Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-09-13
"The hopeful South

The New York Journal Of Commerce,
in an article on The Hopeful SOUTH
holds up the confidence Of the business
men of the South as an example to the
businessmen of the North, and at the
same time takes occasion to give the
malignants deserved rap. After in
voking a continuance Of the cheerful
feeling that exists in the South, and
declaring that the sooner it " leayenS
the rest Of the country the better for
all of us, -" our New York contemporary
says:
"In all this there is meaning
deeper than the superficial appearance.
The present hopefulness Of the South
means the complete restoration OF fra
ternity with the North. 1t means that
from the minds Of the southern peo-
plo-with few exceptions only-is ef-
faced the last trace of resentment and
chagrin resulting from their failure in
the civil war. 1t was necessary that
the lingering grudges should disappear
before the South could look to the future
with Astounding courage and hope. The
transformation so fully experienced at
the South has not yet been answered
by so complete change ofpublic senti-
ment at the North. There are still
some men among US who try to keep
alive the bitter memories Of the war.
Years may still elapse before these men
will cease this execrable policy. But
we may assure the South that it is con-
demned by increasing numbers even
among the ranks Of those who have been
most irIecOncilable in their sectional
ism. The bloody shirt will never
again be party flag; and if any fac
ton raises it as the emblem of an issue,
the public condemnation Of that folly
will be swift and sure. More and more
at the North we feel that we need the
South, and she may be sure that every
evidence Of prosperity she can show
will give pleasure to patriotic Ameri-
cans everywhere "
True. The North needs the South
and the South needs the North. Here
We need the capital of the North to
help us develop our vast resources, and
northern capital needs the South as a
field for investment. Yet to-day JOHN
SHERMAN, while processing that there
is none so patriotic as he, is laboring
to plunge the South into the slough of
dcspond and undo all that has been
done in twenty years in the way of re-
storing fraternity. To-day the malig-
nants who are represented by SHEER
MAN, FORAKER, BLAINE, LOGAN,
WHlTELAw REID, and MURAI
HAIsTTAD would bring about q
state Of things in the South that
would put an end to the investment Of
northern capital here, keep away immi.
grafton, and prove a blight to all enter
pIises which are dependent upon q
community of interest between the
North ard the South. One reason foi
the confidence that exists in the South
is that the South has been emancipatet
from the bondage Of Radicalism, t
which bondage the northern malignant
would now return it. Let the peopl,
Of Virginia remember that these north
ern malignants are the allies Of tn,
Virginia Republicans, and that upor
, how the Democrats do their duty il
November may depend in great mea
sure whether southern confidence anc
southern hopefulness will continue
Looking at the situation from materia
: and business standpoint alone, Virgin
c owes it to the South-nay, owes it t
Y the whole country-to crush out Ma
e honeism. BY so doing she will settl
0 it that the South is still solid agains
: Radicalism, and thus afford capital an
immigration guarantee of good gov
| eminent, without which guarante
= neither will seek us.