Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1870-06-03
immigration.

AmAAiS 1@tAuAs +. t..Fr.
When all obstacles are removed, water will
naturally seek and maintain its level. Tho
samc is true, in great degree, in the mate
rial and moral world. Labor flows from over.
supplied localities to points where tho de-
mand, and henoo, tho wages, are heaviest.--
When this fails to be true, we may feel assu-
red there is souo impeding difficulty in the
way. Distance and material obstacles cannot
satisfy the failure. Mechanical ingenuity has,
to great extent, overcome these hindrances
to an easy flow aud general equilibrium of la
Dor and population. Our soil, climate, pro-
ductions, manufacturing and commercial in.
terests arc as familiar to Europeans to.day, as
they were, fifty years ago, to the citizens Of
our sister States. The press, with tho aid
of tho telegraph and steam navigation, has
carried to the firesides of tho world every in
formation that could prove au induccmcpt to
labor and capital to seek employment her -
Equally we'll known are our social, moral aud
political condition aud prospects. With
present appliances, the population Of the old
world arc within easy reach of our coast, and
acquainted with all tho advantages and dis
advantages attending their removal and set.
tlemcnt. Why, then, do thoy rot ecek u
home in this land of libcrty(D and equality ?
One universal reason may be foundin the natu-
raj attachment persons have for their native
land Association makes tho homestead play
grounds and hunting grounds, where child
hoods happy days were spent, dear to every
one but to the young and energetic, a fair
prospect of bcttcring their condition in life is
sufficient to overcome this If no other
cause existed, tho old world would literally
empty itself into this great and fertile coun-
try. Low taxes and wise laws, faithfully ad-
minstcrcd, are the first and chief requisites
to secure an influx of labor and capital
Without these essentials to prosperity, and
security to life and property, there can be
but little hope of immigration. Next to
these, cheap and fertile lands, high wages
and local Inconvenience add their weight
Which of these inducements can our State
offer?
The State government is in the hands of
cxtrayagant and irresponsible parties. a
heavy debt is daily inscreasing. The party
in power labor with zeal to stir up strife and
confusion to work out their own selfish pur,
poses. Cheap lands are made dear by heavy
taxes. The hard earnings of labor are swal.
lowed up in the pitilcss cxactions of a horde
of hungry officials Every local convenience
is more expensive than beneficial. Immi
grants can hardly desire to encounter such a
train of difficulties, and do not come here
Should they come here in Ignorance Of these
obstacles to prosperity, it is hardly likely they
would remain We know many advocate
immigration as q cure for the ills under
which VIC arc suffering. but. wn holinvc. tho
remedy cannot be obtained until the disease
is cured. We may, by local agencies secure
tic droppings, but we must have better
condition of things here, before a tide vii
aow this way. What foreigner would recon
mend to his friend over the waters, to sccl
a homo in this State? Our own citizens car
barely endure government ignorant, corrup
and cxtravagant We believe the influx o
population to this country has been ovcrbal
anccd by the outflow, and that wo arc losers
in population. How long this shall continue
depends much upon our own people. Al
earnest and persistent effort to better thci
political condition will succeed This, W,
believe, is the true channel to conduct capi
tai and population to our State. Withou
this every effort to introduce them will be lik
running water up hill-morc costly thar
profitable.