Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-09-23
FOR THE SENATE
ABSALOM KOINER.
FOR THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES
EDWARD ECHOLS.
ALEX. b. LIGHTNER
TIE BUSINESS OUTLOOK.

The country is in that condition now, at
ter having passed through the ordeal OF
depression, that betokens revival of gener-
al prosperity. There were no deficiencies
in resources to cause stagnation in trade
The specializing interests were so managed
as to cripple the industrial interests, already
suffering from partial over production, but
the corrections which time can apply have
had their effect.
A few weeks since, we adverted to the
large plans maturing for the increased de-
velopment of Southern interests, in which
millions of inactive Northern capital would
place its power, in association with South
ern resources and Southern enterprise and
energy The examination into the pros
poets which would follow such association
has been carefully made, and the confer.
ences and interviews between the repre-
sentative tei ests of the Southland and
Northern centres of commercial aid indus
trial pursuits, brings out the most pleasing
anticipations for our section of the Union.
We have much more than our wheat and
cotton and tobacco to invite investments for
solid futures. The spirit of our people,
their tone and their selfreliance, challenge
admiration, and in association with our pro.
ducing values and immense physical re-
sources is gradually attracting new invest
ments and infusing renewed and more
enduring confidence than ever existed be-
tween the two sections.
The New York Journal Of Commerce, in
reviewing the general prospects, has many
encouraging words for the South, which,
from. its extreme limits, is rolling North
ward boom, larger and more powerful
for the general prosperity than it has been
hitherto regarded as capable of producing.
In recent article, specially devoted to the
".Iopeful South" it speaks as follows
$50 earnest are the Southerners in their
convictions that better times are close at
band-in fact have already come, many of
them say-that they feel very much hurt
when their statements of improved business
are discredited at the North. Woe be to
water on their hopes! And, as for any
Southern editor, it is almost as much as his
life is worth to refrain from joining in the
chorus of fluctuations Skeptics and pessi-
mists may say what they please. But there
is something in the hearty and confident
tone of the Southern people that ought to
command a large amount of respect and
faith. If it is true that want Of confidence
is one of the causes of protracted business
depressions, then the return of confidence
should be hailed as a good sign wherever
it appears We ought to feel we'll disposed
toward the South when she innocently
boasts of her improving condition and tells
us what great things she is going to do. In
all other sections of the Union public opin-
ion upon the revival of business is in an in
termittent state. 1t IS hot and cold by
turns. The sanguine feeling Of one day is
succeeded the next day by d chill down the
back. Not so at the South. Things no
longer look blue-but always rose colored
to the people of that section. May that
feeling continue, and the sooner it leavens
the rest of the country the better for all of
US.
'In all this there is a meaning deeper
than the superficial appearance. The pres
emit hopefulness of the South means the
complete restoration of fraternity with the
North 1t means that from the minds of
the Southern peope-with few exceptions
only-is effaced 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 trans
formation SO fully experienced at the South
has not yet been answered by so complete
a change Of public sentiment 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 IL
reconcilable in their sectionalism. The
bloody shirt will never again be party
flag; and if any faction raises it as the en-
blem 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 Americans every
wherep'
"More and more at the North we feel that
we need the South" are cheering words for
Southern manhood. Southern ardor and
effort, tempered with their own moderation
and appreciation, respond with full contri-
buttons of solid and growing wealth, and in
fraternal spirit, to the welcome sentiments
from the North, which have placed section
al strife under public condemnation.
In the Gulf States, the Carolinas, and
the Virginias, too, are unmistakable mani
festations of substantial progress in materi-
al development, which have made their i'm
pressions for good and so handsomely
brought out by the great journal from
which we qvote, as well as by the Bankers
Magazine, and many other standard author
tiles, in their reviews of all the leading
interests of the country, the South receiving
share of consideration based upon it's
merits.
In manufacturing progress, North Caro-
lima, Alabama, and Georgia are moving
more rapidly than Virginia that may come
up in good time when we shall not have the
''bloody-shirt' partizans to contend with,
which will be the case after the November
election.
AS local journal, it is proper to look
over the field of our local interests to see
the extent to which we are affected by the
general condition of the South, which has
been presented. Though dependent almost
entirely on agricultural productions for our
whole progress, the fact, however, is plain,
with proper analysis of it's annual values,
that we are fairly moving forward; but we