Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-02-14

of Spain. the declaration that had he been
present at the CREATION. he could have given
God Almighty some suggestions that would
have been Of vast benefit 70 him in fashiOning
the universe.
cOlOrs behind the car of superstition. 1t
seems strange to us now that men could live
and flourish and beget children under such
circumstances. But the human race adapts
itself TO its surroundings.
So science survived the iron collar OF super
stitiOn. Newton brought back the sun, and
stephenson, Franklin, Morse and Edison have
cleared the atmosphere of clouds and storms
When the locomotive first lifted its voice
amid its waving plumes of vapOry smoke
and shouted its notes of triumph over con-
quered space, the world held its breath IN
very awe at the grandeur Of the achievement.
The roar and rush OF burning wheels, the
shrill scream of the steam pipes, the giancing
clouds OF smoke and dust, challenged the
wonder of the multitudes and spread
the noise OF its triumphs far and wide.
But grander triumph than all this
was that when in the silent. guarded chambe
the apostle Of science started with cahalistic
click. the harnessed lightning on its pathway
OF tiny steel around the world. Men had
talked before of annlhllated space and
wondered at the achievement. but sturdy
Time still bore his battered front IN science
way and reared his cleaning battlements OF
stone and iron frame, and beyond us All MS
wide unconquered domaini0n, stretched, email
longing hope and bidding expectation, fOld It's
tired wings. But see the sequel: When the
long. thin wire uncoiled and stretched away
from sea to sea and shore TO shore, and nature
yielded up her chemic forces TO the human toll,
the subtle fluid undermined the iron walls ana
stone escarpments Of the mOnarchs realm,
and letting in the children of the light, they
seized the stubborn ruler and brought him 10
the feet Of man.
Time is fettered now. Yon click that car
ries messages of love or hate or JOY has but
its instant echo in the ears of those who wait
the tidings on the worlds extreme; but IL was
reserved for the latter half of the century TO
furnish the crown.
Science reached the azure mountain top
when from the iron wire that holds II she took
the cold, dead voice and brought 1t back 10
life. Creations herald this in the coming
triumphs of the mighty mind of man Tie
past had blossomed, fruited, rlpened, when
the telephone was made. Lo, the trinity OF
the century-steam, electricity and magnet
ISM
Who shall say then that the education
which fits people to mingle in and aid the
march of such wonderful progress IS not de-
sirable?
But the subject is one in which the
Southern people ought to feel a deep interest.
as well on account of Its relation to the sub
Jects OF general education as on account OF
its own direct tendency and influence. Edu-
cation IS the great want of our people. The
notion that learning qualified the individual
to cope more successfully with his less fOFtu-
nate neighbOrs was universally received, even
from the days of the Puritans. Nevertheless
we were once disposed to laugh at the idea, or
if we acknowledged its truth we felt that the
advantages should be confined to those only
who could afford to pay for them. state edu-
cation was deemed by us an infringe
ment on personal rights. Possibly in
country where wealth was as nearly equally
distributed as in ours before the war, the
practice of the theory did very little harm.
Now, however, our misfortnnes have taught
us to entertain a different view. The war
Frustrated our energies, broke into our habits.
n m af orf nf
lshed our system of labor, lessened the value
OF our lands, changed the elements Of our
prosperity, and destroyed the principal source
of our wealth as a people. Compelled by the
force of circumstances to fall back on our
selves in the wOeful hour of defeat and disas-
ter, we have been learning the lessons of Ia
Dor, and trying to work up slowly from the
depth OF our poverty to something ike the
position to which history entities US TO
aspire. We are able to see now and appre-
cIate how the native intellect of the New
has been sharpened and strength
ened through the long attendance Of the
children upon the fine public schools estab-
lished in that section Of the Union.
The history Of the world affords no parallel
TO the humiliation and degradation to which
our Southern men and women were sub
jected Immediately following the close Of
the war. No people have ever stood such a
trial, met defeat with more fOrtitude or
more trlumphantly from uch a
struggle.
