Part 13 (1/2)

--A. Almost entirely.

Q. Their capital is hired in New Orleans?

--A. Or any points they may go for it; I merely mention New Orleans as one point. A number of our people borrow money in Memphis, and some borrow money in Vicksburg.

Q. Do you know whether those people to any extent borrow capital of Northern capitalists in New York and other portions of the North --A. That cla.s.s of people do not. In the last few years--I might say almost within the last two years--Northern capital has begun to seek investment in our section of the country, but only upon mortgages on real estate. The cla.s.s of storekeepers I allude to generally have no real estate at all; they only have their stores.

Q. Your system by which the planter makes a market for the surplus productions of the laborers upon his plantation dispenses with a middleman, and enables the laborer to make a saving, whereas, if he goes to the hills he makes a loss?

--A. Yes, sir. I will put it more definitely: As long as he is under the guidance and care of the proprietor of the plantation he prospers, the planter, as we express it in that country, ”loaning him our aid”; we make it very expressive to the negro, we loan him our aid, that is, he must follow our advice, and he has learned to do that, and by doing that he acc.u.mulates; but when thrown upon his own resources--there are individual exceptions, of course, where a good many negroes prosper themselves when thrown upon their own resources in Arkansas--but as a general fact, where he leaves the guidance and care of the proprietor of a plantation and subjects himself just as any one else does to the common trading with storekeepers, in a very few years he loses what he has acc.u.mulated.

Q. Under these favorable circ.u.mstances which surround the laborer on the plantation one would think he ought to acc.u.mulate; but I understand you that as a rule he is rather improvident and fails to acc.u.mulate. To what do you attribute that improvidence on the part of the negro laborer?

--A. It is simply from the want of a proper appreciation of the opportunities of advancement from his condition. The negroes are just beginning, as I expressed it, to realize the responsibilities of life, and just as they begin to realize the responsibilities of life here, they begin to prosper. The prosperity of the South has only begun in the last few years, and it has begun to increase just as the race issue has ceased. I will demonstrate that to you by a little paragraph I cut out of the _New York Herald_ last night, taken from the New Orleans _Times-Democrat_. If you take the a.s.sessed valuation of real estate in Alabama, in 1879 it was at $117,486,581; in 1883 it is a.s.sessed at $152,920,115. There has been that increase in four years from $117,000,000 to $152,000,000. Now let us take the State of Arkansas: in 1879 our real estate was valued at $86,892,541; in 1883 it is valued at $136,000,000. It goes on just in that same proportion. For instance, this shows that in eight of the Southern and Southwestern States there has been an increase of nearly half a billion dollars--that is, $494,836,686--in value of taxable property during the short period of four years.

I happened to pick up this book last night. If I had an opportunity I could have gotten some statistics to show you the increased production in these different States, and how completely it has taken place, as the laborer has begun to rely on himself and been thrown on his resources.

Q. Have you observed the origin of these statistics?

--A. They come from the New Orleans _Times-Democrat_. I will read this in order that they may be known. This is from the _Herald_ of yesterday:

SOUTHERN PROGRESS

The New Orleans TIMES-DEMOCRAT has gathered from trustworthy sources and given to the public valuable statistics showing the industrial progress made in the Southern States during the past four years. This covers the period since 1879, the year to which the figures of the latest national census apply. The census returns show a marvelous material growth in the South during the preceding ten years. But, according to the reports published by our New Orleans contemporary, the progress of the past four years is greater and more wonderful than that achieved during the decade between the census years.

Taking the important item of a.s.sessed value of property, a comparison between the years 1879 and 1883 gives the following remarkable results:

----------------------------------------------------------------- a.s.sessment Tax a.s.sessment Tax States 1883 rate 1879 rate ----------------------------------------------------------------- Alabama $152,920,115 6-1/2 $117,486,581 7 Arkansas 136,000,000 7 86,892,541 6-1/2 Florida 56,000,000 5 29,471,648 7 Georgia 300,000,000 2-1/2 135,659,530 5 Louisiana 200,000,000 6 209,361,402 6 Mississippi 116,288,810 2-1/2 129,308,345 3-1/2 Tennessee 252,289,873 2 223,211,345 1 Texas 500,000,000 3 304,470,736 5 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Total 1,710,498,798 4-1/2 1,215,662,128 5 -----------------------------------------------------------------

This shows that in eight Southern and Southwestern States there has been an increase of nearly half a billion dollars--$494,836,668--in the value of taxable property during the short period of four years, while the rate of taxation has been actually reduced. At the same time liberal appropriations have been made for schools, public improvements, and other useful purposes. ”Nor is this marvelous advance in valuation,” says the _Times-Democrat_, ”the result of any inflation in value, but the natural sequence of grand crops, new industries developed, new manufactories, mines, and lumber mills established.”

The extension of railroads has been hardly less astonis.h.i.+ng. In the eight States above enumerated there were in 1879 11,604 miles of railroad. There are now 17,891 miles, showing an increase in four years of 6,287 miles. The agricultural progress made is shown by the fact that the value of raw products raised in these States, including all crops, lumber, cattle, and wool, has advanced from $398,000,000 in 1879 to $567,000,000 in 1883, or an increase of $169,000,000. During this period the mineral output of Alabama alone has increased from $4,000,000 to $19,000,000, and the lumber product of Arkansas from $1,790,000 to $8,000,000.

The trade of New Orleans is a barometer of Southern industry and commerce. The value of domestic produce in that city in 1881-82 was $159,000,000; in 1882-83 it was $200,000,000. The value of exports of domestic produce to foreign countries in the former year amounted to $68,000,000; in the latter it reached $95,000,000.

These figures tell a remarkable story of recent progress in the Southern States. Always rich in natural resources, the South has long been poor through lack of development. It has at last entered upon a new era of industrial activity, and is now making rapid strides toward a stage of material prosperity commensurate with its great natural wealth.--_New York Herald_, September 12,1883.

Now, here is quite a remarkable fact to which I wish to call your attention, to show you the opportunities for labor existing in the South and what is the condition of certain counties in the South. I hold in my hand a book that is compiled for the benefit of the Georgia Pacific Railroad, but I happened to find it in my room and thought these matters would be interesting.

Q. The data you consider reliable?

--A. What I read I think comes from the census report; I think this is reliable:

In this connection let us glance at Montgomery County, Alabama, which, although not in the belt we are studying, is on the same prairie formation crossed by the Georgia Pacific Railway, on the edge of Mississippi. Compare it with Butler County, Ohio, which ”shows the best record of any county in the West.” In live stock Montgomery has $1,748,273; Butler, $1,333,592.

That is the largest producing county in Ohio as compared with Montgomery County, Alabama, before the war.

Montgomery had 63,134 hogs; Butler, 51,640.

Animals slaughtered: Montgomery, $336,915; Butler, $318,274. In grain Butler was considerably ahead, but in roots Montgomery led.

Montgomery doubled Butler in the production of wool, and had its cotton crop to show besides.

The total value of the crops of Montgomery County was $3,264,170; those of Butler only $1,671,132.

There is Montgomery County, Alabama, compared with the leading producing county in Ohio.