Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-08-19
The South.

that the labor and expenditure of
money by certain fanatics of the
North to colonize negroes in the North
ern States have failed to make the
slightest impression upon the aggre'
gate of population in the South. 1t
is true few hundred poor negroes
were induced by these wild schemes of
immigration to leave their sunny
homes and settle in Kansas and In
diana, but withal, the South instead of
being depopulated has increased in
numbers so as to be likely to gain in
representation in Congress, while the
New England and few other North
ern States will probably fall behind.
Thus the immigration scheme has turn
ed out to be poor investment of labor
and money. 1t is not only in popula-
ton that the South shows surprising
growth, but in all the elements of
material prosperity it is rapidly max
ing up for the devastations, poverty
and distress that fell upon it in conse-
quence of the late war. At the recent
convention of bankers held at Sara
toga, very interesting paper was read
by Mr.. w. ii. Patterson, of Georgia,
upon the present condition and the
future prospects of the South. lie
sketches its wonderful recuperation,
and also pictures its present social and
business condition with master hand,
showing the relations that exist be-
tween the two races, and the rapid
progress of manufactures and agricul-
ture. In conclusion he says:
Cotton production has increased and
the article meets with ready sale. The
evils OF defective transportation have
disappeared, and splendidly equipped
railroads now thread the South in all
directions. Manufacturing interests
have taken new life, utilizing the inn
mense water power and cheap fuel.
Cotton mills are appearing everywhere
and all well employed. Iron interests
are augmenting. the rolling mills turn.
ing out iron and steel rails, fish plates,
bolts, nuts. spikes, nails, bridge and
bar iron. Mining, too, is extending,
and needs only increased capital and
skilled labor TO make it leading fea.
ture of Southern industry. Lastly, the
banks need more capital TO aid planters
and Others. But even il this is not
forthcoming from other sections the i'm.
provements thus happily begun will be
successfully continued.
This state of affairs is suggestive
and may we'll challenge the sober re-
Election of sensible people to deter
mine whether, instead of waging an
impracticable sectional crusade against
the Southern people, all, both North
and South, will not be the gamers in
the general prosperity of the whole
country which comfy of good will
and reciprocal interest must inspire.
No part of this great country can be
crippled by the dissensions of sec
tional hate and discord that will not
fall with equal weight upon all, and
it seems strange now that the leaders
of great political party can be so
blinded in their own folly and so reck-
less of the general welfare as to meet
and resolve to conduct political cam
paign on such issues. But such is the
position assumed by Gen. Garfield and
his admirers in the New York confer
ence. They have determined, eigh-
teen years after the close Of the war,
again to float the "bloody shirt" and
stir up sectional animosity between
the North and the South. The stu
pidity of furnishing this evidence of
weakness and desperation, can only be
accounted for on the assumption that
"whom the Gods seek to destroy, they
first make mad" Their doom is seal
ed, and the words of Garfield himself
in sober moments when the Presiden-
tial bee was not buzzing in his ear are
prophetic of that doom. When he
said "the man who would attempt to
ride into power by the revival of sec
tionalism will find himself without q
party" he uttered words of truth and
soberness, and he cannot avert dis
aster bysTepudiating that sentiment.
| THE fellow that asserts that Gar
field did no service for tho De golver