University of South Carolina Libraries
BY E. B. MURRAY & CO. ANDERSON, S. C, THURSDAY,MORNING, DECEMBER^ 1880. VOLUME XVI -NO. 22. INAUGUBAT10N DAY. IMPOSING CEREMONIES IN THE CAPI? TOL AT COLUMBIA. The Scene In the Hall of Representatives ?Large Crowd of Spectators?Distin? guished , Participants?Got. Ha good's Able Address?Liout.-Gov. Kennedy ? Assumes the Presidency of tho Senate? Venerable State Belles. Special Dispatch to the News and Courier. Columbia. 8. C., Nov. 30. The Governor and Lieutenant-Goveru or-elect were inaugurated to-day at 1 p. m. in tbe Hall of Representatives in the presence of a large assemblage of citi? zens. Long before the hour appointed the gallery, the lobby and tbe floor of the House were fully occupied by hun? dreds of fair ladies with their escorts, who employed the spare time in listening to the proceedings of the House. ' Punctually at 1 o'clock tbe Senate beaded. by Senator Witherspoou, the President pro tem., with the officers of the Senate on his right and left, appeared at the door of the House and were re? ceived by the members standing. The President ascended to the Speaker's stand and was received by the Speaker. The members of the Senate were seated on the right and left of the Speaker's stand in chairs reserved for them. A moment later the Governor and Lieutenant-Gov? ernor elect, acting Governor Jeter, Chief Justice Simpson, Associate Justices Mc Gowan and Mclver, Judges Hugh L. Bond and George S. Bryan of tho United States Circuit Court, Judge Frnzer, now presiding as Judge of the Fifth Circuit, the State officers,.incumbent and elect, ?nd Mayor Co?rtenay' of Charleston, escorted by the . joint r committee of arrangements, consisting of Senators 'Henderson and Walker, .and Represen? tatives Simonton, Hemphill and Tindal. were announced at the door of the hall by tbe Sergeant-at-Arms bearing the mace of State, who proclaimed aloud:. "His Excellency the Governor elect and his escort." The joint Assembly, at the order of tbe Speaker, rose and received them standing until they were seated. The Governor and Lieutenant-Governor elect, together with tbe Chief Justice attired in his offi? cial robes, ascended the stand, tbe other guests accompanying them being accord? ed seats on the right of the desk on the floor of the House. .' The Assembly having been called to order, tbe Speaker announced that the Hon. Johnson Hagood, Governor elect, was present- and ready to qualify. The Governor elect thereupon advanced to the desk on the right of the Speaker, and the Chief Justice proceeded to admin is . ter the constitutional oath, as follows: "You do solemnly swear that you are duly qualified, according to the Consti? tution of tbe United States and the Con? stitution of this State, to exercise the duties of the office to which you have been elected. That you will faithfully discharge to the best of your ability the duties thereof. That you recognize the supremacy of the Constitution and laws of the United States over the Constitu? tion and laws of any State, and that you will support and protect and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of South Carolina as ratified by the people on the 16th of April, 1868. So help you God." The" oath was administered by the Chief Justice solemnly and impressively, and during its recitation the fall of a pin could have been heard, so hushed was every sound. After subscribing to the oath Governor Hagood advanced to the front, and delivered his Inaugural ad? dress, as follows: The Inanc. r -l \ddress. Senators and Representatives: It is with a profound sense*?f the responsibility 'imposed that I appear before you to-day to assume, in obedience to tbe bebess of the people, the executive office. You have been called by the same sovereign voice to the discharge of an equally im? portant trust, and in our hands is placed for the next two years much that affects the welfare of the State. Relying upon your patriotism, and your wise* co-opera? tion, and with a heart single in its devo? tion to my State and people, I approach the duties assigned me, and shall faith? fully discharge them so far as in me lies. , state expenditures. Tho honest, ecouomic and efficient ad ministration of the State government, which the party revolution of 1876 prom ised, has been realized. The ordinary current expenses of the State government have been reduced to one-fourth of what it was under the management of the Re? publican party, and have nearly reached the miuimum expenditure of the period before the war. Every obligation of the State is met from tho income of the fiscal year, and no deficiencies are incurred. The accounts of the State are cleared from all confusion or uncertainty, and there is laid before the representatives of the people once more, as is required by law, "a true and accurate account of the actual state of the treasuryThere is yet room for retrenchment; and as from' time to time, without impairing the effi? ciency of tbe government, retrenchment can be made in the executive, legislative and judicial departments, as well as in the miscellaneous expenditures, each small in itself, but aggregating a consid? erable amount, it should be done. In my observation, however, the path of further reduction of the burdens of the taxpayers lies now rather in the county levies" of which I "will hereafter speak, than in those which reach the State treasury. While the State levy is four times less than it was under the Repub? lican administration, the ordinary county levy is the same now as it was then. You have, no doubt, observed in the estimate of supplies required for the sup Sort off the State, submitted to you at the eginning of your session, the large pro? portion of the whole needed for the penal and charitable institutions of the State. Where labor is so valuable as it is with us, I do not see why the Penitentiary should not only be self-sustaining, but a source of revenue. Considerable pro? gress has been made in this direction under the present able management of that institution ,* but the object should be kept steadily in view and attained at the earliest possible day. In connection with that noble charity, the Lunatic Asylum, I hesitate to speak of retrenchment; the circumstances off our people require, however, that it should be restricted to its purpose and and remain a charity. The pauper alone should receive the bounty of the State; those who are able to pay in whole or in part for the benefits of the institution should be required to do so. I am not prepared to assert that the bounty of the State is now ^abused in this particular; but it occurs to me that an efficient safe? guard against such abuse is to return to the plan prevailing before the wa ?, and, instead of supporting the pauper inmates of that institution by a general State appropriation, to require each county to support its own paupers in the Lunatic Asylum as well as at home. This is en? tirely consitent with