Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1912-04-05

IerTltoIy duJacenC 10 CnlS line. 1nQeeO,
gentlemen. have travelled some up
North, and you have up there, where
population is vastly more dense than it
is here, some sections of railroad quite
as bad as this. | have been in dirty
coaches pulled by incompetent en-
gineers and handled by rough, discount
eous conductors up North.
By this time the ladies in the Pullman
had become thoroughly interested in
the conversation between Bishop Cand-
ler and the tourists.
The capitalist very becomingly re-
piled: eyes. dare say you are correct,
and that the owner of this road makes
it as good as the traffic will justify"
The Jewish lawyer, seeing his client
disposed to yield to Bishop Cand-
ler's view, tried to cover the retreat,
and said: "But you will admit that the
Southern people are lazy and shiftless.
will you net?"
"No, | will not, replied the Bishop,
very emphatically. ''The facts do not
justify any such conclusion. The re
habilitation of the South since the war
utterly refutes this unfounded dclusion
of some Northerner about the habits
and industry of the people of the South.
The war was waged on our territory,
not yours. By that war the industries
of the South were completely prostreted.
The vandal with his torch marched tri-
umphantly through the land. Many
splendid residence. many humble cot
tage, every mill, railroad, gin, factory,
workshop. bridge, and fence rail, every
Dushel of corn, every gallon of sorg-
hum sirup, every pound of meat and
flour and salt, whenever found, in many
sections of the South during those dark
days of war, were burned. All live
stock possible was killed by the inva-
ders or driven off. Attila, the "Scourage
of God," could not have made a more
complete picture of desolation than
some of these Southern people were
forced to witness. A large part of the
Iyoung men were killed in battle or died
in camp or in hospital. The close of the
bitter strife brought about complete
revolution of labor; yet. after the war.
those of the Southern people who sur
vived the fearful conflict got up and
went 10 work cheerfully amid all the
desolation that surrounded them. They
did not repine or sulk day. Bro en-
down army horses which had been draw
ing artillery and commissary wagons
were secured, together with an occas-
ional OK fortunate enough to have es-
capped the plumbers of war; and though
late in the season, crops were made
with themA Every year the Southern
people put forth greater effort as they
were able to increase their instruments
of industry, and every year they achieved
still greater success. For time during
the period of Reconstruction they were
robbed by devouring 'scalawags' and
'carpet-baggers' until it looked like
peace, with these vultures lowering
over us, was worse than invading
armies and destructive battles. But
the Southern people survived that trial
as they had survived their defeat ii
arms. Now, in less than forty years
they have large and growing cities
a rich an6 expanding agriculture. anC
many prosperous railroads, factories
foundries, mills, and other industries
Our greatest crops cotton, sugar cane
rice, and tobacco--are made and hand
led almost exclusively by hand. The,
are not produced by machinery to an!
great extent. 1t is increditable that ou
great crops are made by lazy people
and that our immense prosperity ha
been wrought by shiftlcss ignorance
And you should understand that thes
great crops are made only in part b.
the negroes among US. The brain re
quired to direct the farming interests o
the South, as well as much of the labo
put forth in producing our great har
, vests, are the brain and Drawn of whit
: men. If our people were as indolen
, and shiftless as some would charg
, them with being. New England cotto
: mills would be compelled to shut dow
, for want of cotton, and New York mi
, lionaires could not get sugar enough j
! this country to sweeten their coffee,
/ say nothing of their other drinks. "
, At this juncture it was evident tina
the speaker had the perfect attentio
and sympathy of the ladies of the Pul
, man, for they expressed their feeling
iu very ladylike but very generou
clapping of their hands.
The capitalist spoke. "There
much force in what you say" said he
"about the industry and success of tn
Southern people since the war;"
The Jewish lawyer felt that he wa
losing, and began to hedgea little b
) saying: II did not mean to reflect upo