Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-03-13
Concerning Foreiyn Immigration.

AZ the last session OF the Legislature, ON Act
was passed establishing Bureau of immigration
for South Carolina. JouX A. WAGNER, Esq,
member of tho Legislature and distinguished
citizen of Charleston has been appointed to the
head of this Bureau. Mr.. WAGNER il, we think,
u native German if not, he is Of German paren-
tage, and thoroughly conrersaut with the German
language In another column will be found his
official card. Upon reading this card, our farmers
and planters will see the necessity of taking some
such steps as were suggested by us short time
ago that is if foreign labor is wanted in this part
of the country. The Commissioner calls for in
formation as to the kind Of labor required, the
wages that will be paid, r description of the
lands for sale or lease, terms, conditions, &c., &c.
He recommends combination among the planters;
as their joint action would facilitate operations.
We suggest that an Association be formed for the
District, with proper officers and that books be
kept in which record Of all lands for sale or
lease to immigrants may be made and exhibited.
Also the names Of those who want labor, the va
ges to the be paid, &c. Such an arrangement
would give system to tho wholeaffair, and render
the work of procuring labor comparatively easy
matter.
Put not your trust in negro labor; but begin
in time to look to ether for tho necessary
shows for agricultural indepondcnccin the future.
Noy is the time to movc. Wo have not day to
lose.
We are delighted to see this effort on the part
of our Legislature to encourage immigration to
South Carolina. Now that slavery no longer e1-
lists it has become necessity to brenk up and
abandon, in great degree, the lsrgs plantation
system which has hitherto prevailed among us.
It seems 10 u, that tho best interests Of our pco-
ple require the carly and uniform adoption CT
this policy. There arc many and obvious advan-
tases that would uriso from the substitution OF
small farms for those large landed estates which
have go long existed in the South under the in
stitution of slavery. One Of these advantages
and the greatest rerhaps-would be the improve
ment of our system of husbandry. Heretofore
our agriculture hss been conducted on a plan that
Welded the very minimum Of profits for the
amount of capital inverted.
We question if the average profits Of agricul-
tural industry in this country are much, II at all,
greater than in the worst cultivated districts OF
France and Spain-districts in which the system
of agriculture is fully one hundred years behind
the times. We have, in former days, suffered
ourselves to be blinded by our heavy c1portations
of Cotton, rice, &C., forgetting that these crops
werc consum ed in the payment Of Northern debts /;
and that VIC were all the whilo growing poorer,
when compared with other sections of the union'
The late war very clearly developed our relative
pocuniary weakness. The large plantation sys-
tenn is one principal reason, We fear, why the
South, despite its advantages of soil and climate
is behind the other sections of the Union in popu-
lation and industrial enterprises.
South Carolina has suffered moro from this
cause than perhaps any other Southern State.
Her rich people would bo satisfied with nothing
but immense plantations swarming with negro
laborcrs. Georgia ns carly MS 1880, distributed
by lottery many thousands of forty mere lots; and
the consequence is aoon in the relative growth oil
population the two States. In 1890, South
Carolina had double the population of Georgia;
but now the figures are reversed Gcorgia has
white and colored population of one and quarter
millions, while South Carolina has perhaps TOO,-
OOO, of which moro than one half are colOrOd.
We urge therefore the speedy inauguration Of
some policy that will encourage the multiplica-
ton of small firms. Certainly there Gun be no
doubt that land owners will find it moro advanta-
geous to lease their lands for term of years than
to let them lie vacant and IncultEatcd.
And if, in addition to this, we so shape our
future legislation as to encourage, stil more
strongly, immigration from Europe, We shall very
soon attain to prosperity md rsnown which
was perhaps impossible undor the old regime.