the scheme of our poor-laws. The county levies the fund for the maintenance of its sane paupers, and it is expended under local super? vision. It should also levy and retain supervision of tbe fund applicable to tbe support of these moro unfortunate-per? sons among its indigent population. The part of the State should be limited to appropriations for such general purposes of buildiDg and repairs as are necessary to make the institution available for its humane purposes. The revenues of the State are collected with honesty nnd'fidelity. The mode of accounting with the subordinate tax offi? cers provided by law is rigid, and it is impossible to cover up fraud or negli? gence on the part of these officers, if the accounting is properly enforced in the Comptroller's office. When the money has reached the State treasury, its custody and disbursement are jealously hedged with stringent provisions of the law. I know of no practical safeguard that is omitted. COUNTY EXPENDITURES. But with regard to the expenditure of the county revenues it seems to me that . the law is seriously defective. There is now levied and expeuded in each county for county purposes a larger sum than it pays into the general fund which reaches the State treasury, and is there surround? ed with such careful provisions of the law. The County Treasurer retains the county funds in his hands, and is in re? gard to their disbursement merely the cashier of the County Commissioners. In his annual accounting in this matter before the County Auditor an order of the County Commissioners, drawn in accordance with tbe forms of law, is his sufficient voucher. Upon the County Commissioners rests the responsibility of the faithful and judicious expenditure of the fun-l; they are practically subjected to little or no supervision. It is true they are required to forward, through the Comptroller General, a detailed account of their transactions, to be laid be/ore the Legislature, and it is the theory of tbe law that these accounts are by you exam? ined. For the present year but four of the counties have forwarded their ac? counts in time to be printed with tbe Comptroller's report. Others will, per? haps, be laid before you in manuscript during your session, and some will not reach you at all. The General Assembly does not, and necessarily cannot, effi? ciently discharge the duty imposed ; and thus the loose supervision of the county expenditures is in singular contrast with the rigid scrutiny enforced upon the State treasury. Your experience and judg? ment will find the proper remedy. It appears to me that the grand jury of the county is the most suitable body to be charged with examining and auditing the transactions of the County Commission? ers. If aided by an expert accountant, and the accounts are published for public information a sufficient time before the examination, it will be as thorough as can be secured. Tbe accounts should then be forwarded to the Comptroller General, to be by him consolidated and embodied in his next annual report as statistical information. These Commis? sioners should still be required, as now, to'submit to the General Assembly esti? mates of supplies upon which to base the annual county levy. All that I have said in this connection applies with equal force to the disbursement by the counties of the school fund. THE rUBLIC DEBT. An adjustment of the public' debt has been reached by legislative provisions, and by a decision of the courts. There is no floating debt. The debt funded aud being funded is ,$6*;639,170. Of this the scrip of the Agricultural College, amount? ing to $191,800, is a permanent invest? ment; the deficiency bonds and stock, amounting to $564,855, mature in 1888 ; and the consols, amounting to $5,882,515, mature in 1894. The whole debt bears interest at 6 per cent. In this connection I would very earn? estly bring to the attention of the General Assembly tbe annual delay in the pay? ment of interest. The interest is paya? ble before the taxes levied to meet it are fully collected; and thus some of the public creditors are subjected to delay in receiving their dues. * This can be cor? rected by providing an earlier day for the payment of taxes; or the Governor and Treasurer might be authorized to antici? pate their collection, so far as necessary Tor this purpose, by a temporary loan. The consol bonds bear upon their face the contract of the State to receive the coupous from the same in payment of taxes. During the period of adjustment of the debt it was impracticable to do so; but now there is no reason why the cou? pons of the Brown consols should not be thus received. It is also advisable as to this class of consols, that the operation of the law requiring interest to be paid in Ney York as well as at the State treasury should be resumed, but it is not ^practicable to pay interest to the holders of Green consols elsewhere than at the State treasury until after tbe conversion of their securities. The suggestions made would promote the convenience of the taxpayer, and no doubt hasten the reduction of the consol bonds and stock to a uniform character. It is also desira? ble, as to both consol and deficiency stocks, to adopt the plan of the United States Government with regard to its registered bouds and stocks?upon the holder furnishing the treasury with his postoffice address, tbe'interest due is for? warded by check upon each January and July. The punctual payment of interest and every accommodation and facility given in its collection enhances the value of the security. .Already under the man? agement of the State finances for the last four years its bonds have risen in the market from twenty-eight cents on the dollar to par. The financial status of our State was once its proudest boast. If we place it upon the high plane it occupied before the late civil war and keep it there, our securities will rank with any governmental securities upon tbe market; and when the debt matures, as it soon will do, it can be refunded at a much lower rate of interest. A wise and prudent policy will keep this end steadily in view; and then with the increased taxable values, which improved credit and returning prosperity will bring, what is now a burthen may become an inap? preciable weight to be borne or dis? charged, with equal facility. ELECTION LAWS. The third section of the eighth article of the Constitution of this State, adopted twelve years ago, declares that "it shall bo the duty of the General Assembly to provide, from time to time, for the regis? tration of all electors." This positive mandate of the Constitution has not yet been obeyed. It is one of the most j obvious means of securing the purity of the ballot-box; and the failure to provide it was justly urged in complaint against those who controlled the State Govern? ment for the eight years following the adoption of the Constitution. Amid the numerous matters claiming the attention of the General