The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-02-25
SOUTH OAKoLINA's PROSPERITY.
The Progress OF the Palmetto state since
the Close OF the War.
columbia &. c. Register.

lNoAAAnbid - = AASslhtett.
Let Us see how Colonel McClure's estimate
OF south CarOliRa's progress, TO begin with,
is warranted by the facts. Taxing our bank
ing capital. we have about a fourth Of what
we had before tn war. To Offset this we
have some GOO miles of railroad IN excess OF
what we had before. This, at an average OF
$4,000 per mile for road aud equipment,
amounts to 50 O00, 600. This alone meets the
whole ahrinkage In banking capital. In
manufacturing establishments OF all kinds
the capital employed in total manufactures
IN South Carolina in 1860 was So 900 900, in
1850 gil. 200 600; in 1884, Sl5 700 600; in
1855, ST., 600, 000 We thus see to-day = gain
of some $4,000 600 on the ante.bsllnm pc.
Rod
0Ur agricultural product stands 700 900
bales OF cotton (409 pOunds) average for the
present period, against $50, 900 in 1860. Our
grain product in 1889 So in Indian corn and
small gain was some % 100000 bushels,
against l. 400 GOO in 1860. Oar rice and sea
island crops have sunk about an average of
30 per cent. OF ante beium averages.
The flesh crop has been necessarily much
reduced. owing TO the years of revolution
and confusion encountered since the war
along with the great destruction suffered in
all Kinds of live stock during the war
Nevertheless, at no time in the history OF the
Stale Las there been 60 much interest and
enter prise III the improvement OF stock in
Ill LhiAs VI tic DldAt. CD tudt IO-uhy We
have stock of the very best strains in nearly
ali sections OF the State, and more care is be-
ing devoted 10 this branch of agricultural
Industry than ever before known in the MS
tory of the State.
1t is no idle word then of Colonel Mcclure
when he speaks Of The progress made by
South Carolina IN the last eight years.
New, as TO the superiority OF resources as
signed rs, there Is this 10 be said During
the colonial period the British Government
way s held South Carolina as the favored
colony of all. Just before the war Elwood
Fisher sstonisbtd the North and our own
statesmen. uniformed then as now, with
Startling statement that South Carolina was
the richest State In the Union IN proportion
10 her population When challenged to Che
proof he prOTed it beyond all question. We
need not repeat after him now the facts and
fgures vhicn lie before US IN the Federal
statistics OF 1860 The CARPET bag Governor
Chamberlain always contended that South
Carolina resources exceeded those OF any
other STATE IN the Union.
Taking ne whole thing together. We may
proud ? point To our exposition at New Or
leans. III cotton we stand at the head OF
the list Ia the grains We arc second 10 none
as TO he quality. We grow the best rice IN
the woriC Oar sweet potatoes are as good
a. tie Orld can afford. Oar exposition IN
hsy astounding. We show from kinds,
Means grass. Bermuda, crab, pea-vlne and
mllet 81 showing that South Carolina
can b. exceeded as a hay producer. Oar
woo6 exposition has taxed everybody By
s7rfri e. coz pairing mes, fsvorsbly with
p - Of Usluornis. We have tue very best
iron ere N The Union. oar mineral pro
ducts are by no means Insignificant. 00r
Water.po~sr. ali told, is the most abundant,
never failing and the cheapest IN the Union.
l. Is no extraordinary claim for South
CsroliIa to ssy thst she can comfortably
sustain FIVE times her present population
and feed them ST. from her stiluent bosom.
Colonel Mcclure is mistaken in saying that
South Carolina never fed her people from
her own soil. She did do this before the
wsr. For whilst she imported some food,
she exported more than she got beyond her
borders.