The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1880-12-30
Frightening Prospects of the South.
NJ REV. cuA,, B GALLOWAY, vrcK.puae. MISS.
Planters Journal.l

Planters Journal.1
The census of 1880 viii be a revelation Of
hope to the South. Our industrial progress.
and material development for the past de.
eade has far surpassed the fondest expeeta-
tons OF most sanguine patriots. IF these
gratifying facts Will have the effect of slim
ulatlng Southern energy and restoring COM
mercial confidence, our future is full OF
promise and greatness. Ever since the war
1t has been our habit if not mournful pleas
ure, to brood over our poverty. Thus the
elias lcIty Of other years has given place to
depression and despair. Like the captive
Hebrews, we hung our harps on the willows
and have been idly mourning the past
There Is an old Hindoo tradition which says,
! ''oyer the sacred river Ganges there can
never be bridge" and yet a railroad has
| been constructed, a bridge thrown across
the stream, and the iron horse, with lungs
of fire and the speed of the wind dashes
! over it warning all past traditions and su-
| perstltions to ''clear the track" So over
| the Southern mind, for the last fifteen years,
| the idea has held tyrannlcal sway that our
| country is devastated beyond power of re-
suscitation-that we have been scattered
and pulled" and can never again be people.
Thus the car Of Southern progress has been
| arrested and the proud capabilities of our
section suffered to sleep in an ingIorious
inactivity. But hope Is beaming upon us.
In the face of all discouragements, sur
rounded by the SCARED and charred remains
OF former greatness, we are moving onward
and upward This productive soil Is yield
ing abundant haryests, while manufactures
of different kinds are springing up in our
own and sister States whose putting engines
and whrling spindles and moving artizans
proclaim, in no uncertain sound, that
there is life in the old land yet"
To help forward our Frightening pros
poets, and as auxiliary to the ful6llment of
more hopeful prophesies, let me indicate
some duties that now imperatiyely claim
Southern attention.
FIRST. Because foremost, we must cul-
tivate more hopeful, cheerful spirit The
South is richer than we have had heart to
hope or think. Invidious comparisons have
been made between the North and the
South 50 long, that we have greatly magni-
fed Northern wealth and sadly miniied |
Southern poverty. This spirit has become |
morbid and, to-day, is a reproach to our en-
terprise, intelligence and boundless capaci-
ty. The Northern papers, notably the New |
York Herald, are rebuking our chronic |
mourning, and urging us to arouse our slum- !
bering energies. Around our hresides, to |
our children, and with friends, we must |
talk more hopefully. A man in good health |
has been made sick and absolutely killed |
by being constantly told that he Cooked so
badly" On the other hand, invalids have
been cheered and restored to health by hope
full, happy friends. That spirit we must
cultivate. We have less reason for gloom
and despair than any other people on earth.
| never read the history of France without
blushing for our want of stern and master
full herosm. Since the dawning of the I
present century how many revolutions have
swept over her like the dreadful simoons of
the desert? The sound of one conflict
scarcely died away before the gathering
clouds of another was seen darkening her
skies. Trampling armies, succeeding each
otner with the rapidity of a drama, swept
over her fields, and left behind a track of
blood and desOlation. And yet they SEEM
not for one moment, to have thwarted the
plans or dwarfed the energies of that restless
people. Soon their desolate fields were
made to smile with waving grain, new and
more spacious granarles were erected on the
ruins of the old, and the bland smile of the
farmer seemed to defy the clouds and thun-
der of war. The Franco-Prussian war-debt
was paid with marvellous prOmptness, by a
defeated people, and is, to-day, the greatest
feat of national financeeriug known to his
tory Why, then, should we repine and
despair? Let it cease forever. The census
indicates not only what has been done but
what we may achieve. With our dor
mant strength aroused, and wisely directed,
our sun of prosperity will soon. attain his
noon-day glory
SECOND. Again, our thinking and educa-
ton must be more practical. We have lost
much in this regard. No section of our coun-
try has been more productive of great men
than the South, but history shows that they
were lacking in practical craftsmanship.
Their great resources of mind were directed
to the discussion of the theory of govern
ment the nature of the federal compact and |
all issues that affected the general govern
ment, rather those local questions of devel-
ment and enterprise which have so wonder
fully enriched the North and East While
the Southern mind was engaged with these
great question, the keen-eyed yankee was
busy in developing home industrial and eco
nomical resources opening rivers, digging
canals, building dykes, erecting manufacto-
rles and promoting every measure that
could be turned into money. And, the re-
suit is, our theories have vanished, and,
with them, have flown our prestige and
power. We need, in the South, that utili-
tartan spirit which so eminently character
ICES the New Highlander, and which has
made the barren rocks of Massachusetts be-
come fountains of flowing plenty. With a
more genial sun, more productive soil, as
beautiful rivers, and less expensive winters
than the North, the South should have OUT
stripped her in the the race, and, to-day,
have been the robed and sceptered queen of
InlS great w 6SI6GH NOTiu. we must forget
old theories and adjust ourselves to new du- /
ties. The multiplication and improvement
of local industries must be our study and
care.
THIRD. We should also encourage and
cultivate a spirit of confidence. l know
there has been little confidence in manly
integrity. Suspicion has stereotyped its
forbidding frown on every brow, and this
has stayed the march of commercial pros
isf lad On oOnfiHpDon +. |
when that is wanting the other cannot
prosper. Capital, in multiplied thousands,
is idly waiting for investment because the
capitalist has no confidence in man or
country. If we would only consider it
calmly, there is no section that promises
richer reward to labor and money. The
oft-quoted saying of Horace Greedy, go
West, young man." must be now changed
to this: "Come South, young man." and
to our Southern boys, "Stay at home, young
man |" Thousands who have wandered to
the far West would gladly return if they
could.
FOURTH. There should be less aspiration
to political leadership Every citizen should,
IN one sense, be politician, but not dream
and scheme for place and power. Our res
toratlon greatness are not to be achieved and |
by legislation, State or National The elo-
quence of our statesmen, the patronage of
the general government and the favor of
the world, all will not give us glory and
success. We must win our way, not by
politics, but by honest labor and rigid econ
omy. This, and this alone, is the vision of |
Minerva that will make every opposing
Achilles tremble. The South cannot ex-
pect, tor many years to come, to claim
leadership IN national politics, nor is it
desirable Other things must command our
time and invigorate our energies. If our
home affairs are properly conserved, it is /
matter of small moment to US who pilots
the national ship, or how fierce the storms
that assan her. May Heavens blessings |
rest upon the Frightening prospects of our /
beautiful Southland.
No International Silver Congress Manted.