The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-11-29
HOW THE SOUTH rs DRAINED.


The recuperative powers OF the South.
which have enabled her to rise from the
abomination OF desolation into which she
was thrown by the war; to her present
condition OF comparative prosperity. are
indeed wonderful. Few countries could
have recovered at all in the short period
of twenty-eight years from the absolute
poverty she experienced, her hopes
crushed, her labor and social systems
absolutely destroyed, her values reduced
to nothing and her condition as deplora-
bic as It is possible to conceive. Had
the North been passed through such
threshing machine as 1t has been the UNI
happy lot Of the South to suffer from,
1t is safe to say 1t would have been at
least a century in beginning to revive.
But notwithstanding our remarkable
natural resources the South is still far
behind the rest Of the country In wealth,
and the reason therefor is easily under
stood. Although yearly receiving enor-
nous receipts from her cotton crop, which
has risen from 100000 bales In 1856 to
100000 in 1891, and with large receipts
from her tobacco and grain crops, she
derives no substantial benefit therefrom,
because such a large proportion OF her
earnings 20 into the Federal Treasury TO
be distributed in the North. The Govern
ment of this country now spends at least
$50 OOO, 900 a year, OF which probably one
frnr
the South. Since the close or the war;
according to a speech delivered by Hon.
Hillary A. Herbert, member OF Congress
from Alabama, before the Bank Presi-
dents Association in Boston, there has
been paid on the public debt more than
81. 400 OOO, OOO Of which the South has paid
fully si66 500, OOO Now the estimate for
pensions the present year Is $l4LOO,OOO
and soon 1t will reach 800 100000, all OF
which means an annual drain OF not less
than s5OOOO.OOO a year for pensions alone
In this section.
It Is wonderful indeed that 4 country
which. but a few years ago was PROSTATE
and paralyzed could pay that enormous
sum at all, but the worst OF it is that
none of 1t to amount TO anything, ever
comes back. That which goes toward
paving the public debt is paid to the
Northern bondholders. and that which Is
paid for pensions goes into the pockets
of the Northern alleged veteran. AT the
present rate Of taxation of the South for
pensions and payment Of the national
debt. the enormous war indemnity OF
50. 600 100000 levied on France by Germany
at the close of the FrancOPrussian war;
sinks into insignificance compared with
the war indemnity, which the South will
eventually have to pay the North as the
penalty for defeat.
This is manifestly unjust and the next
Democratic Congress should remedy It,
OF course the sums exacted of the South
for the national debt will have to con-
tinue, but the drain upon US for pensions
can, and should. be relieved. The South
is perfectly willing to pay her part to-
wards pensioning the worthy and gallant
veterans of the Northern armies, and
their widows and dependent children. But
she is not willing longer TO be taxed
heavily to give money 90 the hordes Of
worthless bounty jumpers, camp follow
ers, suffers and other non-combatants
who were connected with Federal armies,
and whose names now appear on the pen
sion lists side by side with the disabled
mon who did the fighting The lists should
be purged of all these frauds and bum
mers and made a roll of honor, and when
that is done there will be no word OF
complaint from the South She will still
be taxed heavily it is true, but her taxes
will be reduced to a point which Will en-
able her to realize some benefit from the
enormous natural advantages with which
she has been blessed by a benehcent
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