The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-02-08
The South.


ern journal that is disposed to do the
South justice. When we glance back over
the past eighteen years. and reflect what
was the condition of the South at the close
of the war in 1865, and recognize the pro-
gress and improvement which have been
made, it is a matter of absolute astonish-
ment. Our whole social, political and in
dustrial systems had been torn to pieces
the plough-share of revolution had ruthless
ly broken up the crystalized relations of
century-desolation and want were spread
over us like a doom-without currency.
without abor system. without scarcely
any of the appointments of civilization left
us-with all the concentrated prejudices OF
the world against rs because of our former
domestic Neutrality-suspicious. the means
or implements to till the soil-without
schools, and in many places without habi-
table places of worship, burdened with heavy
public and private debts-the picture the
Southern States presented was that of
scourged, stricken and deva stated region
the present disheartening-tbe future for
bidding with no silver Inning apparently
to the dark clouds which lowered and
threatened over us. This forlorn, pitiable
and desperate condition was grappled with
and conquered. The South is once more
herself. Railroads are penetrating every
portion of it-wealth is being exposed.
which was not thought to eXist-facGories
and furnaces are springing up in every d.
rection-sebool houses and churches greet
the eye and cheer the heart at almost every
cross-roads-and bounding plenty once
more blesses the enterprise and industry OF
the people. The history of the world fur
ishes no more expressive example of pa
tient courage and persistent self-reliance
than is given in the annals of the Southern
States since 1865. They came forth from
the wreck and ashes of war and have bloomed
into smiling, prosperous and progressive
Commonwealth. challenging the admira-
ton of civilization everywhere, and COM
handing the respect even of our enemies.
Whatever faults and distractions may
have been comm tilted by the few, and how
ever much Bourbon ism nay have retarded
the approach of the fruitions of the present
and the hopes of the future. the fact stands
out that the People have been equal to the
situation-measured it's necessities and
grasped it's possibilities and are now enter
ing upon an era of progress and wealth,
which will richly reward them and their
posterity for the sacrifices endured.
The Cincinnati Tames- Star is just enough
to enter its protest against the constant
slurs which are being cast upon the South
about her educational facl tiles, and to call
attention to the difficulties the Southern
States have had to encounter. We re-puD-
| lish its article, and commend it to n ORTIZ
err journals which are constantly harplng
upon the condition of the public schools in
the South, as compared with Northern
States. and to a study of the facts of the case
in the light of the history of the country for
the past twenty years. let the South have
Justice. to say nothing of charity. and she
will be content. 1t is about lime that this,
at least, should be accorded her. and less
than this will be resented by every one who
is native and to the manner born, and has.
pride and hope in the Southland.
The following is the article from the
Times Star:
EDUCATION IN THE SoUTH.-There has of
late been some criticism of the South by
writers for the Northern press because of the
alleged lack of educational facilities for the
colored people. The reflections appear to be
undeserved. If South Carolina is not a notable
excepton-and we have no evidence that it is
"a majority of the Southern States are doing
their duty in respect to the education of the
colored population quite as fully as in respect
to the white population.
The statistics of the public school work in
South Carolina for the years 1876. 1880, and
1881 show that in 1876 there were 9,50S more
colored pupils than white pupils II ,634 more
in $780, and 1l,514 more in 1881. In the city
of Charleston, since the war, facilities for the
white children have been decreased one-half,
according to the reports of the local author
tiles. while those for the colored children have
been largely provided. In 1880 the number of
children white and colored. attending Charles
ton public schools was 4 140-the whites num-
bering 2071. and the colored 1909. In 1881
the number of white and colored was 4014, of
which the whites were 1909 and the blacks
1905. Moreover, the sum of $43912 has been
expended by the City Board of School Com
missioners upon the Shaw Memorial School,
for the education of the colored people, during
the last seven years.
The difficulty in South Carolina in the mat
ter of popular education-and the same thing
may be said, perhaps, OF other Southern States
is that by the addition of the colored chill
dren the number of children to be ed
ucated has been vastly increased, while
taxation for school purposes has fallen
far below the public needs; so that very
large number Of both white and colored chill
dren are without the means of education.
The prosperity which the SOUTH is beginning
to enjoy will doubtless bring a remedy for
this unfortunate condition of affairs Crit
icism would seem to be wholly unjust, for most
of the Southern States haye had hard strug-
gle since the war to build up their shattered
industries. 1t is reasonable to expect that in
the new era which has dawned upon the South
the growth of educational facilities will be as
rapid as the development of material resources.
Manufactures and Farm Labor.
The Baltimore Manufacturers Record
says: I'm an interesting article upon the
rates of wages of farm laborers in the diff
ferent States, in the last annual report of
the United States Department of Agricul-
ture, it is shown that the influence of man
ufactures upon agriculture is very great,
both in the wages of farm labor and in
the prices of farm products. The rate of
farm wages in Massachusetts,. the centre of
manufacturing interests. is higher than in
any other State east of the Rocky Noun
tains. In Ohio, which is dotted over with
THRIVING manufacturing towns, the rate of
farm wages is about 80 per cent. higher
than across the dividing line in Kentucky.
where manufactures are scarce. There is
also a marked difference in the several dis
tricts of Ohio. The northern belt. which
includes the thrifty manufacturing centres,
Cleveland, Toledo. Canton, Wooster, Mans
Ho11 9th tho -