New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-23
AZ INITIATION From THE SOUTH.

An INITIATION FROM THE SOUTH.
A convention of influential citizens of South
ern States, residents OF Northern cities who
were reared in the South, and Northern men
who are interested In Southern enterprises met
I'm New-Yorli on Thursday. They assemDlel 10
give and hear accounts Of the rich and varied
resources Of the South. the need OF men anu
money to develop them and the opportunities
there offered to capital and energy ana to con-
cert measures for promoting the welfare OF Doth
sections by cooperation. No doubt exists hs ~
the richness Of the field waiting to be cultivated
In the South When every deduction mas ocen
made for the pardonabe fervOr of those VINO de-
scribe the fertility Of its soil, the variety ana OK
tent of its mineral deposits and lis FOREST
wealth. the fact remains that Nature mas Deeh
wonderfully lavish in that region, ana mat niah
has only Just begun to utilize her gifts. we are
in hearty sympathy with every puDlc-spirlteu
effort 10 establish closer relations or hohor anu
advantage between all parts OF the country anu
espcciallv 10 terminate the social ana indis'rl'i
ostroneoment from which the South has been
nerhaps the chief sufferer but when, ncVerlne-
less has been unfortunate for every STATE. we
regret. therefore, to learn that the southern deIe
gates to this convention were disappointed Ut
the absence Of many Northern capitalists whom
they had expected TO meet.
ono Of thn reasons for their non-attendance
was not suggested in the convention. III ih''
If everything which was said there hau o'e"
exactly true, there would be no such r'ason 40
we have IN mind for the apparent Indifference
of some whose presence and interest hau oceh
relied on If the conditions described d! lhe
Secretary of the Interior. who happened 10 ~
I'm the city and was invited to address the con-
vrntion. actually prevailed in all parts Oh the
South. or even generally, capital would not walt
for 4 pressing invitation To embark in Son'heTh
enterpriscs and no special Inducements 10 lmuhi-
grafton would be necessary. Sald lhe iloh'
Uoke Smith: "rOday there are no disturpihS
questions in the South. Not thing RULES me
surface Of that happy land" This Is rhetoric
thn truth IS that there are disturbing queSuohS
which rufie the surface Of that happy land, OF
ourht 10 if they d. not, and which M least rune
fine temper OF Northern men who go there.
Northern men If the sort wanted ana needed
in the South have an instructive ana iheradi-
cohln nrnferencc for free speech and fair elec-
,io,s Mr. Smith IS a citizen Of Georgia. one
If The richest and most prosperous states III
tho South and he must know that there IS no
State of Alabama has enormous natural re-
eo,rcos far thc DEVELOPMENT of which an Influx
If money and settlers from beyond her borders
Is ordcntly desired; but the supporters Oh the
olirorchv which has long usurped all political
mower there. which retained its control last year
NV q colossal swindle and will attempt. probably
I'm vain to do the same thing ut the coming cleo
tinu have hitherto furnished Northern men with
conclusive reasons for declining to accept such
invitations as they have just received. 80 II
has boen with all the Southern States IN the
n,st and so II Is with majority OF them To-
dov Men holding different pollucnl opinions
fror, those I'm control and authority there DO not
nav generally expect 10 be shot down or driven
ont in consequence but they do expect TO suffer-
In various WAYS If they declare their opinions,
and to he counted out when they vote them
"Non from the North aud East who come
down 70 us" said Mr.. Smith, twill find the
hand Of friendship outStrctchcd TO them 80
,hcv WILL we do not doubt, in many southern
communities, but IN many others they VIII De
socially ostraczcd Southern men usually eX-
nross rho most cordial and hospitable sentiments
when they are away from home, but every now
and thon q General Rosscr or n Reverend Mr..
Cave clcctrificS his audience by contrasting
Southern chlvalry with Northern scum
We rejoice to believe that the long era ol
nolitica intolerance, social prejudice and fraudu-
lent elections Is drawing to an end mat Tue
Rosscrs and Caves are becoming more sc'rce
and more obscure from year to year. ana tlla'
the number of those whose rancor ana X
norance have given such men vocation IS
RAPIDLY diminishing. But II must be SAID 10 'he
discredlt of the South and the disadvantage Oh
the whole country. that Southern representatives
M Industrial conventions still have Defore 'heih
n harder task than that OF proving tnit luclr
States are rich In undeyeloped resources