Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1883-10-19
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am told that to-day you are con-
sidering that problem which has so
disturbed the politicians Of the South,
and that you wish me 10 talk 10 You
about the South. The South The
South Il is no problem at all. l
thank God that at last we can say with
truth II is simply a geographical ex-
preston. [Applause.] The whole
story Of the South may be summed
up in a sentence. She was rich and
she lost her riches; she was and poor in
bondage; she was set free, and she had
to 40 to work; she went TO work, and
she is richer than ever before.
The curse Of slavery was here. God
passed a rod across the land and smote
the people. Then in His goodness
and mercy, He waved the wand Of
enchantment, and lol like a flower,
his blessings burst forth. [Applause. ]
The South never knew what ipdepen.
dence meant until she was taught by
subsection to subdue herself. We liv-
ed from hand to mouth; we had our
debts and our "niggers." Under the
old system we paid our debts and wal
loped our "niggers;" but under the
new We pay our "niggers' and wallOp
our debts. Laughter and applause. ]
We have no longer any slaves, but
We have no longer any debts. and we
can exclaim whit he old dsrky at
camp meeting, who, whenever he got
happy. went about shouting: "Bless
the Lord; I'm getting fatter and fat
ter Langhter.1 The truth is that
behind the great rufile the South wore
to its shirt there lay concealed a SUI
perb manhood. That this manhood
was perverted there Is no doubt; that
il WASTED It's energies upon trihes is
beyond dispute; that it took a pride
in cnltivating what Is called "the vices
of a gentleman" am afraid must be
admitted. But at heart Il was sound.
From the heart flowed honest Anglo
Saxon blood, and when il had TO lay
aside ms broadcloth and put on its
jeans 1t was equal to the emergency
[great applause, aud the women Of
the South took their place by the side
Of the men Of the South. and with
the spinning wheel and ploughshare
together they made stand against
the wolf at the door. That was &c
teen years ago, and to-day there is
not q reward offered in single South
ern state for wolfskins. The fact is, the
very wolves havegot &hamed ofthem-
selves and gone to work. Laughter
aud applause. The future OF the
South is not whit less assured than
the future Of the West. Why should
money which is freely loaned to Iowa
and Illinois be refused to Alabama and
Mississippi You have money to loan.
We have a great country TO develop.
/ know that capital is proverbially
timid, but what are you afraid Of
is n our cotton that alarms you or our
corn. or our sugar. Perhaps it is our
coal and iron. Without you, in truth
many OF these products must make
slow progress, while others will contin-
ne to lie hidden in the bowels Of the
earth. With you the South will
bloom Is garden and sparkle rs
gold mine; for whether you tickle her
fertile fields with straw or apply
more violent Utilization to her fat
mountain sides she is ready to laugh a
harvest Of untold riches. Applause.
At the conclusion OF Mr.. Waiter
sons speech the unusual compliment
of a unanimous rising vote Of thanks
was accorded him. aniHnp.a