Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1867-12-19
WHAT Is NEEDED.

The press is full of advice to the people OF the
South as to the best means of restoring the pros
perity of former times Among other remedies
prescribed, are changes in the system of labor, i'm
proved modes of culture greater diversity of crops,
increase of population through immigration, &c.
These may be very beneficial remedies, doubtless
most of them are but they all come short of the
desired end for they all require something else to
make them produce their good fruits None
of them can, of itself and unasssted, bring pros
perity to our country. The importation of immi'
grants and the improvement of our agriculture
may increase the yield of our fields; but they will
not fill the pockets, or even the mouths, OF the
population we have already.
Many persons talk about Immigrants" as ifthey
thought that useful class of people were coming
here solely to make money for their employers This
is a mistake. Immigrants, if they come here at
all, will come for the purpose Of getting homes toi
themselves, and surrounding themselves with com
forts and wealth. unattainable in their native coun
tries. The benefit which the State will derive from
their labors, will not at all consist in an increase o
wealth to her old citizens. Their earnings will be
their own, and not to be divided among the whole
population; though at the same time, an influx ot
industrious immigrants would naturally add to the
value of our lands and other property.
But the great lack of our country at present, II
industrious and energetic young men. While VIC
have plenty of room for immigrants, we have g
very large army of non-producers in our midst
who might with proper energy, double our crops
every year. What is the use of sending agents
throughout Europe to drum up recruits for oul
population, while so much soil is left idle by the
population we have? IF these agents to trav'
ell throughout our State, and use their eloquence
in inducing our unemployed young men to 'immi
CRATE" into the cornfeld with hoes and plows they
would be conferringa greater favor upon the State
The employment of all our people, in some use
full and productive branch of industry, is the only
scheme that offers fair promise of restoring ou,
prosperity. The prosperity of State is comprised
in that of individuals. Its because our people arc
individually poorer, that the State is now suffer
ing and when our people thoroughly comprehend
this and make an energetic and continued effort
each for himself to retrieve their fortunes State
prosperity will return and hard times will disap
pear But this effort has, as yet, been vigorously
made by few only Our people have "acccptet
the situation politically; but many of them have
utterly failed to accept the financial situation
Many cndcavor to forget how poor they are, and
instead of graphing with their difficulties to over
come them, try to keep up appearances of being
pretty well off. This plan may save some labo
now; but it will not do to persist in. We are al
impoverished people, and we might as well live il
accordance with the facts Our fortunes are al
most universally yet to be made. five do no
help ourselves, others will not help US. Shall WI
90 to work in earnest, or shall we sit down ant
wait for luck?.