St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-05-19
THE NEW SOuTH.

The GLOBE is indebted to the Hon. CARL
SCHURz for copy of his pamphlet on the
New South, in which the author aims to
present true view of things in the South
ern states Twice during the last twenty
years Mr.. ScHURz has had occasion to
travel extensively over that section, and to
become acquainted with the condition of
the country and the people. In 1865, few
months after the close of the civil war, he
visited all of the Southern states except
Texas and Florida, and last winter all Of
them except Mississippi. And, as Mr..
ScHURz says in his introduction, he came
in contact with great many persons of all
shades of social position and of political
opinion, and improved his opportunities of
inquiry and observation, as the pages of his
pamphlet show.
Invery vivid colors Mr.. ScHURz draws a
contrast between the condition of things eX-
sting on his first visit in 1865, and the last
visit made few months ago. He dwells
upon all the difficulties the South had to
contend against during the reconstruction
era, and the bane of carpetbaggism with
which that section was cursed. There is
presented picture of the New South
emerging from the ordeal through which it
had passed, and adapting itself to the new
conditions which surrounded it, and in
spirit of loyalty to the government, and with
newborn energy, is endeavoring to lay
the foundations of its new empire. Mr..
SoHURz thus describes the processes
through which the New South developed
itself:
While this discussion was going on, nom
political butmost powerful influence asserted
itself. The Southern people got to work again.
Immediately after the war the average South
erner was laboring under the impression that
the emancipation of the slaves had brought
the whole economic machinery of the South
to a complete stand-still, and that, unless
some system of compulsory labor were re-
stored, there was nothing but starvation and
ruin in the future. Encouraged by President
JoHNsoN's cratic manifestations, he made
all sorts of reactionary attempts, but failed.
He had, after all, to try what could be done
under the new order of things, and he did
try. Gradually he discovered that the negro
as a free man would work better than had
been anticipated. He discovered also that
white men could, and under the pressure of
circumstances would, do many kinds of work
to which formerly they had not taken kindly
and readily. AS work proved productive,
hope revived, and, with hope, en-
ergy and enterprise. The Southern
man became aware that his saliva
ton did not depend upon reversal
of the new order Of things, but upon a wise
development Gift He found that this new
order of things was opening new opportuni-
ties and calling into action new energies. So
his thoughts were more and more withdrawn
from the past,wit its struggles and divisions
and resentments and turned upon the pres
er1t and future with their common interests.
hopes and aspirations. While the profess
sional politicians of the two sections were still
storlhing at one another the farmers, and the
merchants, and the manufacturers, and the
professional men had found something else
: to occupy their minds. Many of them came
into contact with Northern people and met
there with much friendlier feeling than they
had anticipated 1t dawned upon them that this
was, after all. good country to live in, and
good government to live under, and a good
people to live with. And it is this sentiment.
grown up slowly but with steadily increasing