The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1901-05-17
Is THE SOUTH SHIFTLESS?
New York Times.

New York Times.
Whether the South lacks the facul
ty OF Getting on" whether II is inner
emily lazy and unrcsourceful, should
be decided, not by comparison with a
section whose people have very differ
ent environments and origin, but by a
comparison OF its present and its past
and a consideration Of the obstacles
it has had to overcome For one thing
we cannot ignore the fact that in the
period before the civil war slavery
was tremendous obstacle to prog.
ress, and that in the period since the
war the necessity Of dealing with the
negroes in industry and in politics has
also been great obstacle. Whatever
we may think Of slavery in itself, or OF
the way In which the South treated
the negroes, We cannot fairly reckon
its energy or capability withO ut keep.
ing in mind these facts. Again, we
cannot ignore the record OF the war,
or the determined will, the splendid
courage, the patient endurance, and
the great achievements with hopeless
ly inadequate means and against
great odds whicl, stand to the credit
OF The South in that long struggle
Defeat left the South cxausted, i'm
poverishcd. its labor system OverIurn
ed, its reserve capital almost destroy
ed, and its political system in ute
confusion. The period immediatel!
after the war brought other and equ
ally harrassinv Conditions to whicl
the North cannot recur withOu
shame and sorrow.
Scarcely the generation OF a life
time has gone by since. What la
been accomplished? The census {
1890 gave the ten States Of the COnfet
eracy, as IL vas afterwards formed,
population, 10 round numbers, Of S,0(
600. The census OF 1900 gives. ~thes
State, with West Virginia, which w
!. included in Virginia in $780, popl
' lation OF lS,OOO, 900. In 1860 the Sout
had 1875 per cent OF the total pOpul;
tion Of the Union; it now has 137 pe
cent. Whatever may be the explain;
tion is Is not consistent with ute
"shiftlcssness."
In the year before the civil war tn
cotton crop Of the United States wa
the highest It had ever been. Th
crop at the close OF the last five dt
cades is shown in the following table
Year. Cotton
lS59.... .............,. 1,jS|, z5o, tau
1869. 1925, 27S, 24O
1879. 2,607, III, ,627
1899. 1854, ,387, 747
1899. 9...................... 4,627, ,695, 500
1t will be seen that from the loves
point, In lS69-tllat is, in thirty year
time-thc output has been increased
three and Il half times. This Is
perfectly simple and conclusive tes
of industrial and business ability, ant
the result Of the test Is one OF whicl
: any people may be proud. At tn
close of the war there was no cOttO
milling in the South. We have not a
hand at the moment the record OF th
earlier stages of that industry in th
South. but here are the figures OF tn
number of spindlcs In the North an
South at prcse Mt and five years ago:
Year. Spindles.
North. South
1895. 13,70O,0OO 2,433,0 Ok
1900. O............. IL, 4,050,OO0 4,540,0(
The North has stood still; tn
South has increased SO per cent.
The record regarding railroads
equally interesting. In 1860 the Sout
had 9,535 miles Of railroads: in 1899
had 1879 miles. In 1860 the S0ut
had 3l.8 par cent Of the total milea,
OF the country; in 1899 she still HI
over 26 per cent. II VIC consider 4
very great extent of entirely new Il
. ritory over which the railroads 0,
side of the South have been spres
:, territory much OF which was an U
!. explored wilderness in 1860, this co
!. parison Is striking. We might VI
{, similar illustrations of progress In I
a Soutl,-the iron and coal, the frui
:. vegetables and other miscellanco
~ smanulactures--whjcl, have been Ct
" ated since the war. They would on
. confirm the inference from the FAC
~ air eady given, that the South,
80 view .nfallthc conditions. has amor
cd ample evidence Of remarkable c
, erpy, persistence and rcsourcefulne!
- which may well bel matter OF pat
otic pride with all Americans.
it A New York boy. who went to I
h. Philippines as n volunteer, sent hon
d the following letter which the N
Is York World has published and
I. which the young soldier descril