Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1895-04-04
WHATTHE SOUTH HAS DONE.

| AAoOA oeeONA OIiO ie"hoO FOotl9 9C VI COIUOIl
values.
| wHATTHE SOUTH Has DONE.
The Telegraph, Of Worcester,
Mass, in discussing the South,
says:
1.-The movement of the North
ern agriculturists toward the
South is a most encouraging
sign. Certain sections of the
South are much more promising
for. the agriculturalist than the
West. If the Northern Agricul-
turalist can retain his energy and
vigor in the Southern climate or
a percentage of it, sections that
are now but little better than a
barren waste through lack of in
telligent cultivation should be
made to blossom like the rose.
The agriculturists Of the South
are in the main an ignorant,
shiftless set, too poor to buy i'm
plements for the proper cultiva-
ton Of soil that needs but lit
tie tilling il comparison 20 that
of New England.
The question of Southern eli
mate has been so completely Gov
cred that any discussion on that
point Of the 1e1egrana's article is
waste of time. If the Telegram
will study the United Sta1es cen
SuS returns, and then if it's edi-
tor will have the good sense to
spend summer in the South, he
Will never raise that question
again.
The South had 1882, 900, 900
invested in farm interests in 1890,
and the total productions were
S773, 100000, or gross revenue
of PAL per cent. on the capital.
All other sections combined had
So, 797, 100000 in farm opera
tions, and the product. was 81,
607, 900, 900, or 13. per cent.
gross revenue, only a fraction
more than one half as much in
percentage Of production as the
South's. Thus, with only one
fourth as much capital invested
in agriculture, the South had
nearly one-half as much aggre-
gate products. Somehow the
Ignorant, shiftless' farmers
seem to have held up their end
pretty well as compared with
the energy and vigor Of the
Northern agriculturist.
1t is impossible to get at the
net profits, but the foregoing
figures show how far ahead the
South is in the gross product,
based on the capital invested.
They show that for every dollar
received by Northern farmers on
the capital invested, Southern
farmers received nearly 50. But
this is not the only strong point
! Of the case. The intensely cold
winters Of the North make out
door work impossible for sew
eral months every year; they add
largely to the cost of keepinglive-
stock, and to family expenses for
fuel and heavy clothing.
The mild weather of the South
enable the farmer to work twelve
months in the year; it reduces
the cost of livestock raising to
the minimum, as cattle can find
good grazing for a large part of
the year; it makes the fuel bill
for farmers an inconsiderable
item, and it obviates the neces-
sity Of heavy clothing and many
other expenses absolutely neces-
sary in all cold countries. Thus
the Southern farmers capital
not only yields 10 him 50 for
every dollar returned to the
Western farmer by it's capital,
but added to this there is differ
ence in the cost of living which
is so great that it must command
wide attention as it becomes
more fully understood.
| The South only needs more in
dustrial centres, more and larger
cities, to stimulate little wider
diversity Of agriculture, and, by
creating a home market for ali
the products of farming, to insure
such agricultural progress even
| by these so-called Ignorant,
| shiftless" farmers as our New
England friends never dreamed
of.