Speech #480028776

The face of the South isbeing transformed. and the old poetic quotation will come in one of these days. the South will really bud and blossom as the rose. and that beforea great while. But between the years 1870 and 1880 we all know the condition of the Southern country. and I do not thl.nk I could elucidate the subject in such a way that it would be better understood than the honorable Senator from Vermont and others already understand it. The lack of education among the masses of the people is undoubtedly one more reason why property depreciated. perhaps the greatest reason was the absence of schools. and that was one cause why Northern immigration failed to find its home in the South rather than in the West. If there is anything that a Northern man or a Northern family wants. it is a chance to educate the children. it will not go where there are no schools. It is only primarily by the establishment of schools that that portion of the country can avail itself of the natural tendencies to immigration in that direction. either of individuals or of capital largely. The decrease in the losing States varied from 45 to 78 per cent. I call attention to the thread of what I was saying. showing a decrease in the valuation in ten of those States of $411.000.000.