The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-03-08

As Newton neared the completion OF his
calculations OF the moons distance. the
consequences Of which ave been so ire
to science. and his figures be-
gan TO show that the result would sus-
tain his great theory and enroll his name
with the few that are immortal. IL IS said
the pencil fell from his shaking hand and
he fed. leaving the work to a friend. The
Intelligent citizen of the southern states
who has carefully observed the indus
trial progress OF his section since lisa.
has some idea OF the feeling that over
powered Newton. As he gathers up the
records OF advancement in the various
departments OF industry, he is almost
dazed by the certainties that open up
before his vision. He can fix no limi,
TO the sure proSpec OF activity and pros
perity. In the industrial war that has
already begun between the nations the
southern states promise TO be the ele-
ment that viii turn the tide of victory
toward the shores OF America We may
y New England does complain.
that the plane of living of southern oper-
atiyes Is below that of northern workers.
and that the best class of our toilers are
sacrihced to cheap production in the
south; but the south has simply used
the only means at her command. II the
plane OF living is lower among southern
than northern operatives. still in turning
her laborerS into manufactures hands.
the south has raised them many de-
greeS. ff II threatens TO press some
down. remember that II raises others.
The effect OF the growth of cotton man.
u1actureS in the southern states on the
industry in New England came with the
suddenness and the terror of an explo-
sion. 1t might have been foreseen. Stead
lily the south has gone on building fac
tories and increasing her spindles until
now, according TO a correspondent Of The
New York Evening Post. she has fully
one-fourth of all the spindles in the coun-
try, and IS able to consume one-tenth of
all the product of the cotton fields. In
eighteen years the number of her spin
dies has increased five fold. Rapid as has
been her industrial growth. 1t was fully
indicated in the census returns of 1890, as
compared with those OF 1880, when the
light of modern industry first shone on a
section that had been SO long cursed by
slave labor, and then paralyZed by OPP
pressive political conditions. In that de-
cade the south. that reputed grave of
northern capital" increased its wealth
by nearly 100000 900, and in the present
decade the increase is still greater, in
spite of early Industrial panic-far ex-
ceeding the property value of all the
slaves set free by the war that set the
south free, also. While many northern
dollars have been invested in southern
enterprises, it is admitted that by far the
greater part of the increased wealth is
due to southern intelligence and energy.
Yet this is only the beginning. The
iron area Of the south, 200 miles in length
and 200 in width, paralleled by belts OF
coal and limestone, is only worked In its
vestibule, as 1t We're. In a few years
hundreds OF shops, whose fires will be
fed from the coal at their doors, will sur
round every present one. We are assured
that Alabama is now aging down iron in
England at prices with which the Eng
lish producers say they cannot compete
at any profit. One-half Of all the stand.
ing timber OF the country is in the south.
Much OF it is not suited to the making OF
the best furniture, but all has it's uses,
and will add enormously to the activity
and wealth of that section. 1t is no small
matter, too, that the southern products
of the soil are no longer limited to cot.
ton, rice, tobacco, sugar, and sweet pc.
tatoes, but include, besides early vegeta.
bleS and corn, everything that it not pro-
hibited by the climate. In recent years
experiments in fruits and other profitable
: products of farming have led to enter,
prises hat must swell the riches of the
land. 1t is not so many years since thu
south bought all its meat and its corn il
the north, and the carrying OF these, fol
which vast sums were paid by the i'm
poverished people, was the main supper
of lines of The romantic soutl
is passing. So is the impoverished south