New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-08-16
THE NEW SOUTH.
LIVING ISSUES IN GEORGIA.

YOUNG MEN OF THE sOCTH-How REPUTATION
WAS BRED AND FosTEExD-AIM OF THE COTTON
EXPosIroN-oPENING UP THE RESOURCES OF
GEoRGIA-vIEws OF PUBLIC MEN ON STATE AND
NATIONAL POLITICS AND THE FUTURE OF THE
TWO GREAT PARTIES.
fFRoM OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE.
ATLANTA, Ca, Aug. 6.-The lion and the lamb
have lain down together in Georgia and the lamb is
not within the lion. In 1872 the Democratic State
Government came fully into power, having over
thrown the Bullock party, and to conceal the vio
leuce their had procured indictments against
Ex-Governor Bullock, III. i. Kimball and many
Others. Ex-Governor and Senator Joseph Brown
had aided reconstruction, and for it had been de-
nounced with as much bitterness had Bullock
Twelve years ago l stood IN At ' and saw IA
burned in efligy. The leader of the mob was then
and is a prominent merchant of this city
When Governor Brown came home after his elec-
ton as Senator he was given grand reception by
the citizens of Atlanta and the chief actor in the
affair of ten before at he depot to receive
the Senator and carried his valise to the KimbalI
House. probably feeling that the honor was too
great to be bestowed upon colored Republican
Recently when General John b. Gordon was gwen
complimentary banquet by the citizens of Atlanta.
because of his success in securing the means to build
his railway. Ex-Governor Bullock and Mr. Kimball
were among the guests of honor Since Bullock
went out of Office all of his have been
cused OF even greater rascalities than charged
against him. but as soon as they fairly out of
Office they toasted and complimented in the
highest degree. Twelve years ago Governor Col
quit and other Democrats publicly charged Gov
ernor Brown with melting the negroes to burn tho
homes and barns of the whites Ten years later
Governor Colquitt the exercise OF bis best discre
fon, felt bound to and did appoint Governor Brown
TO I'LL the unexpired term of General Gordon in the
United States Senate. And for time General Cor
don sunk to the level in Democratic estimation
which Brown had occupied when opposing Gordon
for Governor in the canvass with Bullock. Mr..
Khmbal is the Director General of the Cotton Ex-
position. and ex- Governor Bullock is the President
of the Atlanta Cotton Mills, which largely owned
by leading Democrats.
1t to be the fact that the past has been for
gotten entirely buried beneath the current of
material progress which is now rushing this
tire State. absorbing the attention of all the people,
except few who live only i'll the memories of tho
war, its cause aud losses Men longer discuss any
subject save the improvement of the country.
During two weeks stay at the political centre of
this State I have never heard politics mentioned
except in answer to my questions.
SENTIMENT OF THE NEW SOUTH.
Yesterday met the Hon. A. o. Bacon, Speaker of
the Georgia House OF Representatives, II young man
who can truthfully be said to represent the young
men-the new Democracy OF the State. l said 10
him.
Are you growing away from the bad influences
of Bullock and the other 'carpet-bag oliciGlsW
4" We never had" SAID he. {" a carpet bag Govern
ment. Bullock and is still reputable citizen of
Georgia, and his appointees all natives citi-
of the State. If you had asked If we have re-
covered FROM the influences of the war and recon
struction, would say that in some things have
not Materially, Georgia has not only FULLY
covered from the losses of the war; but has made
enormous advances. Tho average is largely in
favor of the entire population. The negroes, a val
pail theIr uduS t rv nd
muscle, and the whites cannot claim them prop
erty their LABOR and savings benefit the entire
muniiy much ever When the war ended the
people were practically bankrupt. Almost every
man owed debts and had no money other means
of paying them. It not long until the whites
felt that their property had been wiped out by the
war. the debts should go with the property, and
everybody take start The friends of recon-
structon were anxious to have the work succeed,
and in order to get majority Of the votes Of the
State they inserted in the constitution a clause pre-
venting the collection of certain class of debts
through the courts for the period five years. This
practically amounted to reputation and sowed
seeds of IA bad principle among the people, who in
time became willing to get rid of public obligations
IN the same way that they had disposed of their pr
vate obi legations Under this idea nearly eight mil
lions of what was known public debt was dis
posed OF. do not say that the debt was Just one
but under the principle that the principal is re-
of innocent persons concerned think the proper
course would have been compromise. For this
act, however, think tho friends of the constiu-
ton of 1868 were largely responsible. But am
glad to say that the people recognize the
OF such line of action"
How are the negroes doing 7" asked.
Better than any of US hoped for. Already they
have acquired over ten million dollars worth of real
estate IN tins State. and growing into the CON
dltion of independent farmers. The great draw
back TO farmers both white and black is the
disposition to raise cotton TO the exclusion of corn
and hay. If they would divide their productions as
do the farmers of the North they would be able to
pay they and thus be rid of the eternal grip of
the stOrckeeper, who trusts thom for scanty sup
ply of provisions and at the end of the year takes
the entire crop in payment of the debt Farming is
profitable to the farmer here who operates as he
would at the North. Georgia produces twenty-six
million dollars worth of cotton per annum of which
sum less than four millions remain here. after pay
ing for its production"
ATTITUDE PPsss.
The Georgia press generally has taken new de-
partare, and is now doing what it should have done
years -liberalzing public opinion. Ever since
the and until recently the blatant politicians
who lived upon the pejudices of the war have been
aided by the press in keeping down the progressive
political element that was really in u majority but
for the sake of quiet allowed the noisy and largely
irresponsible element TO predominant. The paper
which first led OF iii the liberal line The Atlania
Consultations under its present owners Howell *
Grady. 30 II OF them who long since
learned that they have TO live III the present and
not i'll the past. Captain Howell commanded the
battery which was stationed on the point of Look
the battle OF Missionary Ridge | met him to-day
and asked him about the battle above the clouds"