National Republican., 1880-11-24
ALEXANDER H. STEPHENS.
An Interview With the Veteran States
man Respecting Georgia.
An Unfavorabie Exhibit OF statisiics--A De-
cllno of Prosperity y--AIanufactures-
Races aud the Election,
The People Of Georgia Growlng POORER.

The People OF Georgia Growing ionrer'
reporter THE REPUBLICAN, called upon Hon.
Alexander H. Stephens at his quarters yesterday
evening In the National hotel, when, among other
things, the following colloqny ensucd;
Rcporter-Mr. Stephens, I $50 IN several papors
you are reported as sayi NC that II is not true that
the south is at present growing in prosperity that
in Georgia particularly there has been n decline In
material wealth for several years past Wore you
correctly reported IN this statemcnt1 II has
greatly surprised number OF people, and | see
that some Of your Georgia papers join Issue with
you on this question.
Mr.. Stephens-I was mitch more accurately 70.
ported IN that statement than have often been
In other Instance did say that for several years
past the people uf Georgia have been growing
poorer and poorer How y was this year did not
know, as had not seen the comptrolcrs report
for 1880. For several years past, however, there
had been almost q continual annual decrease In
the aggregate wealth Of the state, es appeared
from the complr)lcrgo report. | spoke
from the records, but from memory OF them
only, at the time. Since my statement upon this
subject has been questioned by tho papers TO
reports Of our oomptroller.geueral as far as can
find them here, and from these und other official
1870 Gsgyen In the Aincricd Almanac (by Spoiiord,
considered as authority that the aggre.
gs2 gcd Of The &xs9s R9Pt S rho Of GSoS
OF the state, according TO tho census Of that year,
was l,loi,lOO This was about *22Gj0 per caDlt0
for tie people OF tho state. The taxable property,
according to the comptrol ergcneral's report, oil
the state for 1915 was S2Cl ijj,ssg in 1876 II
was S2i5stS75o, o decrease of sl5,oO2 1874; IN
194220 The. reports for 1875 and 1879
cannot find here, but my remembrance Is that
in 1879 The aggregate amount had fallen to $685.
OOOOOO or near That amount. AZ the time the con.
versatiol referred to occurred had not seen the
compliollers report for this year, as Just stated.
Since then l hayo obtained copy Of 1t
from the congressional library, and fnd that
tho comptroller reports for tins year
an increase Of sl3Sio,107 over that of
1uu fha "a, Far
S2SSO3i 90 which Is nearly s300O00O) less at this
time than In 1870 But II VIC tnke this sl3S l2G
as the present aggregate of the taxable property Of
the state real aud PERSONAL and IN connection with
this the Increased population Of the state, II win be
seen that the decrease Of the wealth of Georgia In
much greater than $50, 100000 with the population
OF 1870 and that in truth the people Of Georgia
within the last ten years have been growing
poorer and poorer, for the nearest approximate
estimate of The population OF Georgia by The census
Just taken is $4,000, as | get from The census
bureau. But take 1t ut 100000, the wealth per
capita OF our people Is now only SljS d63I, instead
oiS22G.J0 in 1870 difference Of s67si per head or
falling OFF OF nearly 10000 upon the population OF
1870. This exhibit shows indsputaOy that the
great body Of the people OF Georgia are growing
poorer, while the rich may be growing richer
nppiehend this state Of things is not confined to
Reportor-Dut how does that view comport with
the fact that the states credit is so good, and that
her four per cent bonds are gotten or readily at
par; and that nU the other state stocks command
such premium
MI. stephens- This only tends to establish the
correctness Of the opinion given. There is no bet
ter evidence of the decline of the prosperity orHny
country, and the decay Of It's industrial pursuits
than tho investment by capitalists of their money
porous, and labor IN all It's departments met with
its due reward, nobody invested their money in
four per cent, stocks.
Reporler-How about the manufactures, Mr.
Stephens2 You nro reported as saying there wcro
very few ofthcm as yet, but that some new ones
were being established.
Mr.. stephens This is inaccurate stated that
Georgia had taken the lead of all southern state
In manufacturing, especially In cotton. have not
Official statistics before me- but feol very confident
that there are over 100000 of capital IN Georgia
vested i'll manufactures of different kinds,
especially cotton mills and iron works. Tho stock
In the cotton manutaclures. IN many instances.
command II premium of from 45 lo so per cent.
There Is no country in the world where larger
profits can be realized from the manufacture of
cotton than IN Georgia.
Reporter-What, MIR. Stephens. is the political
situation In Georgia How are the races getting
along there together?
Mr.. slcphcns-With very great harmony. At the
last governors election in our state there was a
strong contest between the candidates. Governor
Colqultt and Mr, Norwood, and an earnest appeal
was made on both sides to the colored voters. No
election, perhaps, IN the United States was ever
more quiet and with less disturbance. There
could not have been freeT ballot u iairer count
throughout the state, rs far as heard.
Reporter-How does the south regard General
0arheld's election, and what, in your opinion will
Its action us section be towards his administra.
lion?
disappointed in the result OF the election; but 1
believe they think very well OF fGeneral Garfield as
man of ability and Integrity and consider him
duly and legally chosen. They will, think, offer
no iactlous opposition TO his administration.
The people OF the southern states are strongly
welded TO the true principles OF JeilcrsonIan
democracy which lead them TO look with much
more interest as to how the government Is
administered than as TO who administers It.
They look more to measures than to party
names or organization. They will act upon the
recommendations OF General Garhcld, accord
ing to their Judgment upon those recon-
mendations, looking to the best Interests of the
whole country. There Is, In my opinion, no sec
tional feeling cherished by the great mass of the
people In the southern states. They want nothing
but good government, peace harmony and pros
perity throughout the laud, and Will support such
measures as they may think will tend TO promote
these ends without any regard TO the source from
which they may emanate.