Q. There must be some qualification of that difference between the death rate between such States as Massachusetts, for instance, and Georgia, on account of the fact—­which I suppose must be conceded—­that in these new States population is younger and more vigorous than in the older States.  The emigration to these States has been of the younger and more vigorous population, not so liable to die as those who remain behind and are older?  —­A.  There has been but very little emigration into these States up to this census.

     MR. PUGH.  That is the fact to some extent, I suppose,
     anyway.

The CHAIRMAN.  In that same connection, I suppose, should be borne in mind the fact that the population of these Eastern States is largely re-enforced by immigration from Europe, and that is of the younger and more vigorous European population, and I do not know but what the people in Massachusetts will insist upon it that they are as young and as vigorous as anybody.

      Mr. PUGH.  I have no doubt.  I saw a great many very old
     people there.

     The WITNESS.  I merely mentioned this because I wanted to do
     away with the impression which generally exists that the
     Southern States are very unhealthy.

     Mr. PUGH.  I have no doubt that what you state is true as a
     general fact.

The WITNESS.  Now, to bear out the assertion which I made that the prosperity of the negroes began to increase with the cessation of race issues in the South, which has been so apparent to me that I can almost mark the time that it began, look at the cotton crop that is being made to a great extent by small farmers; look at the increase of the cotton crop in the different States in the last few years.  For instance, take Georgia:  in 1870 she made 473,934 bales of cotton; in 1880 she made 814,441, an increase of 75 per cent.  Alabama in 1870 produced 429,482 bales; and in 1880 699,654, an increase of 62 per cent.  Mississippi in 1870 produced 564,938 bales; in 1880 she produced 955,808 bales, an increase of 69 per cent.

Here is a very significant fact also with regard to the condition of our laborers in the South, and it shows one of the disadvantages we have had to labor under.  During the war, and from the results of the war, nearly all of our live stock was destroyed, a great portion of it was destroyed, which left us after the war without the means of raising our own meat and such supplies at home, and took away from the South a great portion of our wealth, for we know that cattle, hogs &c., increase in arithmetical progress.  If you have a hog, this year she bears so many pigs, and in a couple of years those pigs bear so many, and so on.  But we were left without live stock.  I have here a table which shows, even under those difficulties, the increase in that respect in the Southern States of live stock.  These