The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-12-29
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Judge william. y. iici:, Rosy Picture {
(l;r r-.r:il,.S :I.iGc in Recent Years.

Judge William. y. iici:,> Rosy Picture oi
li,r>:r;.lrs ;Iit;c in Recent Years.
The Washington correspondent OF the
New York World writes December 81 as
follows: Judge ". d. Kelly, OF Pennsyl-
vania, who has been on Il SIX weeks, tour
through tie South, returned to-day. His
tip WAS for the purpose OF lnaslnSa per,
sonal inspection oi the progress III that
section. His time was chiefly spent IN
Tennessee and Alabama. In reply to a
World correspondent he said the signs
OF progress there are indeed marvellous.
u made ny first Journey through the
South in 1867 and went again Ill 1873,
visiting the same places | just come
from, and no one could have convinced
me that the people Of that section had
made such strides as they have. could
scarcely convince myself that the places
| visited were the same that ! saw on my
former journeys. They are enjoying
down there not only progress but pros
perity greater than is enjoyed in the
North, and it is al owing to a change OF
sentiment on the question of labor. The
old planters are beginning to recognize
not only The dignity but the value OF
labor.
lis there moral and social progress as
well?"
''Yes; the progress in that direction is
equally marked The people are living
in better class of houses and beginning
to show taste in art adornments, and are
Introducing the comforts of life that
were unknown to the middle and lower
classes a few years ago. The residences
OF the people are more neatly kept, the
extcriors are painted in taste, and the in
teriors of those 7 entered were comforta-
bly, furnished, with signs Of refinement.
The educational privileges Of the colored
people are now better than those the
whites enjoyed when ] last visited the
South, and those OF the whites are great
" improved. The class distinctions
which were the curse of that section
exist no longer, or only to limited ex-
tent: and the social position of citizen
is no longer reckoned by what his father
was, but by his own conduct and ability.
1t is no longer degrading to work, but
the producers are more respected than
the idlers.
The towns I visited" continued the
Judge, ':are under prohibitory enact
ments, and the moral condition Of the
Of the peoples much improved thereby.
The money that was formerly wasted IN
drink is now employed to promote the
welfare of those who earn it, and the re-
suit is greater comforts, better health and
an increased power OF production. The
negroes are industrious and thrifty as a
cl;tss, and the man who earns 4 dollar in
mine OF a mandatory has Il purchasing
power in those little towns equal to five
times that of the planter who is dependent
upon the yield and the prices of cotton.
The rate of wages paid workingmen is
about that paid in Pennsylvania for the
same class OF laborers and the same kind
OF employment, and the negroes are
proving themselves admirably adapted to
mechanical industries. y
''Ihey love the heat OF the mills and
sing at their work. They save their
wages or spend them wisely, and as
their employers are beginning to see
that the prosperity Of the country de-
pcnGs upon tic colored people us labor
ers they are no longer treated like
beasts. I went into their houses and
schools, sometimes by invitation and
sometimes incognito. [ told them SIM
ply that was Northern man and was
Interested in seeing how they were get
ting OF, and l cannot express with great
emphasis the impression made upon my
mind by what / SAW and the value OF IN
formation l acquired.
''The people OF the South are making
more money than We. They can pro-
duce rough iron more che;ipiy, because
the materials are III such close juxtaposi-
ton. stood on coal beds which had
iron mines on each side of them, not
more than two miles away, and lime
stone lying between. In Pennsylvania
/ can assert on good authority that 1t
costs seven dollars to get the materials
together before the manufacture of the
ircn commences. Ii the South, or IN
those parts of it visited, it does not
cost more than two dollars. Then, again,
land is so much cheaper.
''1n Pennsylvania land costs from one
hundred to seven hundred dollars an
acre, while i'll the South land can be
purchased for one dollar or one dollar
and i quarter that is equally as good for
the purpose.
Where does thc capital come from?'
':Most Of it originally came from the
North, but now local capital is becoming
interested and the profits Of the business
are immediately reinyested.
''NVill the South compete with the
Northern States in the manufacture OF
iron?'
YES, ard outrun US. They are not
making anything but low grade iron
now, but sell all they can make at the
same price we get Tor similar quality.
They DO not make enough to supply the
demand, SO that there is no bidding
s.g;linst: us, but the time will come when
facilities tor cheap production will be
felt By the producers OF my own and
other Northern States.