Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-12-28
MR.. TILDEN TO THE SOUTH.
Practical and Friendly suggestions
The Development of Southern
Industr1es-A Clear and COmpre-
hensive View of the Situation.
Following is the full text of the recent
letter Of Ex-Governor Tlden, of New York,
declining an invitation to visit the Cotton
Exposition at Atlanta:

Following is the full text of the recent
letter Of Ex-Governor Tilden, of New York,
declining an invitation to visit the Cotton
Exposition at Atlanta:
GRAYsToNE, December IL.
To The EIecaGti'e Committee Of the International
Cotton Exposition at Atlanta:
GENTLEMEN-I have had the honor to re-
ceive your resolutions inviting me to visit
the international Cotton Exposition as your
guest, and Designating Messrs. Robert Tan
nahill, John FL. Inman and NJ. Fielding
as special committee to communicate them
to me. have also had the honor of a per-
sonal presentation OF copy of the resOlu-
tions at the hands of those gentlemen, ac-
companied by Governor Colquitt, the Presi-
dent OF the Exposition, and Gen. Gordon.
It is with much regret that feel obliged
to DENY myself the great pleasure rendered
me with such distinguished courtesy. 1t
would delight me to interchange friendly
greetings with the citizens whom / should
expect to meet at Atlanta, and to avail my
self of so favorable an opportunity for OBJ
serving with my own eyes the elements of
industrial growth which promise a future of
marvellous prosperity to the Southern States.
Above all, l desire to contribute my influ-
ence, however inconsiderable It may be, to-
ward encouraging s movement to organize
investigation and intelligence concerning
subjects of vast Interest, not to the South
alone, but to our whole country and the
world.
l may venture to hope that the public
spirit which created and has sustained this
Exposition is not exhausted, but that the
signal success of this first essay will induce
similar efforts, attract increasing public at
tention to them, and secure for them wider
cooperation and more perfect develop
ment.
The last time ! visited those islands,
which were the homes OF most of our ances-
tors, l realized what a benefaction It was
that had set in these heavens a sun which is
generally radiant and sometimes blazing. It
is what climatologists call The upward curve
in the hourly and daily tides of heat which
makes our 450 000, 900 bushels of wheat a
sure crop, which ripens our 1,750, ,000, 600
bushels of corn, and which enables us to
grow 100000 bales of the best and cheap
est cotton.
The invention which separates by ma
chinery the fibre of the cotton from the
seed gave new comfort to every fireside.
Better clothing at less cost was boon to
mankind. The fact that one half of the
present cotton crop is the product of white
labor has dlspelled the Illusion that the
Caucasian race had been excluded by Provi-
dence from their natural share in so i'm
portant culture, and assures in the future
an ample supply of labor from sources of
indefinite extent. This result derives mo-
mentous Importance from the fact that the
actual culture of the cotton is now applied
to less than one-thirtieth part of the lands
embraced in the cotton belt.
The development of your agricultural
Industries VIII soon be followed by manu-
features. A mature community, while it is
enlarging the positive volume of its external
commerce, increases the proportion OF do
mestic manufactures which enter into this
local consumption. The advantage of a
superior adaptation of climate, soil and
other spontaneous bounties of nature, and
of a geographical contiguity to the market,
are legitimate protection to the local indus
tries, founded on the greatest productiveness
OF human labor Ia supplying the wants of
man, and upon the utmost saving in the cost
OF transportation between the producer and
consumer. 1t contrasts with the artificial
devices of legislation, always unskillful and
often perverted by selfish greed, which
generally have the effect of diminishing the
productive power of human labor, Just as
II the soil were rendered less fertile or the
climate less genial by act of Congress In
order to enable the deluded beneficiary to
make some profit out of the enterprises
otherwise UpremuneratiVe. The South Is
rich In natural capacities of production, as
yet mainly unappropriated. To utilize
these capacities is benefcent process. Its
results may come, not so fast or so soon as
some may hope, but / predict that when
they do come they will in their magnitude
transcend the anticipations of the most
sanguine.