The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-01-06

WOMB VI the future. Inc system VI IoDOt
which existed before emancipation the
of the industry, the methods OF
thought and the political notions which pre-
vailed when slavery and slavery influence
worked out their results in
stagnated enterprise, perverted views OF
political economy. and speculative theories,
which had no adaptation to the material
growth of the Commonwealth. Not only
were the physical capacities Of the State
neglected, but the intellections of the peo-
pie were dwarfed, until. from the first and
most potential of the States and virtu-
ally the law-giver OF the Union, Virginia
has become the fourteenth, other Common
wealths. with infinitely less natural advan-
tages, far outstripping her in the march OF
material development and political power.
By the first census that was taken, 1880,
Virginia had population OF 1850 E;
Pennsylvania. 1880; North Carolina.
800. ISL; Massachusetts. S78,7S7; New York.
$40, 100; Maryland, 3ls,72s. Ten years af-
forwards. Virginia was still in the lead with
population, reaching to $50, 200. while New
York had reached 1865, Pennsylvania,
$50. O5l and Massachusetts 1872. 805. In 1920
she lost her rank. New York reaching to
l.372.1ll, Virginia, 1.000,11l, and Penn
sylvania, lO47, 5O4. She thus fell to
the third State, and while the census
of 1880 showed that New York and
Pennsylvania had more rapidly in
| creased in population. yet the same relation
was maintained, as fellows: New York.
1885 Pennsylvania, l.34S, 2S3; Vir-
ginia. PA. 405 In 1910 she fell to the fourth
State. Ohio, which had been carved out OF
the Northwestern Territory in 1920, coming
in as third. with the respective strengths OF
the four States as follows: New York,
2,42s.921; Pennsylvania, 1,724,035; Ohio,
l,5l9, 467 Virginia, 1,230,797. In 1860, she
fell to the fifth state, Illinois taking her
place as the fourth. In 1880 she will stand
the fourteenth, or with West Virginia the
sixth. showing that there must have been
some radical defect in her internal manage
ment which could have brought abont this
result.
| We must look to other than natural
causes for the gradual diminution OF her po-
litical power, and it will require no strained
effort to reach to the bottom OF it. with
mineral resources, water power and soil I'M
surpassed. the fault must be with the meth
DDS of the people. = We cannot so we'll ex-
press what we want to sayas is conveyed by
writer in the st. Louis Globe Democrat OF
a recent date. Mr.. II. Clay Dean, in
powerful article, designed to stir the people
of Missouri to the new life that lies before
| them and the necessity of manufactures to
reach it. says There is no more painful
illustration of the folly of great State
furnishing the raw material for other States
to manufacture and enjoy the process OF
refinement than that furnished by the great
State of Virginia. For thirty years after
the Revolutionary war had closed. Virginia
stood pre-e .ninentlv at the head OF tne
States III population, statesmen. ,urlsts and
influence of the General Government. She
stood in 1870 tenth. or by the union OF the
two virginias would be seventh. 1t was
not slavery alone that did this work. For
PENNSYLVANIA was slave State, and her
emancipation was so gradual that in 1S4C
| there were yet sixtyfour remaining, whilst
there were four remaining in Mes York
1t was her miserable system of agriculture
that ruined Virginia. Her opportunities
were grand, her valley soil was rich, her
mountains were covered with timber, and
the whole surface of her lands was carpeted
| with grass !; her seacoast was extensive, hel
harbors equal to any on the whole Atlantic
coast. her climate mild. and the country
and burned it up. to prepare the land for q
system of agriculture that ruined her. Hei
produce was each year transferred to Balti-
more and Philadelphia for shipment to Ell
rope; her flour, tobacco and timber alone
would have built magnificent seaport on
her coast; streams of wonderful water-powel
flowed through every part Of the State
Her power for propelling machinery wai
complete. Nature had been prodigal OF heI
gifts to Virginia, who seemed Indifferent tt
| lutlT uSt. w llUSb sHC SfsiSNtNu thS NO'N1
opment of her resources, of her mineral
wealth. ship building and manufacturing
New York and philadelphia and Boston
availed themselves of their inferior powers
to drain Virginia OF her wealth, and even
brought the African slaves to Virginia In
their vessels. New England grew rich by
manufacturing the raw material raised by
Virginia and left her to hew wood and draw
water Her mineral resources were scarce.
| ly touched, whilst Pennsylvania furnished
her with iron. She pursued agriculture I'M
| til she had to import guano to fertilize her
exhausted soil. John Ranpolph, In his Gym
ical style. thus spoke Of the ruin brought
upon her people by the prodigality Of her
system II say that the character Of the
good old Virginia planter has changed (; the
man who owned from five to twenty slaves
or less. who lived by hard work and who
paid his debts, has passed away. A new
order of things is come. The period has
arrived of living by ones wits. contracting
debts that one cannot pay, and, above all,
living by office. Sir, what do we see?
Bankrupts, branded bankrupts, giving great
dinners, sending their children to the most
expensive schools, giving great parties, and
just as, well received as anybody in So
cety''
With her ruinous policy no other fate
could have befallen her. In 1850 Virginia
had 26. l52, 81 acres in farms. In 1860 she
had l13. 1l7 .036 acres. IL ZOO, 900 more than
New York had, and 100000 more than
Pennsylvania.
In 1860 New York had invested in manu-
features SIP, sos. 652; in 1870 it increased to
1896, 1894. 800. In 1860 Pennsylvania had in
vested 800. 055, 004 in 1870 it had increased
to s4O6. 1921, s45. In 1860 Massachusetts Mad
sl32. 702, 1877; in 1870 this capital increased
$251. 677, $3.50 In 1860 Virginia had invested
s26, 1886, $50; in 1870 this investment was re-
duced by the war 1887. 1894. This includes
both Virginias. This table of manufacture
ing becomes more complete in showing the
relation between manufactures and popula-
tions. In 1850 Massachusetts had III. 401
| hands employed in 1860, 217. 421; in 1870,