The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1893-06-02
GhelemurrM-S Star
STATE OF MISSISSIPPI.
Gov. Stone on the Great Work
the State has Done.
IMPOVERISHED BY THE WAR, It's
CITIZENS WERE UNDAUNTED.
Now the state Offers Mach 10 CAPITAL
and Labor.

Now the state Offers Mach 10 Capital
and Labor.
The following article was writ.
ten for the Worlds Far Southern
edition OF The Baltimore News, bv
Gov. }. M. Stone, OF Mississippi,
hy request Of the editors of thai
journal, who solicited a rommuni
cation from each of the Governors
OF the Southern States:
MiSsIsslPPI-BY GOV. J NJ. STONE.
Ihtre was perhaps noS,ale IN the
South that suffered more severely
from tie results of the wal than
Mississippi. Her wealth, prior to
The war between the States, con.
sisted chiefly of her lands and
slaves. The accumulation of
wealth in tins State meant the tx.
tension of The broad acres owned
by the planter and the increased
number Of his slaves. lie sought
TO make money only TO he invest
ed in slaves and land. When the
war was ended he found himself
IN posses iion Of vast plantations of
the most fertile lands on the
globe, but his slaves had been
emancipated, his labor was gone,
his taxes accumulated and he was
impoverished by his wealth. Thus
1t was that those WHO had never
known anything but comfort and
ease and luxury became the poor.
est and most dependent of ali our
people. Their families had been
reared in wealth and luxury, with
objectionable assurance which their
surroundings seemed to give, that
no effort would ever be necessary
on their part TO perpeiuale the al.
fInence in which they had always
lived. Many Of them were trained
to nothing but ease and idlentss;
and when left tr their own re
sources they were as helpless as
children. What means they had
were soon exhausted, then their
lands went and they we're o
left to struggle for existence with
The advantages all against them.
When the war ended and recon.
struction followed, we had to en-.
dure a condition Of things but lit.
lie better than war. Aliens and
strangers infested the State, and
they, with our former slaves dom.
mated The government in every
department Tor len years. But
when this state OF things was no
longer e%ndurable, and forbearance
ceased 10 be a virtue, The people 0f
Missi>sil pl rose in their might,
threw off the yoke of despotlsm,
asserted their right To home rule,
and The government of Mississippi
has been in the hands of her own
people; and it may be safely as
serted that in no State in the Union
can there he found a more whole.
some code OF laws or one in which
they are more faithfully executed
The lands of Mississippi are
greatly diversified. We have thai
vast area OF alluyial lands lying in
the Mississippi Yazoo delta extend.
ing along The west side OF the
State, which is irayersed by the
Louisville, New Orleans and Texas
railroad from north to south and ii
is the most fertile and productive
land in the world. Much IF it is
still in its primitive State and
abounds in limbers of great value.
the lands are worth from IS 10
$50 per acre, according to the i'm.
provements. Heretofore the
floods have been a menace 10 the
people of The great valley, but
they have perfected a levee system
in which they feel secure. The
levees We're put 10 Sc, erer test
last spring than ever before. The
water, nearly TO The top of the
levees, with its immense weight
and strong current, slood agains,
them for months without a single
break. The water was higher
perhaps, than ever before, and
stood much longer against the
leVes, and the people now fee,
that with proper diligence they
are forever free from overflow
and that they have The finest coun,
try on The globe.
The prairie lands in The eastern
part Of the State, traversed by tn,
Mobile and OHIO railroad, while no
so productive as in The della, ar,
very valuable, and can be bough
upon the most reasonable terms
While they are good cotton lands
they are also adapted to ilp
growth of corn, small grain, Glove
and the grasses, OF all kinds; and
indeed, to everything tina, is grow
in this Southern climate. The pro
Of these lands wares from S. to 81
per acre, perhaps some a it'll
above that figure.
FORESTS OF FINE TIMBER.
The southern portion of tn
State is a vast forest Of the fines
pine timber in the world, and tn,
lands sell from ~ to $8 per acre
according 10 The facilities for trans
portaticn. Much oi these land
are very productlve.and the cou,,
Try is in,erspersed with SINAI
farms, but their chief value is il
the timber. 1t is true that a goo