The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-01-25
COLUMBIA, S. c..
Tuesday Morning, January Is, 1870.
THE VALUE OF TYON
TO THE SOUTH.

VIZ SoahOG CooAty ONcI-c6IIulbtc Luo al
vantages to accrue to the South from the
rich stream OF European emigration.
What it would do for the South, is indi.
Gated by what it has done for the North.
In DeBo,o's Reoie,o for November, we
observe remarkable statement of the
2 value that has resulted to this country
from the tide OF emigration-the value,
not only in nm industrial, but in a moral
point Of view. The writer states that
immigration is really the strength and
dependence of the country-that medi-
cal writer's have furnished statistics show
ing that, without the foreign element in
our body-politic, the population of some
sections of the country, especially New
England, would be less to-day than it
was thirty years ago. The writer holds
further immigration sis the main stay
of the conservatism which alone can
save the country from the gulf of anar-
chy, and which is now beating back the
hosts of chaos fighting under the banner
of radicalism." "If," he adds, "the
foreign-born voters of the United States
were disfranohised this year, before 1872,
the party of despotism and destruction
would be in possession of every State
and Federal Office in the country" The
writer adds:
During the forty years ending with
1860, over 8. ZOO. 900 of immigrants reach
ed the United States. The exact number
was 5,062, ,414. In the eight years follow
ing 1860, the arrivals numbered 1,715,-
854. OF this number, perhaps, 100000
were temporary visitors, or Americans
who had been abroad. Deduct these,
and we still have over 100000 Of i'm
migrants in eight years; but again, if
those who come through Canada are
added, the number will be largely in
creased. Thus, then, in less than half q
century, we have received from foreign
countries nearly 70O0,O 900 of people, the
great body of whom settled in this coun-
try and made it their home, becoming
merged in the general population, and
as thoroughly identified with our into
rests, social, political and industrial, rs
though they had been born on the soil.
Moreover, the mass of immigrants are
young men and young women, who soon
become the fathers and mothers of at
least three times their original number.
1t is not too much to estimate tho gain
1920, at 10,000,000, which, with the
1000, 900 immigrants, make total gain
of 1900, 600, or nearly half the present
population Of the country.
''But this is not ALL The wealth rep
resented by each newcomer is an i'm
portant item. Up to 1866, the great
majority ofimmigrants we're of the poorer
class; since that time, however, there
has been change. Most of the immi-
grants now arriving bring with them
money and property, and thus contribute
to the aggregate pablo wealth. In q
carefully prepared paper recently read
before the Social Science Association, by
Mr.. Frederick Kapp, the value of the
property brought by each was estimated
at $50. Supposing the whole number
of immigrants arriving in one year to be
$50, which is, in fact, considerably
below the present average, they repre-
sent, on this estimate, an annual addition
of $37, 500, 900 to the wealth of the coun-
try. This. in ten years, would be nearly
$400, 900, 900, and in twenty years, with
interest. over 81, 600, 900, 900. But there
is, besides, the value of their labor Each
able-bodied immigrant, and not many
are otnerWlse, Is supposed TO be worth
$1,000 to the State or section in which
he settles. Taking this estimate for q
basis, and supposing the number of able
bodied immigrants arriving in twenty
years to be 1000, 900, they represent an ad-
dition of $4,000, 100000 to the capital of
the country, or. with the property they
bring, about $3,0OO,0OO, O,O0O This may
at first seem an extravagant estimate, but
it is based upon statistics prepared by
men who make special study of politi-
cal economy.
'The facts here briefly presented show
the great Importance of encouraging i'm
migration in every possible manner. 1t
has been one of the chief sources of the
prosperity of the United States, and will
so continue while it lasts Without it,
the material progress of the country
would stop for want of the power that
propels it., and even the population might
stand still, and eventually diminish. Inn
migration is the main hope for the future
greatness, power and wealth Of the re-
public. and for its political stability as
we'll"