Assembly, and with the shortened sessions since that lime, no registration law has been enacted. In my judgment the discharge of this im? perative duty should no longer be de? layed. Indeed, in many particulars, our election laws, as they now stand, arc de? fective, and their revision is one of the most important subjects which demand your attention. EDUCATION. Our public school system demands and should receive the most careful attention j in order that its development may meet the necessities' of our condition. The States of this Union which to-day stand first in population, wealth and political influence are those in which, through efficient public school systems, knowl? edge is most widely diffused among the people. The social and political restora? tion of our State, and the development, to the fullest extent, of our natural re? sources, will surely follow upon the estab? lishment of an educational system which will, reach dowu to ihe child of the hum? blest man, without regard to race or color, and qualify him for the duties of future citizenship. The property in Charleston known as the Citadel is still in possession of the United States Government. It is of great importance to our edupational in? terests that it be restored and devoted, as formerly, to the purpose of a Stalte Mili? tary Academy. Tart of the interest of the fund do? nated by Congress for the maintenance of institutions for instruction in agricul? ture and the mechanic arts has been applied for some years to the higher education of the colored youth of the State in connection with Claflin Univer? sity. The South Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts for the special education of the white youth of the State in this connection was opened in October last, and is also supported by the interest of this fund. Those institu? tions deserve, as I am sure they will receive, the fostering care of tho General Assembly. The Constitution of the State makes it the duty of the General Assembly to provide for the maintenance of the South Carolina University. It is not, perhaps, within our power to renew its sphere of usefulness at this time, but the direction of the Constitution should be obeyed at as early a day as practicable. A Uni? versity of high grade, working in har? mony with the excellent colleges now in operation in the State, would have the effect of stimulating education in the public schools and would complete our educational system. MATERIAL PROGRESS. During the two months of the recent political canvass, it was my fortune to pass through Qvery county in the State except one. Devoted for the greater part of my life to agricultural pursuits, and familiar with most parts of tbeState, I was surprised and gratified at the diver? sified and abundant harvests that were everywhere witnessed. Much of this, was due to propitious seasons, but it was evident that more was due to improved methods of culture and the hopeful energy and increased thrift of all classes of our people. To one cognizant only of the recent past in the agriculture of the State, some of the results attained are scarcely credible. I saw one field of three hundred and fifty acres which I have since learued yielded this year, as it had done last year, three hundred and fifty bales of cotton weighing 500 pounds each. Over a large area of the same county the crops upon the uplands were as luxuriant aa upon the finest alluvial soils. These uplands were of the char? acter usual throughout the middle belt of the State, which, in their unimproved condition, would require three or more acres to produce a bale. Our farmers, too,, are diversifying their crops and pay? ing more attention to live stock than formerly. The results attained in the small grain?oats particularly?are equally surprising. From seventy-five to one hundred bushels to the acre on up? lands are credibly reported in many instances; and the last Fair of the State Agricultural Society exhibited the largest and best display of live stock I have wit? nessed in the State since the war. The development on the sea islands in special iustances, by means of tile drainage and fertilization, in the production of the peculiarly valuable cotton there grown, is equally worthy of note. It has equalled four and five limes the results formerly attained. Near Charleston four and a half tona per acre of Bermuda hay have been grown this year upon light, sandy lands specially fertilized; and in anotner part of the State, upon alluvial lands not fer? tilized, a meadow has yielded for three years past an average of two and a half tons to the acre of the same valuable hay,' equal, if not superior, in feeding quality to the best Timothy, and selling in the adjacent markets at from twenty to twenty-five dollars to the ton. This improved condition of our chief industrial interests is indeed gratifying, and illustrates the capabilities of our favored soil and climate. But our abounding resources still sadly need de? velopment. Our mineral wealth, our water powers, the products of our forests, our agriculture itself, have scarcely been touched. "The harvest is plenteous, ?but the laborers are few." One of the most pressing needs of the State industrially is the advent of an intelligentand thrifty immigration. I commend this subject to you ; and 1 commend to your care the recently established Department of Agri? culture, which, wisely conducted, I am persuaded, will be a most valuable agent in advancing all of the material interests of the State. CONCLUSION. These happy results?this restoration of the State to the methods of good gov? ernment; this hopeful industry of all classes of our people and rapid advance in prosperity, are due, under the provi? dence of God, to the resumption of the chief control of our local affairs by that portiou of our citizens in whom the ca? pacity of self-government is an inheri? tance derived from a thousand years of a free ancestry. It stands in striking contrast to the wretched period of riotous misrule which preceded it under the domination of the lately enfranchised freedmen. South Carolina cannot and will not again become a prostrate State. The God-given right of self-preservation inheres in communities as well as in in? dividuals. It is higher than law und older than constitutions; but the prob? lem with us to-day is to preserve the life of the State within the conditions that surround us. It is true that never be? fore in all their history have free institu? tions been subjected to such a strain as tho Reconstruction Acts of the National Government placed upon them here; but the political equality of all men in South Carolina is now as fixed a feature in her policy as is the Blue Rridge in her geog? raphy. In can neither be suppressed nor evaded. The solution of the problem requires the wisest thought, the gravest counsel. It seems to me that I see it in firmness, moderation, justice. Let Llieso characterize every act of legislation. It