The sun., 1907-08-04

applied war legislation Of Congress, subject
TO dispute. Treasury agents and army
officers we're active In seizing all that could
In any way be made to bear the taint Of
service, either actual or promised. to the
Confederate cause. Extensive fraudulent
operations on the part Of corrupt officials
and rapacious spectators wrested from the
owners much that really was free from such
taint. Finally, the tax Of three cents q
pound. which confronted any one who had
got his cotton safely through these other
perils cut down materially his much needed
proceeds. Thus IL came to be felt on all
hands that tho most effective means Of
promoting the revival OF the South and
putting IL in the way Of sustaining it's popu-
lation would be the prompt removal Of the
restrictions on trade which the war had
involved Accordingly the Federal Exec
utive began this process immediately on
the cessation Of hostilities. and continued II
Ms rapidly as conditions seemed to warrant.
When the barriers were levelled which
had made Intercourse between the two
sections for four years illegal. there was
a widespread resumption OF both social
and business relations between the peoples
pdS hoh ~ iVOCuhly ICcl piiOhAco' iNS''
indeed. without hesitation. suspicion. awk
wardness and desperate efforts to avoid
the dangerous topics which we're upper
most in all mems minds. old friendships
we're renewed and old business connections
we're looked up with a view TO the reestab-
lishment of trade relations. Prof. Dunning
recalls that not a few Souherners came
promptly North to find opportunities which
they despaired of ever seeing in their own
sections. and which well disposed Northern
acquaintance were not slow TO put In their
way. The most pronounced movement.
however. was from North TO South. under
the operation of the commercial instinct.
A host Of traders kept up with or preceded
the opening OF railways and steamer lines
into the long closed section. Many North
ern capitalists also sought in the conquered
and stricken country profitable investment
for their wealth. Especially inviting seemed
the cotton plantations. which now could
be bought at ridiculously low prices from
their resouroeless owners. Sharp witted
officers. and even privates in the Union
armies, having noted the opportunities
in neighborhoods with which their military
duties had made them conversant, sent
tnelr tflenus tnltner OF returfeu themselves
TO take advantage of their observations.
Our author records the indisputable fact
that the experience Of this first body Of
Northern immigrants proved almost uni
formly unfortunate. despite the sxcep-
tionslly low prices which they paid for
their lands. Their failure was no doubt
partly due, az Prof. Dunning SAYS. to un-
familiarity with the peculiaritiys of the
crop which they sought 10 raise. Other
ca uses. however, contributed materially
to render pecuniary success impossible. and
among these we're the social and political
conditions under which the newcomers
we're obliged to live. The disbandment.
indeed. OF the great armies. and the restora-
ton Of intercourse between the sections.
was only little step toward the basis Of
general and permanent peace. Civil gov
eminent had yet to be instituted in the
region, and the political status
Of the freedmen had TO be fixed on some
definite foundation of law. AS TO what
that basis ought TO be, President johnson
on the one hand. and the Radical Repub-
licans, preponderant in both houses OF
Congress-, on the other. soon developed
widely divergent and lrreconcilable views.