Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-04-08

features and mining. In manufactures
and mining, and hence in railroads, her
growth for ten years past has been unpre-
cedented, and her mineral resources and
advantages have been shown TO be I'M
equalled. II her growth in these things
continues for another generation as for
the last ten years the South will become
30 strong that ii will not be in the power
OF the two other sections to further
victimize her. This is more than mani
fest. Her railroad mileage viii in that
time have more than doubled. She will
have become the chief producer and
manufacturer of iron, and perhaps have
monopolized the manufacture OF cotton
fabrics; a large manufacturer OF agri-
cultural implements and woodwork OF
all sorts, and of woollen fabrics and
many other things. with population OF
some thirty to forty millions. Under these
conditions she will have become omnipo-
tent in the maintenance OF her rights and
impossible OF conquest. Grant, If you
choose, that the South could save
$50, 100000 year with with a revenue
tariff,
HOW MUCH WOULD SHE LOSE
in manufactures now in their infancy
and beginning TO grow? What effect
would this apparent saving have on her
prospective mining, manufacturing, and
railroad-making ? | venture 10 say she
wOUid toge between fifty and one hun
dred millions u year. Perhaps much
more. Let MS avoid being penny
wise" Suppose we should have another
war between the States, or what is worse,
q civil war; thirty years hence? --and no
man can say We will not-the South in
that time, If her manufacturing progress
goes on in the same ratio as for ten years
past, will be vast power, and whether
she raise her standard for law and order
or against the revolutionary and dis
turbed North, or for whatever purpose,
she will beable to maintain that standard.
If the protective policy should cost the
South SO, 900, 600 q year for thirty
years or $500, 0e0, 900, what then would
her manufacturing interest be worth ?
L venture to say more than
81, co., 900, 600. And / venture to
say her manufactures would yield
her more than her cotton and tobacco
crop combined, giving employment to
what the northern people call her poor
white trash, now working her pine bar
rens and her mountain sides This Will
be the effect Of letting "well enough
alone" The North cannot long com
pete with the South in the manufacture
of cotton and Of the great bulk of iron
I'VE must and will monopoliZe both nor
in the output OF coal In another twenty
years or less the ceal Of West Virginia,
Kentucky, and Alabama will have driven
the coal OF Pennsylvania from the Valley
of the Mississippi and Ohio, and so the
coke Of Virginia. West Virginia, and the
South will take the coke market. The
South will be the chief manufacturer Of
cars, steel rails, rolling stock, &c. At
Anstead, in Alabama, we have the largest
railroad-car factory in America now, and
this and others will supply the demand
for all the southern roads and many
others. All this Will certainly come
il our present tariff is not re-
duced. But with free raw ma
terial or large reduction on pig-iron,
iron-ore, &c, what will be the result? The
wise and the prudent will go very slow.
Not SO the theorist. 1t is to be hoped
that southern people will give their
serious attention to these matters and
not allow themselves to be drawn along
in the train of theorists, or of those who
pay too little attention to the interests Of
the great whole, and the greatness of the
South while they are struggling to re-
duce domestics and calicoes lc. a yard
and other things IN proportion a sup
posed temporary gain. Let us wear
fewer store-cloths and put our good
women to the spinningwheel if neces-
sary.
Ii is manifest the South was conquered
in the late war for the want of railroads
and manufactures, of arms and raw
material. But fer this
SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN NyINcIBLE.
We could not export anything, and
there being no manufacturers there was
no en- ploynent for the people, no ex-
change OF the products OF the farm.
Stagnation and want in the home was
the inevitable result. From this came
discomfort and suffering at home, from
this the desertion OF one third the army.
How could soldier remain at his post
with wife aud children or mother and
father suffering at home for food and
clothing? We ought to learn something
from this. But there are many who
learn nothing, who never look back,
TO whom the future is a blank, to
whom the past is forgotten, and who are
ever ready to cruelty when they should
applaud. What did her conquest cost
the South ? Not less than 81, 900, 600,
900. 1t is now coming back in tho
shape Of railroads and manufactures so
rapidly that our manufactures will yield
as much IN another generation as our
cotton and tobacco. What is to decide
the future conflicts between the States OF
Europe-between these State Facilities
for transportation, an abundance Of ma
terial. other things being equal. We
are being rapidly prepared for all the
contingencies that come out OF human
passion. We should not experiment
when we have a certainty. You see,
have based this letter and its conclusions
on facts developed in the last ten years.
They who come to different conclusions
are perhaps theorists.
JOHN S. SWANS.
Charleston, ". Va, April 4, 1888.
Knew Nothing OF Running Engines