is my duty as Governor to "tako care that the laws arc faithfully executed in mercy." I repeat the pledge made before my election?that in the discharge of this high trust I shall know neither white man nor colored man, but only citizens of South Carolina, alike amena? ble to her laws and entitled to their pro? tection. The address was delivered clearly and in measured tones, and was heard with undiminished attention throughout. At its close a burst of applause shook the building, and gave evidence of the feel? ing of deep thankfulness that pervaded the hearts of all present that for tho nexl two years the interests of South Ciirtlina would be in the keeping of one of Carolina's most prominent son's whose sole aim in the future would be, as it had been in the past, to promote the peace, the prosperity, the general welfare of her whole people. The Speaker then announced that the Hon. John. D. Kennedy, Lieutenant Governor elect, was present and ready to qualify. As in the case of tbe Governor, the constitutional oath was administered by the Chief Justice. The Senate then returned to the Sen? ate chamber, escorting the Lieutenant Governor to his seat as presiding officer of the body. The large audience which had witness? ed the ceremonies in the House had now filled the galleries, and many ladies with members of the House and prominent visitors shared the floor with the sena? tors. After a minute's intermission employed by the Lieutenant-Governor in donning his purple robe of office he was escorted to the front of the presi? dent's desk by the president pro tern., Senator I. W. Witherspoon, who in a few pleasant words introduced him to the body over which he was thcrenfte/ to preside. The Lieutenant-Governor then with his accustomed grace of expression spoke as follows: The Lieutennnt-Governor'H Address. Senators .-?Having been elected to the office of Lieutenant-Governor, and being required by the Constitution of the State to preside over this body, I appreciate the responsibilities imposed upon me. In the discharge of the duties of this office I shall bring to bear all the impar? tiality and ability that I possess. The party to which the majority of the Sen? ate belongs has a grave responsibility devolving upon it, and nowhere d^es it rest with more weight than upon this General Assembly, of which you are a component part. If, as has been assert? ed, and with which I agree, we are by virtue of our superior qualifications of intelligence and property the custodians of the best interests of all classes and con? ditions of tbe people of South Carolina, let us prove to the country that we appre? ciate-this fact, and by our legislation demonstrate it. Let our legislation con? tinue to bo above partisanship or nar? rowness. Let it be broad and catholic, and, while corrective, at the same time progressive. Let us rise above political considerations and direct our efforts to promote to the fullestextent the interests and the welfare of every citizen of the State. Let us, by stimulating industries and fostering our material development, seek to alley political agitation and biud more closely the bonds which should unite all of our people. The re? sponsibility is all the more imperative because of the great proponderance of one political party in this General As? sembly. I have such confidence in your wisdom, courage of conviction and devotion to the State, as to believe that you will meet the fullest requirements of your responsibilities and duties, and legislate accordingly. Invoking the blessing of Heaven upon you and asking your kind indulgence in the task before me, I pledge myself to promote to the utmost harmony and efficiency in the deliberations of this body." At the conclusion of the address, which commaud so groat interest and attention, Senator Witherspoon moved that the Senate adjourn. The vote was taken and carried, and as the new Pres? ident announced the result, his first official act, the Assembly, after congrat? ulations, dispersed. Tbe inaugural ceremonies in both houses were deeply impressive. Upon the table directly in front of the Speak? er's desk in the House were placed the old sword and mace of State hauded down through over one hundred years from the old Colonial days, aud first used in this ceremonial since the war, upon the occasion of the inauguration of Governor Hampton in 1878. These interesting old relics, bearing tbe rcgarl quarterings of William and Mary, iden? tified as they are with the very childhood of the Province of Carolina, appeared typical then, as they did to-day, of the two great eras in the history of this peo? ple, the era of their birth and the era of ther emancipation from the opprobrium of Radical rule. What He Has Noticed.?Mr. Fac tandfancy has noticed?That the boy who is the most afraid of the girls is the first to be carried into matrimony. That tbe little boys prefer boys to girls. That they soon change, never to go back to their early love. That the little girls love the girls best. That they don't get over the preference so soon as the boys do; some of them never. That women love the men because $cy love everything they have to take care of. That men love women because they can't help it. That the husband so loves his wife that ho loves all women for her sake. That girls who have given over all hopes cf matrimony, or who never had any, love to flirt with married men. That the married man is apt think himself all-killing among the fair sex, simply because he has found one woman fool enough to marry him. That homely husbands are the best; they never forget ihe compliment paid them by their wives in accepting them. That homely wives are the truest; they know how to make the most of what they have. Lightning seldom strikes the same place, and a homely woman feels that a similar law governs question poping. That the woman who marries does well. That the woman who does not marry does better nine times out of ten. That the fellow who makes the most couquests has the least time to brag. That the man who thinks the girls are all in love with him is happy after his ways. That the man who loves all the girls is happy after the true way. That the least he says about his love for other women, the smoother will be his matrimonial career. That it is the time to stop, for fear our readers might become love sick.?Boston Trans? cript. One Experience fkom Many?"I had been sick and miserable so long and had caused my husband so much trouble and expense, no one seemed to know what ailed me, that I was completely disheartened and discouraged. In this frame of mind I got a bottle of Hop Bit? ters and used them unknown to my fam? ily. I soon began to improve and gained so fast that my husband and family thought it strange and unnatural, but when I told them what had helped me, they said "Hurrah for Hop Bitters! long may they prosper, for they have made mother well and us happy."