River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-04-19

InuS revealing Jnb posi- DlllJlSS OIL JhlS
country in the raising of that cereal
where the soil is properly prepared
and titled. Would any northern farm
er think of accepting 40 bushels from
an acre where there was possibility
of getting four times that amount
Again $50 pounds of cotton is accept
ed as good average crop per acre, but
the premium acre yielded 1891 lbs.
showing another possibility which
would so sharpen the energies of
northern farmers as to cause a united
struggle in the direction of reaching
that possibility as near as possible.
The result of this failure to raise pay
ing crops is, much land classed rs cul.
tivated is not used, men owning great
plantations are SO discouraged that
they are letting them remain idle or
renting them in patches to secure
enough to pay taxes, rather than con-
t nue. the Improbable efforts of the
past. With northern methods of
farming, these plantations would he
yielding large profits, and make Ala
bama one of the most prosperous farm
ing sections of the United States. 1t
thus becomes clear that the South
needs closer and more friendly rela-
lions with the North, and the perth
nent question here is, are the south
ern people ready for that closer asso-
ciatiOnl This we will try to answer
later,
The question will no doubt be asked,
.'why is not the land properly titled,
and its wonderful prOductiVeness Sc
cured! The simple answer is, the
Freedman is failure as farm labor
er except in rare instances, and the
planter not having been educated to
the methods of intensive farming, and
being forced to depend on the freed
man for labor is powerless to reach
the possibilities of his soil, or even TO
make it profitable to him. desire TO
lay no blame upon the colored man for
his evident inet1iclency. | simply
state fact. SO as to further prove the
present needs of the South, leaving all
blame, and censure for existing cOndi-
lions out of sight. The old system
did not properly educate the planter
nor the laborer fer the system of agri-
culture now necessary, and nothing
short of change to northern meth
DDS will ever lift Alabama to the
grand position she is so well calculat-
ed to occupy agriculturally.
Are the landholders of Alabama
ready for the change which must evil
IDENTIFY come largely, if it comes at all
through a closer association with the
people of the North! am convinced
that they are; and this conviction
comes to me through the fact that
| they have discovered their necessities
and openly and frankly declare that
they must have our methods, and
| farming skill to redeem them from
their present prOstration. So impOr-
tant fact, so clearly seen by them
must have the effect of turning their
minds in the direction of inquiring
what are the great hiGdrances to
northern migration, and finding
through such inquiry the true cause
to be belief in the North that the
southern people Will not welcome
northern people, and treat them social
" according to merit, they have brave
" made battle with their prejudices
and have conquered them SO far that
vindictive people are scarce, and a
feeling of good will is growing rapid
w. and has so far taken root among
the best and most intelligent people,
as to enable them to forget the past
and look upon all who will come among
them to aid in placing their state
where she belongs in an agricultural
sense. as their best friends and wOr-
thy of their kind and cordial welcome.
Again. Alabama has extensive for
ests of pine, unutilized for about the
same reasons that her agricultural
lands are Improbable; her lahorer has
no knowledge of the lumber business,
and her monied people are not ac-
quainted with the processes needful to
convert these forests into money,
hence northern skill and adaptability
are as desirable in this direction as in
the other. and will be as warmly well
coined; and besides all this 1t is quite
likely, that, the northern man with
his push would find way to make the
colored laborer more useful, by stimu-
lating in him a desire to make his Ia
Dor remunerative, and thus confer a
double benefit by utilizing existing,
vet dormant forces in the develOpe-
ment of the latent resources OF the
South. All this the intelligent southern
man sees, and it causes him to feel
that he cannot afford to sacrifice GER
tain prosperity on the alter of preju-
dice.
But the question will be asked,
what will be expected of a northern
man i'm Alabama in a political sense!
NV conversations with some of the
most prominent men in the state con-
vinces me that Alabama is fast hasten
a.. IN
her people will prize her industrial
prosperity far above any party tie,
and that nothing will more certainly
hasten that day than the proof that
northern people have laid aside all
fear and prejudice, and are willing to
avail themselves of Alabama's won
derful inducements of climate and
soil. by uniting with them in a spirit
of friendship in the development of
her resources. The property holders
of Alabama are people of intelligence,
hence they know very we'll that when
they invite a great influx OF northern
settlers, they also invite an influx OF
independent thought and active brain
force. and they know that such force
and thought must have room for ac-
tien. hence in their call for northern
settlers they include the legitimate re-
suits of such action. knowing that
with the new population, and resultant
Developments. there will come new
conditions and interests which all will
cheerfully unite IN sustaining and pro
tecting. for the common benefit Of all.
in the upbuilding and enriching of the
state.
Alabama once found herself $40, 00O,-
600 in debt through the Ignorance and
profigacy of her legislators, with her
bonds selling at 80 to Az cents on the
dollar and it is not likely any northern
man would be expected to restore that
condition by electiDg as lawmakers
men who can do no better than that,
whether black or white, for she has
thrown off more than three fourths of
that debt and placed her bonds above
par. by calling to her aid in legislation
those whose honor. Intelligence and
love for their state enabled them to
lift her out of VI the pit of impending
bankruptcy, and il is easy to believe
that, every northern man becoming a
citizen Of Alabama. bringing with him
his Unborn ideas of economy and good
government would, Of choice. vote so