Year: 1876

louisville Commercial, Aug 241


A French king, in giving his ideal of a
happy realm, said that he desired TO see the
day when every peasant in France should
have a chicken in his pot for dinner. It
was a homely but forcible way of describ-
ing an era of social order and happiness
and well-rewarded labor in a land of green
pastures and still waters, like Judea, in the
days Of Solomon, when, in the words OF
the Hebrew chronicler, Israel dwelt safely,
every man under his vine and fig-tree. For
it was not the branches bending with the
weight OF the ripened figs and purple clus-
ters only which cheered the contented own
or, but the thought that the law reigncd su-
preme, and that there was none TO make
him afraid.


But neither Palestine nor France, in the
days OF their prosperity ever offered so fair
or wide field for a happy population as
Nature has given to the fifteen States re-
Gently rescued from the thraldom of slav-
ery,-being, in respect of area, an empire,
and in respect of climate and products, Of
fering everything required by the physical
wants of man.


1t is said that this great and fertile region
is not prosperous in comparison with the
Northern portion of the Union, a region
having no greater natural advantages. If
this is the fact, it is Of far greater import
ance for the Southern people to find out the
reason Of this lack of prosperity than to
follow afler party leader who tickles their
ears with glittering theories and sparkling
rhetoric. For, whether Governor Hayes
or Governor Tilden be the next President,
the wants and wishes of the masses of the
people will remain the same. The great
multitude will still continue within the
walks of private life, and OF the forty-four
millions Of American citizens, not one in
five hundred can possibly fill public Of
flee. Sill the daily question of every
household will be, What shall we eat and
drink, and wherewitha shall we be clothedH
and these natural wants, whose full gratifi-
cation indicate prosperous people, can be
satisfied in that land only where peace and
order are supreme and violent men dare
not molest the citizen in public or under
his roof tree.


Why is the South not prosperous7 Is il
because that portion of the Union which
lately opposed the rebellion is hostile 10
her prosperity The supposition is Who'll
ly unreasonable. A whole people do not
act without a motive, and the North has no
motive for desiring the degradation of the
South, but, on the contrary, has the strong
est reasons of natural humanity and of SELF
interest for desiring the thrift and increase
of the South, reasons of kindred blood,
reasons of natural pride, reasons of natural
security and revenue. 1t is strictly true TO
say that the Southern people have the
hearty good will of the North in respect to
their physical and mental progress. Not
an item Ct Southern news indicating local
improvement and advancement fails TO be
cordially noted by the Northern newspa-
pers irrespective of party. The grand do
nation Of the late George Peabody, of New
England, TO the schools of the South, the
piincely gin OF Vanderbilt to a Southern
university, the thousands or smaller dona-
tions TO Southern churches and schools
from The extreme North, and the many
millions Of Northern capital invested in
the South are few OF the more striking
evidences that the North has none but the
most kindly feelings towards the Sjulh
and ardently desires her prosperity. 1t
may be added there is not single feature
Of Northern enterprise and industry which
Northern capital has not honestly tried TO
reproduce in the South since the close of
the war, despite many discouiagements.


Is the South, then, not prosperous be-
cause her labor system has been over
thrown? Facts speak for themselves, and
the present marvellous year OF plenty at
tests the truth Of the assertion that South
ern labor never worked 50 efficiently be-
fore. The only complaint which comes
from the agricultural districts is that the
planters aud farmers are glHtting the mar
kets with superabundant crops. Instances
are not uncommon where single crop,
this year, has enabled the farmer TO pay
the full price of his farm and keep a sur
plus. In respect to agriculture the South
is prosperous this year beyond any previ-
Gus season.


But it may be said that, although crops
are abundant in the South, her manufact-
tories languish. On this point we have the
testimony of the Georgia aud Tennessee
newspapers that the only cotton and iron
mills in the country which have declared
dividend this year are in those States.
Working up the raw material, which is
supplied al their doors, the Southern mills
and forges have prospered, while those of
New England and Pennsylvania have lam
guished and failed. Says the Chattanooga
Times, Democratic paper published in
the great Southern iron district, "The
South has to-day more furnaces in blast in
proportion TO her number than the North
has, and very few of ours are losing any
money, while constant loss at the North is
the rule. We believe the only mill in the
United States running exclusively on rail-
road iron, which declared legitimate div
dend for 1875, was the Roane Iron Compa-
ny's mill in this city,"


The administration has taxed Southern
manufacturers with no unequal and unjust
determinations. The national laws have
protected all alike, and If disaster has over
taken any enterprise, 1t has not proceeded
from any sectional prejudice or interven-
tion. Why, then, is the South not as pros
porous as the North, and why are not her
rich lands sought by crowds of immi-
grantsf Tie answer is easily given. Gov
ernor Hayes says in his letter of accept
ance,-


"Laborers will not go and capital will not
be ventured where the Constitution and tue
laws are set at defiance, and distraction, ap-
prehension, and alarm take the place of
peace loving and law-abiding social life."


There is the whole solution of the ques-
tiop: volumes could not state II better,