?The Mother.?Home Journal. ? A family of negroe exoduslers, re? turning from Indiana, passed through Goldsboro, N. C, a few days ago, on the way to Pitt County, their former home. The parly consisted of Oliver King, his wife and children, and had been on the road seven weeks, making the trip in a covered wagon. THE SOUTHERN STAPLE. American Cotton Manufactures of the Future?Steam and Water Tower Com? pared. Atlanta, November 11, 1880. To the Editor of the New York Herald : There are now some 10,000,000 cotton spindles operated in the Union. In the year 1900, only . nineteen years away, there will be 20,000.000 needed, because the increase of population and of expor? tation of American goods will demand them. The population, as ascertained by the recent census, is, in round num? bers, 50,000,000. In 1870 it was 38,000,000. an increase of 31} per cent, in ten years. The same rate of increase for the next two decades will make it 80,000,000. To sustain this estimate, let me suggest that from 1790 to 1820, and for each succeeding period of thirty years the "Compendium United States Census" shows an average increase of 140 per cent. This ratio applied to the 38,000,000 of 1870 gives us over 90,000, 000 in 1900, thirty years later, hence we may expect a population nearly double that of the present year, as just ascer? tained. Even if this estimate of popu? lation fails, the increased tendency of people toward manufactures will compensate for the smaller number of the population. Will not two pounds of cotton goods be required from the United States mills in 1900 for one now produced ? If.tfiis is correct, 20,000,000 of spindles will be required. During the interval of nineteen years most of the spindles now in use will be worn out or otherwise destroyed. Let us say that 5,000,000 must be replaced and 10,000,000 more must be supplied?in all, 15,000,000, with all their preparatory and following machinery?before the" end of this century. Is this extravagant? I think not. One-half of the 7,000,000 at work in 1870 were operated by steam the other half by water power. The Financial Chronicle reports the home consumption last year at 1,800,000 bales, averaging 481 pounds each. This is equivalent to over 865,000,000 pounds. If the ratio of 1870 has been maintained, some 480,000,000 pounds have been manufactured by steam in 1870 and 1880 Is this economical ? It pays, certainly ; but does it pay as well as water power? The requisite power for 1,000 spindles with looms has been variously estimated at fifteen to twenty-five horse power. All speeds have been accelerated since the introduction of the American ring spindle, let us take (in media) the ratio of twenty horso power. For 20,000,000 spindles with looms, this ratio demands 400,000 horse power. counting the cost. The steam engines of the country will averr.ge, I suppose, a consumption of six pounds of coal per horse power per hour, or 60 pounds per day of 10 houts' work. At this rate there will be required 24,000,000 pounds of coal daily, or 12,000 tons, to do the amount^ of duty required. I suppose the average cost of coal will be $4, to cover prime cost, freight, drayage, labor and storage. Here we have a charge for steam fuel alone of $48,000 per day, and for a working year of 312 days of $15,000,000. Add to this the wages of engineers, firemen and laborers to handle the coal, the excess of repair, cost of eDgines over that of turbines, the excess of oil required fa few gils daily are bufficient for a turbine of 100 horse power making eighty revolutions per minute), the greater cost of engines, the. unavoidable outlay for engine and boiler houses and stacks, and the somewhat increased danger of fire, and it seems that ?15,000,000 is a low estimate of the annual cost of steam power for 20,000,000 of spiudles with looms. What would be the cost with water power? The city of Augusta, Ga.,. has built a magnificent canal, which furnishes now to 12,000 horso power, with capacity of great increase, at the annual charge of $5.50 per horse power, or \\ cents per horse power per day. One hundred horse power on this canal v\ ill cost a manufac? turer ?550 per annum. This a splendid climate, with cheap building materials, abundant and cheap labor, teachable, tractable, thankful for employment and utter unacquainted with "strikes" and State taxation?three tenths of one per cent.?to be reduced rather than increas? ed, for the State finances are in a most satisfactory condition. Georgia has floated four per cent, bonds at par, a finan? cial feat, I believe, not paralleled by any other State. Manufactures are firmly established there and very remunerative. Stocks are far above par. At the water reut fixed by the city of Augusta the 400,000 horse power estimated would cost $2,200,000 instead of $15,000,000 by steam a saving of nearly $13,000,000 annually, and of $250,000,000 in twenty years. If these estimates are even ap? proximately correct, there can be no doubt of the greatly superior economy of water over steam. HESOTJIiCES OF THE SOUTH. Water power abounds in North and South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama, and is to be found in other Southern States. At Augusta the supply can be doubled when needed. At Macon a similar canal is practicable, which can furnish an immense power. Near Co? lumbia, S. C, is a magnificent power. At Athens, Ga., and its . immediate vicinity there are numerous falls of great capacity. At Tallahassee, and at other points in Alabama, the falls are very fine. Chattaboochee river, in this State, falls 112 feet in a distance of 12 miles, with the successful manufacturing city of Columbus at tho lower end of the falls. Here are the celebrated Eagle & Phoenix Mills, a pride to the city, to the State and to the Union. The river, rising far away among the mountains of upper Georgia affords many admirable sites along its course. The Tallula, in Rabun county, falls 450 feet in one mile at Tal? lula Falls, so well known for its pictur? esque beauty and sublimity of its grand chasm. The James river, in Virginia, has a great fall as its flows through that famed valley where Pocahoutas and Capt. Smith wandered, before Hargreaves iuvented the upright spindle to be driven by steam or water power. Many of your readers have seen and admired the beau? tiful rapids at Richmond. The Ostenau la, Eto "ah and Chickamauga rivers, in upper Georgia, all afford water power. At Tangipahoa, in Louisiana, I under? stand there is a very fine power. But there is enough for all, for perhaps a hundred years to come. The Union will certainly need the 20,000,000 spindles by the year 1900. Where shall the new mills be located ? There are mills that receive cotton loose, "in the seed," in two and four-horse wagon loads, direct from the field; weigh it on wagon scales in the mill yard, as you do hay, gin it in the mill and convert it into yams immedi? ately. I nave often seen seed cotton receiv? ed iii this way in the morning and spun into faultless