The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-07-30
A Force Bill and Its Effect.

The most direct but by no means the only
important effect of Force Bill, would be on
the Industrial progress Of the South. How
rand that progress now is-rapid beyond the
realization even of the men that are bringing
II .bout-is set forth in compact article IN
the August number of The Forum, by Mr.
Richard III. Edmonds, late editor of the Man
,,f,cf,trer's Record of Baltimore, whose HE
study has been given to the subject Among
the most significant facts set forth by Mr.. Ed
mOnds are these:
Since 1881, the corn crop of the South has
increased IS per cent, as against Il per cent
increase IN the rest of the country; the cotton
crop has increased from FIVE and a half mil
lion to nine million baies-an increase IN
value, even with the present low price, OF two
hundred millions of dollars; in 1891, there were
nearly As, 900 miles of railroad in the South,
against less than 1000 in 1SSl-a gain OF "
per cent. as against a gain of So per cent. in
the rest of the country. The passenger trafhc
of the Southern roads increased during the
same period 1863 per cent. as against an IN
crease of the rest of the country OF only l6o
nsr cent. In pig iron manufacture the South s
output Jumped from 45l 900 tons in 1881 to
1914, 900 in l89l-a gain Of 1913 per cent. as
against Il gain for the rest of the country OF
7sper cent; in other words in 1881, the North
and West made more than nine times as much
iron rs the South, in 1891 they made less than
Il
four times as much. The increase in the
number of mill operatives in the South was
1876 per cent, as against an increase IN New
England of II per cent. And so in every line
of productive activity the marvellous rapidly
of increase is explained, showing that IN as
sessed valuations the property of the South
has in this period very nearly doubled, and
increased from $lS7 per capita to $27l-a
record that is probably without parallel in
the whole history Of substantial industrial
growth And in spite of the temporary de-
preston caused by an over production of cot
ton, the increase goes on.
What would be the direct and immediate
effects of Force bill carried into execution
in the Southern States Mr.. Hoke Smith,
President of the Board of Education of At
lanta, answers this question in brief and
sharp ARTICLE in the same number of The
Forum After showing that, in his opinion,
the law would be unconstitutional, and after
showing that its expense would be not less
than $40, 900, 900 for every election and would
bring into existence at least $50, 900 new Office
holders. he proceeds to show that no greater
calamity would befall the Negro, for whose
benefits it is argued such bill is needed.
The development of the Negro depends abso-
lutely upon the kind feeling which exists be-
tween the two races in the South. The enact.
ment of Force bill wonld at once inspire the
Negroes with an undue attention to politics,
and this, in turn, would inspire the more
emotional of the white population with less
kindly feelings toward the blacks, and with
these results there would be in the South
re enactment of all the occurrences of the
reconstruction period.
This Mr.. Smith regards as a sufficient ar
gument in itself against even agitation for
another Force bill, but he goes much further.
He maintains that the industrial condition OF
the Negro would be made materially worse,
that he Wonld become less industrious la
borer in the cotton fields, because he then was
much less industrious than be has been since;
and that in this way the agriculture of the
South would be seriously impaired, and that
the whole country would feel the com 4ercial
depression in consequence of the social, pol;t'
zeal. and industrial confusion that Force bill
you'd work in the Southern States. The facts
and figures given by Mr.. Smith are full pre-
aentaion Of the whole Southern argument
along every line o. thought against even the
agIatiou of such II measure.