The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-07-07
CHI A r l. E S TON.
WEDNESDAY MORNING, JULY ?, 1869.
Land and Labor.

At the meeting of the State Agricultural
Convention, held in April last, it was re-
solved that the various counties of the State
be recommended to form immigration sooi-
cites auxiliary to the central association in
Newberry. This was q highly proper re-
commendation; but we are not aware that
the different counties have done anything
to give it effect. Some stimulus, some ex
citing force is necessary, and it is hoped
that the Executive Committee Of the State
Agricultural Society, who meet in Colum-
bia on Wednesday, will give this subject of
immigration their earnest attention.
AT this time, the immigration question
| divides itself into two branches: 1. The
adoption of the necessary measures for So
curing Cinnamon to work in the rice fields
auu ON the sea lslanu planLatlons, wnere
the European laborer cannot live. g To
devise plan for obtaining European i'm
migrants for the middle and upper sections
Of the State. Passing by, for the moment,
the question Of Asiatie immigration, there
remains problem whioh is not easy to be
solved, viz: How to overcome the induce
ments which tho Northwestern states offer
to white immigrants, ana how TO remove
the prejudice which, other things being
equal, causes the European to avoid with
sedulous care the fertile fields and rich
savannahs Of the South. The unreasoning
distrust Of the Southern people which ex-
tsts on the continent Of Europe, the effect
OF decade Of oalumny and falsehood, will
gradually die out; but it is not wise to
choose the rugged road when there is a
broad and even path leading to the same
goal. We should direct our efforts in rela-
ton to immigration to those points where
the feeling against US is the weakest, and
where we can obtain the industrious and
hardy men, without whom We cannot quick
ly prosper. In Scotland and Ireland and
Englsnd, for example, the prejudice is not
nearly as strong as it is in Germany; and, IL
we offer greater advantages than are offered
by the Northwest, we can 60 into the labor
market in those countries and obtain lust
as many immigrants as can be obtained by
Illinois, or Minnesota, or any Western
State.
But can we offer to the Scotohman, tho
1rishman and Englishman greater advan.
tages than are offered by the North west
We think that We can. There are hundreds
OK thousands Of aores. Of good land in
South Caroline which have hardly mar
ket value. The fences are rotting, the
fields are choking up with weeds, scrub
oaks pines are taking the place Of tho
deecy cotton or golden corn. There Is NO
demand for these lands, and they cannot
be worked because We have not the labor
ers' or, perhaps, the ready money for wages
and supplies. Land is the one thing that
We have in abundance. Labor is the oniv
thing that will make our land valuable.
Land. then, Of which we have too much.
must be made to procure labor, Of which
We haye not enough. The value Of land is
In proportion to the population. AS popu.
lation increases the land rises in prioe, and
1t 10 not too much to say that to double the
white laboring population Of South Caro-
lima would be to. treble or quadruple the
value Of tho Land. This will hardly be do.
MED, and the whole proposition resolves
itself into this: Arc the people willing 70
give away to actual white settlers por-
aon Of their lands, having the certainty
that the remainder will, In year or two.
90 worth more in. aotusl money than tho
whole tract is worth now?
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