yarns before night. This saves the trouble and expense of baling. Even when baled, it reaches the South? ern spinner in the loosely packed plan? ter's package, not after compression (for shipment) under a great pressure of many hundred tons into a bulk about one-fifth that of the planter's bale, in which state it rcmainB as hard as aboard for six to twelve months before it reaches the distant mill. Can any one doubt that the Southern spinner may safely disperse with part of the violent anil destructive ''beating" that is necessary to the Northern and foreign spinner to restore that life and elasticity of fibre which have been squeezed out of it?by the gigantic compresses of the day? So much for Southern water power, as compared with steam. There is much of it north of the Potomac, but much more available here, at the cotton fields, and never impeded by ice. the course of progress. Northern manufacturers excel us now in design and coloring and weaving skill, and will long continue to do so ; but in the manufacture of the heavier cotton cloths, and of the lower numbers of yarn, we are firmly established and per? fectly successful, as the extremely satis? factory dividends from many Southern mills sufficiently attest. Northern wea? vers give up tous the heavy goods, and buy annually hundreds of tons of South? ern yarns. Why is this? Simply be? cause we can spin as well as any other spinners and more cheaply. If it were not so would these skillful and thrifty people buy of us? As we increase the production of yarns, more and more mills will bo started North to consume them, and as Northern weavers learn more and more to depend upon us for their sup? plies, we will, before long, be spinning finer numbers of yarus, then Northern spinners must go to 60's, 80's and 100's. We will soon, probably, compete with the North in manufacturing print cloths, to be printed there into the exquisite calicoes now make. Finally, we will commence spinning fine yarns for expor? tation to Europe. Thegreatimpedinentin the way of im mediate and rapid progress is the poverty of the people, but this is rap? idly passing away, and we will be1 able to take a respectable portion of the new spindles that will soon be needed. And before the end, of this century all the Southern States will present a very dif? ferent aspect. With such advantages as we have the story is not near told. Is it not strange that the vast accumulations of wealth North and East and in Eng? land do not find their way to this favored region, which lacks nothing but capital to create a manufacturing industry in* thisfline that will not only be very renumerative, but will add to the glory of tlys reconstruc ted Union and mate it yet more signally the "wonder of na? tions?" Hundreds of thousands read your bright cosmopolitan journals. You can reach them with sound suggestions on this important subject. Can you ac? cept the views here suggestad? If you can, send them abroad, East, West, North, and South, and "across the wa? ters," and let us see these magnificent streams, now wasting their magnificent wealth of power in the Atlantic and tbe Gulf, harnessed and made to minister to our progress and the progress of the Amercan people. Henry V. Meigs. No Business Out There.?Some? where between Leadvillo and Gunnison City wanders a Detroiter who is penniless ragged, hungry aud discouraged. Four weeks ago he met a Michigau man out there and sent his love to all inquiring friends at home, and explained why he was in that hard up condition. He was too honest and too particular for that country. He reached Gunnison City without a dollar in his pocket, but with lots ofambitiou in his soul, and soon met a man who explained: "I"can give you the softest kind of a soap at four dollars a day. I want you to run one of my faro tables." "But I dou't know the game." "You don't say stranger. You must had a queer bringing up. Out here and don't know faro! Pass on?no time to bother with you!" The secoud man applied to for a situa? tion squinted his eyes and took a long look at the Detroiter and quietly asked: "Whar* from ?" "Detroit." "No use?that's too far East. My pard ran off with the company funds last night, and I calkerlated on payin' somebody about a hundred dollars to overtake him and bring me back hia skulp. You'd look ^sweet takin' his trail, you would! You'd better iuquire on the next corner." The next corner was site of a saloon about to be opened. The proprietor was a six-footer with a revolver on each hip, and in response to the iuquiry he said: "I s'pose you kuow how to pour whis? ky and weigh dust?" "Yes." "Suppose that one of the tuff ones comes in after his nip and refuses to hand over?" "I'll call the police." "Police be hanged ! Every man's his own policeman out here! You must open on him with a shooter and keep pulling the trigger until he falls! The sits open at $3 a day and?found." "I?I guess I won't take it!" "Then git! No place for milksops arround here! Might a-knowed you hadn't any narve by lookin' at ye!" The Detroiter made one more effort. This time it was a man who explained : "Glad to see ye?sot down a bit. Ye see, there's bad blood between me and a feller called Sandy Tom. We've agreed to drop each other on sight, and wo mean business. I want to git the bulge on him, and bein' you're a stranger you can help me. Put this Derringer.in your pocket and go and shoot Sandy Tom and I've got $200 for ye I" "Why, that would be murder!" "What of it! Do you expect to haug out around here over a day without doin' any shootin ? Whar was ve rais? ed?" "In Detroit!" "Git! You haven't any spinal col? umn ! You'd better run home to your ma, you had! Out ye go?so long!"? Free Pros, The Trundle Bed.?The balmiest sleep we ever experienced was when we were nestled in the old trundle bed, with a curly headed brother just turned out of the parents nest, to make room for a new customer. But trundle bed dreams were soon at an end, for when the next customer came we were crowded out to make room for him, and so they kept alternating for years, until we were turned out into the wide world. Oh! where now arc the little heads that we have kissed a thousand times o'er, as they nestled in the old trundle bed ? Some of them have grown old and gray, and others arc nestling upon their ever? lasting pillows in widely separated lands. We are always sad when we think of the old trundle bed. ? Somebody ought to be put in Old Prob's place to regulate the weather. ? A little boy visited his uucle on his birthday and congratulated him. lie then asked his uncle if he had washed himself. "Why so?" asked the uncle, patting the prattler on the head. "Because papa said if you done the clean thing thing you would give me a dollar, at least." IA STOltY ABOUT L1BBY PRISO*. A "Yankee Trick" which Caused a Confed? erate Sentry to Smile. Captain Joseph Wincjficd, an ex-mem? ber of the City Council of Richmond, tells a story of the time when he stood