Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-07-14
PROGRESS OF THE SOUTH.

LlOLl Tic 4 NtittFS OOUWH IHeTe Is
CLEANED some interesting statistics of the
progress made by the South. 1t is a graf
flying showing, and verifes the prophecy
of the early abolition days that the posi-
bilities of the South would remain indie
terminate and undeveloped so long as sla-
very dominated that section For a quarter
of century the principle Of human free
dom has prevailed there, and the result
has been one of steady progression. Since
1880 10,400 miles of railroad have been
built in the South, representing S575,000,-
900 Of permanent investment. Her cotton
mills have increased from $50 to 353-
almost 100 per cent. Six years ago she
had forty cotton seed oil mills; now she
has l46, representing Sl1, 100000 of CAPT
tai. In 1880 the South made 397 ,301 tons
of pig iron, and in 1884 G57 800 tons-a
gain of 2G0, 29S tons in four years. Coal,
phosphate rock and other mineral products
have developed in almost equal ratio. The
corn crop has increased from 334,0O0,00O
bushels in 1879 to 499,O0O,OOO in 1885, a
gain of l65,0O00OO bushels. Oats has
nearly doubled in production, and the same
is practically true Of tobacco, fruit, vegeta-
bles, grasses, etc. In 1880 the live stock
of the South was worth S439,900,0O0. At
present its value is S599,00O,0O0, a gain of
Sl59,000000. "She produced in 1885
SS00,700,000 more of agricultural, manu-
featuring and mining products than in
1880, and is now enjoying the full momen-
tum of the splendid impulse that she has
acquired. This is a little more than the
average value of the cotton crop, and S25,
100000 more than the total value of the
wheat crop of the whole country for the
past year. During 1885 the amount of
capital, including capital stock Of incorpo-
rated companies represented by the new
mining and manufacturing enterprises at
the South, and the enlargement of plants
and rebuilding of mills destroyed by fire,
aggregated nearly s67,OOO,0O0"
Al this vast new Investment and pro
duction represents by fully half the intro
duction of new blood into Southern COM
merce and Southern industry. The indus
trial element of other sections is focking
to the broad fields, the partly worked
mines and the magnificent water-power
privileges of the far South. As a rule,
these investors and workers are still looked
upon as mudsills by the oId-time aristo-
Gratis, who maintain social exclusiveness
however free to mingle in business
walks-tha. is based ON the fact that they,
or their fathers, once counted the " Mig
gers" they owned, as they did the stock on
the hillsides But these antediluYians,
with whom the recolleetions of faded
past is the one standard for social position,
are happily fast dropping out. The hope
is that the new Young South will wash its
hands of preiudices and accept and judge
men by their merit only. Meanwhile COM
plant of ostracism comes up from North
ern men who go to the South country and
invest or engage in mechanical pursuits.
OF course no remedy can be applied for
such wrongs. The antidote for this social
venom must come from the class of people
that cherish it. A gentleman recently re-
turned from New England remarked to us
a few days ago that that which most liz
pressed him on revisiting the section was
that the young men are leaving New Eng
land, save perhaps one or two to the fam
lily, as rule, among the rural
people. And this, because the neees-
sity of existence drives them into
regions where there is more Of acreage of
free soil TO the man, broader opportunities
in field of wider activities, and where
there is not such overplus of population.
The old homesteads no longer yield q "a
living" for all the members of the average
family, and so three out of five young meu
emigrate, and very largely their faces are
turning southwark. They come of work.
ing stock, of parentage proud to labor,
and whose industry has dignifed toll
They are full of energy and ambition,
prinied with high hopes tutored in schools
of economy, and in every way qualified in
an eminent degree to build up intelligent,
industrious, persevering, peaceful citizen
ship for the South. twill not reject these
recruits. They have already given new
life to many sections and drawn with them
maturer men with capital and faith in the
The truth is the South invites
these men to her domain. Her people
rejoice at their coming, and business marts
and labor and manufacturing fields have
open arms for them. All the testimony is
hat they are gladly welcomed. And yet,