The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-10-04
STANDING IN ITS ows LrsHr.

STANDING IN ITS OWN LIGHT.
A convention of Southern men recently
met at Washington City and discussed the
question. why don't the South grow
more rapidly in wealth and popuiation9"
The Southern states have mild winter
climate compared with that of the North
and the summer heat is not more severe
than 10 endured in New York, Philadelphia
or Chicago. The South has plenty of
cheap land: 10 well watered and timbered;
her mineral wealth, developed and unde-
veioped Is enormous. She has iron. coal
and limestone for fiux SO close together
that With her cheap negro labor she
ought to make the cheapest iron in the
country; her marble mines are magnifi-
cent; her salt mines extensive; her OPP
portunity for raising early vegetables for
the Northern city market is the best i'm
the country; she can raise many of the
fruits Of the temperate zone, and can
equal Southern California as a raiser of
semi-tropicai fruits II she improved her
advantages with the same energy and skill.
1t costs little for fuel, clothing and labor
at the South: houses do not need TO be rs
substantially or extensively built as in
those Northern states where the winters are
long and severe. There is no reason why
II the South had the right kind of popula-
ton to improve its natural advantages,
why she could not completely monopolize
the early garden truck" trade of the cities
of the North there is no reason why she
could not absorb much If not all of the
fruit trade that far-off California has with
New York city.
Can anybody tell why the Atlantic sea-
board should import GA. 600 bags of onions
this year from Egypt; 12,ooo bags from
Havana, 1871 900 crates from Bermuda and
very large quantity from Spain. these
Spanish onions bringing dollar or more
a crate at wholesaler
IL is easy to understand that New York
and Connections cannot furnish early
onions, as can Egypt, Bermuda, Cuba and
Spain. but the Southern states as far
south as Texas can raise excellent onions
There is no reason why the South could
not supply all the spring onions consumed
by our Northern city markets. There is
no sound reason why single sack of
early vegetables should be i'm ported for the
markets Of the North Atlantic seaboard.
What Is true of Bermuda onions is true
OF Bermuda potatoes. The Southern
states between Norfolk. Va, and Charles
ton, S. C.. must afford q soil and climate
as favorable for early vegetables as can
be found in Bermuda or Cuba. 1t is
true that Norfolk and Charleston now do
n large business of this sort with the
great Northern cities. and Georgia increases
her early garden truck trade with the
North every year, but IL is perfectly plain
that the South has not pushed her atural
| advantages in this respect TO their utmost
or California would not have established a
| fine fruit trade with New York city in spite
of the exorhitant freigh. charges across the
continent
California Is splendid fruit growing
region, but in fruits common to both the
South and California, the South ought TO
| be able 30 hold the whole market Of the
| Atlantic seabosrd against California, and
In the matter OF early vegetables the South
| ought to be able 10 make it a losing trade
90 import any onions, potatoes or early
vegetables OF any sort from Bermuda or
| Cuba.
The South does not push her natural ad-
vantages and opportunities with the same
energy and success as the North or even
the far-otf Pacific coast. Why doe. she
notf She does not because she lacks the
proper Kind of population. Her 'poor
white" population sprang originally. from
an excellent stock--as good as this couu-
| try aifords-but under slavery IL deteri.
GRATED SO feArfally that today II lacks en-
ergy, ambition aad enterprise. 1t is con-
tent TO let well enough alone.
Only in the cities OF the South do its
brains concentrate and find opportunity
for display. In Richmond, Charleston.
Savannah. Atlanta, Chattanooga aud Bir-
mingham the southern man OF brains and
energy is found. bat behind these cities
! there is no back country OF intelligent, en-
terprising small farmers and mechanics
such as iced the cities OF the North.
The brains Of south Carolina Is TN the
minority today. the majority OF her white
people are frantic followers Of Populist
Tillman. who believes in free silver and
ali the paper money ths; can De issued; in
Alabama there Is a vast crowd who follow
populist kole. East Tennessee Is Repub-
lieAn to-day only because Of the old feud
between Parxon Browniow and John II.
Crosier.
The South Is psrslyEed today because OF
the stolid ignorance and non-progressive-
ness Of the mass Of the common people,
who lack the quality that IS essential 30
progress in = man or q people. via; diseon-
tsat with well enough" and eager aspira-
ticn for better things.
The average small Southern white farmer
IS a. content with the present situation As
i the average Chinese peasant With bis
lot; he does not wans say advent OF
Northern capital; he does nes want 10 get
rich. he does not waat - replace his
.'mocntainesr" civilization With anything
thai smaokz OF more comfort. iaieslsEencs.
humanity or reanemsnt; he = eontens 70
= lee a.oaes 60 i've just As his father aia
before him. he j. as uasAns&A.s Aad ~
irs~clsjma o.e ss tho six&ssss that eanser
ear civilization.
80 lone - this social situation remains
unchanged a. sas So.sh - sa.azA.e eEa.-