sentinel around Libby: "So, the old prison is sold, is it?" he said, "Well, gentlemen, I never go by that place without laughing, now! I can't I help thinking of the cute trick played i by a lot of yankces there. The fact is it, was so good that, although I had been ordered to shoot in among them, I dis? obeyed orders. It was about '63, and the Libby building was so crowded that it wouldn't hold any more prisoners, so they put a large lot of them in the second story of the building across the street. Soo:: alter these prisoners came the prison oflicials got a large lot of sweet potatoes (regular yams) from North Carolina, and stored them on the first floor of the build? ing in which those prisoners were con? fined. Big sweet potatoes were luxuries in those days, and Turner and those fel? lows kept a strict watch over the building, I can tell you. The third day after they had been stowed away it was noticed that they were disappearing at the rate of about a bushel a day. At first it was thought that the rats took them, but a second thought showed that the idea was absurd. Sentinels were pos? ted all around the building with orders to shoot any man they caught stealing those yams, but they didn't see anybody to shoot, and although they were posted there day and night, and no one were al? lowed to enter the room in which the potatoes wen kept, they continued to disappear at the rate of a bushel a day. The Confederates saw their yams disap? pearing in tLis way, and were furious. The thing was an uuacoountable mystery. The doors and windows of the room were scaled and private marks were put on the wax, so that if any one of them was opened it would be known. The next morning the officers went into the room. The wax was all right, but another bush? el of potatoes had vanished. Well, sir, it was the maddest crowd you ever saw. They came to me an ordered me to take my stand in the room. They locked me in, and a lighted candle was put at each end of the room so that I could see. I was ordered to shoot on sight anybody I saw stealing those yams. It was terribly lonesome in that room. Just as fast as I would light one caudle and go to the other end of the room to light the other the rats would cut the first one down. They were regular Confederate rats, and a candle was a godsend to them. After a lot of worry I got the rats out of the way and sat down near the door waiting for developments. There I stayed till 12 oclock; but though I kept my eyes on the potatoes all the time, couldn't see any of them going. Shortly after twelve I heard a creaking, grating sound, which seemed to be all over the room at once. I cocked my gun and held my breath, but still I couldn't see any sign of life except the rats creeping about the floor. 'By George!' I thought, 'this darned place is haunted, if there is any such a thing as a place being 'haunted.' The sound stopped, but about ten minutes after it began again. I looked at the pile of potatoes, and presently saw something shoot from the ceiling and fall on them. I saw it was a brick, and could distin? guish a rope tied to it. I crept a little nearer to get a good look at the thing, but before I could examined it, it was drawn slowly up, and there were about a peck of yams sticking to it. It went up through a hole which had been cut in the floor above, and presently came down again with a thump right among the potatoes. It was the most artful arrangement you ever saw. The brick had about fifty holes drilled in it, and through each hole a sharpened tenpeuny nail had been run, so that when the brick fell among the yams, the nails stuck into every one they fell on. I couldn't help laughing at the smart dodge those Yan? kees had taken to get at the yams. I gently put my hand forward and caught hold of the rope. Pretty soon they began to draw on it, and when it did not move I heard one fellow say : 'Steady boys; the brick's hung in something. Pull her steadily without jerking.' They did pull steadily, and fairly lifted me up from the floor. 'No jerk, easy, boys, easy,' the directorsaid, and they tugged away. I got pretty red in the face. Holding to the rope. I was afraid to let go, because I thought some of those spiked nails might strike me in passing. I thought of my pocket-knife, and hauled itout justas they were puttiug all their weight on the other cud of the rope. I cut it in two, and the end shot back through the hole in the ceiling, and I could hear a rolling and tumbling on the floor above, showing that the sudden giving away of the rope had a disastrous effect. I heard another voice say: 'There, now, I told you so. You've broken the rope. We've lost our brick, and to-morrow we'll be found out.' Then another voice called out: 'Can't you see it? We might hook it up.' Next I saw a long neck protruding through the hole, and a fellow peering down. Then I called out: 'If you trouble any more of these potatoes I'll Bboot.' That fellow's, head shot back through that hole just like a terrapin, and it was as still as death up ?therc. I hated to tell on them because it was such a sharp scheme of foraging on the enemy, but I had to. When the officers went up next morning to examine the room it took ajong time' to find the hole. Those Yankees had cut a hole about a foot square through the floor, and it was done so neatly that it took good eyes to discover it. That was where the officers' yams went to." ? There is more building going on iu New York at the present time than was ever known before. ? In some parts of the South small farms arc increasing. In other parts, a few men arc monopolizing all the land. ? The Post says that since Garfield's election trade in Washington has fallen oil' terribly, the depression equalizing tlmtoi'lS73. ? Gen. Grant, iu company with Senor Romero, attended the morning service at Plymouth Church last Sunday. After the service the curiosity of the crowd to sec the General was so great that many lingered in the church, were upon Capt. Beechci* mounted the plat? form and desired that the audience would pas3 us. He added: "A special service can be held if you wish to wor? ship a man. This is a house of worship of God." ? President-elect Garfield, like Presi? dent Hayes and his predecessors Lincoln and Buchanan, will be a minority Presi? dent so far as the popular vote goes. The official returns give him a plurality of 3,401 votes over Hancock, but the entire vote cast in the Presidential election was 9,192,505, of which Garfield received 4, 430,415 to 4,753,1S0 cast for the opposing candidates, leaving him in a minority of 313,705 votes. The total vote of 1880 was 779,900, or 9.3 per cent more than that of 1870, while the Republican vote showed a gain of 405,405, or 10 per cent., and the Democratic vote a gain of 151,257, or only 3 per cent. These figures illustrate very plainly what great results flow from very small changes iu the popular vote. Debt. Living beyond their incomes is the ruin of many of