France recuperated rapidly from the disas-
tiers of Sedan and the butcheries of Paris. but
she had to encourage her a government OF her
own people, who made and administered
her own laws. Her rulers wrought with
her In harmony, sharing themselves
ia the general burdens and aiding
to meet the fearful demands Of her situation.
England, after the civil wars Of Cromwell, re
cuperated rapidly from her torn and PROSTATE
condition, but II was done under the fostering
care and protection Of government loved by
the English at home and feared by the enc
my abroad. Germany. discOrdaDt, vet pre-
serving the traditional love for the fatherland,
rose rapidly from the prOstratiOn wrought by
the iron hand of Napoleon, and in less than
a century tore the boosted insignia Of suprem-
acy from the descendants of her cOnquerOrs.
but the government that f0stered and the
rules that led the German were OF his own
choice.
What has been our condition? The North
mad subjugated us, crushed our sovereignty,
and turned loose under the protection of the
strong arm OF the cOnquerOrs, q race OF beings
atelY our slaves, unlearned and incapable
made them or equals. Nay, what was worse
han all, by carefully flaming the flame of
ascension and feeding the fires OF discomfort.
sought to control the servile race as an in
'trument of torture to keep in power the
party and principles that had ruined us.
What a mOnstrosity! Look at the South
srnerl Bowed down under a /
Dad of enforced poverty, his |
hopes of his nations glory dead. branded [
rs a traitor and a rebel by his cOnquerors, |
nsulted for the reason only that he loved his |
hem; reviled and jeered at, and denounced; /
threatened with imprisonment on any pre- /
ext by the satraps of the conquerors; a SER I
vile race in authority over him, as a punish /
nent for his rebellion; his children growing /
up in ignorance, kept back by the war; his /
ands, the only refuge from starvation, washed /
% clay and gaping in gullies; and the govern 4
nent that should have protected and aided 1
lin managed by aliens only interested in /
rushing his manhood and wasting his sub
tance, while the bayOnets Of a hostile army
irove him out stranger from the halls of his
the homes of his peOple-what
Wonder that he grew FESTIVE and lOnged for
ONE avenue of escape-for some means to 4
trike the foul yoke from his neck? 1t seems
o me that the North ought not to be surprised
hat our white blood, which sprang from the
anne source as theirs, should have sought t.
ssert itself here. What would the
ave done under such circumstances?
But the problem is working itself ont, and
he solution ought not to include, and cannot
equire the overthrow and destruction of our
ace, the ruin of our peace, and the blasting
Orever of the prospects Of our posterity.
The story of our struggles, of our deep
humiliation in those dark days following the
var, will never be known.
Through all, our people have been true to
themselves. The spirit of our women has kept
is up. ! thank God for the work that they
ave done and are doing in our land. We get /
hmpses now and then Of their heroic strug-
les with poverty, with grief and adversely in
he homes of our people. There Is no standard /
n earth by which we can measure the gran
eur Of their heroic devOtedness to duty.
II. The great advantage derived from the
establishment OF technical schools is to be
Ound in the tendency of these schools to pro-
note diversity of interests and encourage
in the country.
This fact ought to commend the subject to
very true Georgian.
The great want OF every manufacturing
is educated, or competent labor.
Iere has always been the chief obstacle to
he building up Of any great en-
erprise of this character in the
Outh. New England furnished employ
nent not lOnly to her own people, but to
n with the tide OF immigration from the old
World. There was no demand South for such
abOr, and there was no demand because no
uch labor was to be had.
Wherever skilled labor goes capital will fol-
DIV. Especially is this true in a country like
urs, where the subjects for development are
0 numerous and so near at hand.
Heretofore we have been essentially an ag-
people. Our soil and eli
nate are adapted to the production I
+ the worlds greatest staple. and we have
eOple. Hence arose early the conflict be-
Ween ourselves and the North on the subject
+ the tariff 1t is not to be wondered at that
ur people mostly favored free trade. Pro
ection by government becomes oppressive
nless it results in building up home indus
ries. Unless a people desires to and can {
manufacture Its doors ought to be open to the
world, so that its citizens may have access to
he market at the lowest rate possible.
But the country that depends on the markets
4 other nations for its necessaries and luXu-