The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-09-28

official figures that the South has more
than regained the industrial position she
occupied "befo' de wah." lie may not,
however, be generally understo)d that
in 1890 the eleven states that sec eded
from the Union and formed the Con-
federacy Me able To show gains that ar Q
EVIDENCE of the stride the new South
has taken forward.
These states in 1890 had 1885, ,40
more people than they had in 1860.
They had about S41i,000. 900 more tax
able real property. The personal prop
erty valuation was over 81 200. .00o. 900 less
in 1890 than in 1860, but allowing for the
loss of the slaves, valued ut 81, sol ,000,-
600. there has been the very large actual
gain in personal property of $780, 900, 900.
The property loss to the South on ac-
count OF the war, between 1860 and 1865,
is reckoned at 81, 400, ,OOO, 900, excluding
all consequential" damages. This loss
has been made up, and $729, 423, 304
added to the total valuation of 1860.
So much for figures. Their significance
lies in the fact that the abolition of
slavery, while it wiped out an enormous
amount Of property, has operated to en-
rich the country.
Before the war the South was practi-
cally an unknown country TON Northerners.
The man from this section who migrated
South was looked upon as a person of
unusual hardwood, If not turpitude.
Gradually this feeling has been overcome.
The rapid rise of the South from the
desolate condition of 1866 has been very
largely due to the enterprise of Northern
men.
But the South is yet almost an unex-
plored land to the great majority in the
North. It's most natural resources are
but dimly appreciated. There is still a
feeling that in going into the South
personally or in sending money there
for investment, peculiar risk is in.
CURED that is not incurred in other
sections Of the country, or in other
countries. This arises from the political
practices of the South, and the, until
recently, intolerant attitude Of the men
who had been deprived of what they
cherished as their rights and their
property.
The South is now doing everything in
its power to attract attention from the
North. 1t welcomes Northern men and
Northern capital, and it does not shrink
from Northern methods. 1t had its
'boom" which burst, and it is getting
bravely over it. 1t has adopted rational
and successful advertising methods, and
is doing all it can to get itself known.
The South repays study richly. 1t
has nconceivable riches ready to de-
liver 10 whoever demands, whenever
there is demand. The sections east OF
the Allegheney Mountains and south of
Potomac is probably unrivalled in
natural riches by any other section in
America. There are fields for all grades
of endeavor in this South, limitless in
extent and possibility, outclassing the
West in every way.
The most promising indication in the
South is the promise Of coming political
independence. There is hope that the
time is not far distant when the South
will itself realize that its salvation can
be best worked out by the Republican
party, and that it will turn to that party.
1t seems to be turning to the great party
of ideas ana progress already.
When the South lbera,es itself from
the thralldom of the Democratic psrty
1t will find that not only will it begin to
enjoy political freedom and enlighten-
ment, but material prosperity will fol-
low as hard upon the heels of the lifting
of the political haze now enveloping t
as it did after the enforcement of human
freedom.