri-
cultural power, imposing in the
magnitude of its operations, in the
value of It's productions, in the per-
sonal qualities of its possessors : and