my neighbors; they can hardly afford to keep a rabbit, and must need drive a poney aud chaise. I am afraid extravagance is thecommon disease of the times, and many professingichris tians have caught it, to their shame and sorrow. Good cotton or snuff gowns are not good enough nowadays, girls must have silk and satius, and "then there is a bill at the dress maker's as long as a win? ter's night and quite as dismal. Show and style and smartness run away with a man's means, keep the family poor, and the father's nose on a grindstone. Frogs try to look as big as bulls, and burst themselves. A pound a week apes five hundred a year, and comes to the country court. Men burn the candle at both ends, and then say they are unfortunate ?why don't they put the saddle on the right horse, and say they are extrava? gant? Economy is half the battle iu life; it is not so hard to earn money as to spend it well. Ilrndreds would have never known want if they had not first known wast. If all poor men's wives knew how to cook, how far a little might go I Our minister says: "The French and Overmans beat us all hollow in nice cheap cookery; I wish they would send us missionaries over to convert our gossiping women into good managers; this is a French fashion which would be a deals more useful than those fine pictures in Airs. Fippery's window, with ladies rigged out in a new style ev? ery month. Dear me! some people are much too fine nowadays to eat what their fathers were thankful to see on the table, and so they please the palates with co3tly feeding, come to the work-house, and expect everybody to pity them. They turned up their noses at bread aud butter and came to eat raw turnips stolen out of fields. They who live like fighting-cocks at other men's cost will get their combs cut or perhaps get roasted for it one of these days. If you have a great store of peas, you may put the more in the soup; but everybody should fare according to his earnings. He i3 both a fool and a knave who has a shiling coming in, and on the strength of it spends a pound which docs not belong to him. Cut your coat ac? cording to your cloth is sound advice; but cutting other people's cloth by run? ning into debt is as like thieving as four four-pence is like a goat. Debtors can hardly help being liars, for they promise to pay when they know they cannot, and when they have made up a lot of false excuses they promise again, and so they lie as fast as a horse can trot. Now, if owing leads to lying, who shall say that it is not a most evil thing. Of course, there are exceptions, and I do not want to bear hard upon an honest man who is brought down by sickness or losses ; but take the rule as a rule, and you will find debt to be a great dismal swamp, a huge mud-hole, a dirty ditch; happy is the man who gets out of it after once tumbling in, but the happiest of all is he who has been by God's good? ness kept out of the mire altogether. If you once ask the devil to dinner it will be hard to get him out of the bouse again ; better to have nothing to do with him. Where a hen has laid one egg, she is very likely to lay another; when a man is once in'debt, he is likely to get into it again; better keep clear of it from the first. He who gets in for a penny will soon be in for a pound, and wlien a man is over shoes, he is very liable to be over boots. Never owe a farthing, and you will never owe a guinea. My motto is, pay as you go, and keep from small scores. Short reckonings are soon cleared. ''Pay what you owe, and what you're worth you'll know." Let the clock tick, but no "tick" forme. Better go to bed without your supper than get up in debt. Sins and debt are always more than we think them to be. Little by little a man gets over his head and ears. It is the petty expenses thatemp ty the purse. Money is round, and rolls away easily. Tom Thriftless buys what he does not want because it is a great bargain, and so is soon brought to sell what he does want, and finds it a very little bargain. He cannot say "No" to his friend who wants him to be, security he gives grand dinners, makes many holi? days, keeps a fat table, lets his wife dress fine, never looks after his servants; and by and by ho is quite surprised to find the quarter days come round so very fast, and that his creditors bark so loud. He has sowed his money in the field of thoughtlessness, and now he wonders that he has to reap the harvest of poverty. Still he hopes for something to turn up to help him out of difficulty, and so muddles himself into more trouble, forgetting'that hope and expectation are fool's income. Being hard up, he goes to market, with empty pockets, and buys at-what ever prices tradesmen like to charge him, and so he pays them double, and gets deeper into the mire. Thia leads him to scheming, and trying little tricks and mean dodges ; for it is bard for an empty sack to st?" ! up-right. This is sure not to answer, for schemers are like spiders webs which never catch anything better than flies, and are soon swept away. As well attempt to mend your shoes with brown paper, or stop a broken window with a sheet of ice, as to try to patch up a falling business with maneuvering and scheming. When the schemer is found out, he is like a dog in Church, whom every body kicks at, and like a barrel of powder, which nobody wants for a neighbor. They say poverty is a sixth sense, and it had need be, for many debtors seem to have lost the other five, or were born without common sense, for they appear to fancy that you not only make debts, but pay them, by borrowing. A man pays Peter with what he has borrowed of Paul, and thinks he is getting out of his difficulties, when he is putting one foot into the mud to pull the other out. It is hard to shave an egg, or to pull hairs out of a bald pate; but they are both easier than paying debt out of an empty pocket. Samson was a strong man but he could not pay debts without money, and he is a fool who thinks he can do it by scheming. As to borrowing money of loan societies, it's like a drowning man catching at ra? zors ; Jews and Gentiles, when they lend money, generally pluck the geese as long as they have any feathers. A man must cut down his outgoings and save bis in? comings if he wants to clear himself; you can't spend your penny and pay debts with it too." Stint the kitchen if the purse is bare. Don't believe in any way of wiping out debt except by paying hard cash. Promises make debts, and "debts make promises; but promises never pay debts; promising is one thing, and per? forming is quite another. A good man's word should be as binding as au oath, and he could never promise to pay un? less he has a clear prospect of doing so in due time; those who stave off payment by false promises deserve no mercy. It is all verv well to say," I'm very sorrv;', but A hundred years of regret Pay not a farthing of debt. I From John Ploughman's Talk; or Plain Ailcice to Plain People, by C. If. Spurgcon.