The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-09-01
TIM SOUTHERN CONVENTION AT
ytSHINGiO>

The principal object Of the meeting now
being held in Washington of southern
representatives Is stated TO be ITO secure
the establishment Of a permanent eXhlbi-
lion of southern resources in Washington,
with an auxiliary bureau, in which the
various Investments likely to secure capi-
tal NAV be recorded with all particulars
and thus establish a reliable medium be
tween northern capital and the rich nelds
for the development in the South.
We wish the gentlemen who are holding
this meeting all good luck. but we look for
no very great return from the advertising
that they are going to do. The capitalists
Of the North are not ignorant OF the re-
sources of the South. They are very wei
known. and It is not ignorance OF them
that rets>is northern investment of capt.
tal. lust as far wrong also was Mr.
blackwell. OF Alabama. who Is reported
10 have said in addressing the convention
that northern commercial bodies seemed
10 be antagonizing the convention. MI
blackwell may set II down as certain that
northern commercial bodies, 50 far as
they note 1t at ali. are going to help the
conventions work along in every possible
way. Increased prosperity at the South
means more business for those CONNER
ciaI bodies which they very well know
and they are going, therefore, TO aid rath-
er than oppose whatever promises to pro
mote that business.
We repeat, IT is not ignorance Of what
we have that keeps northern capital away
from the South. 1t is kept away by two
causes-one the prevalent idea that we are
q people given To violent methods instead
of the peaceful ways of the law, and the
other the idea that We think the easiest
,yay TO pay "a debt is the best The idea
that we are people who prefer settling
personal differences with the pistol rather
than by the process Of the courts IS one
that has gone broadcast over the land,
and If there is anything on earth that
the capitalist abhors II is "A state of So
ciety In which that notion prevails. IL is
at war with every instinct of his nature,
and capitalists. as rule, will never in
vest their money in a region of country
where that is believed to be the ethics of
the people. We must correct this inn
precision. which we can never do If lynch
ingn are allowed amongst us, before we
can ever render the South a favorte field
for the Investment OF capitalists, never
mind what returns for investments we
may promise.
The other idea OF our preference for the
easiest method as the best method of
having debts is just as fatal to us as the
first. a great deal has transpired in our
history within the past twenty-five years
which has cultivated this idea as one
of the most natural of products. 1t is not
necessary TO go over that, as its eiiiores-
cence is now seen all over the South in
the clamor for free silver and cheap
money The capitalist shuns the land
, where that Is the political philosophy as
ne shuns a plague-stricken district. 1t
appears 10 us the height of idiotic folly
10 go aroun>r the South preaching free
silver and cheap money. and then step
over Mason and Dixons line and ask
CAPITALISTS TO bring their sound dollars into
that same land, where they VIII be com
pelled to exchange them for rotten dol
lars The spider and the fly episode may
contain as much of currency, but the spider
was not near so stupid as the man who
thinks he can fool any capitalist into such
a web.
The convention now sitting at Wash
ineton may render the South great ser
vice II 1t will deal with this case in the
line of thought treated here. Let II in
form the southern people Of the true
state OF the case. Let il inform them
that they will never get the aid of capital
until they demonstrate that they are
law-abiding people. and have recanted
their heresies about cheap money, and
they will do what is worth ten thousand
times all the advertising that is possible.
II they succeed In getting the South right
I'm these two matters. then they will zeal
ly open the door for that prosperity which
,s ready TO pour into the South when the
world becomes satisfied on these two