The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-02-03
IMMIGRATION.
Difficulties in the WAY How ss,sy
may be Rem asiicd.
LETTER FROM HON. WEI. ]. SYKES.

LETTER FROM HON. WEI. ]. SYKES.
Dear Sir: / have read with much
interest the able and instructive addres:
by Captain Withers and yourself, OF
immigration, which you were kinC
enough to send me, and for which please
accept my thanks. i hope your cleal
and forcible arguments may make al
impression on the people of your coun
ty and State. Whilst | am very anX
iOus for immigrants to settle in the
South, | am not so hopeful as many
others seem to be. 1t is true, we have
climate and soil superior to those o.
| other portions of the United States.
We can here produce everything which
is produced in the northern States,
and, in addition, we can grow cotton,
sugar, rice and tobacco. We have as
healthful country, as delightful eli
mate, and as beautiful scenery as Can
be found on the continent. Our lands
arc. very cheap, in proportion to the
| real value, and we are anxious to en-
courage immigration, and to that end
will treat with Kindness and courtesy
all who wish to make their homes in
our midst. Why, then, do we not have
more immigrants? 1t seems to me the
reason is obvious, and the obstacles are
partly caused by our own people. The
people who live in the North and in
Europe, and who would make the best
ettlers in or country, are accustomed
to grain growing and stock raising.
This is the business they understand,
and it is that which suits them best.
If they were persuaded that the South
was as suitable for grain growing, hay
producing and stock raising, as the
! Northern States, thousands of them
would settle here that are now seeking
homes in the West. When, however,
they come here and find our lands 60
ing to waste, our fences falling down,
our farm houses i'll q state of dilapida-
ton, our fields presenting barren and
desOlate appearance, no flocks of sheep
nor herds of cattle feeding upon rich
pastures, they become discouraged, and
seek homes in other regions.
If we would invite immigration, we
must make our country attractive and
agreeable; we must beautify as well as
render productive our farms; we must
have orchards and vineyards, pastures
vi NAONCl sNllNR tls-o lil illt
summer; and of rye, wheat. barley,
and blue grass in the winter. Wemust
raise our own horses, mules, cattle and
hogs Let it be understood throughout
the North that grain can he grown as
successfully, and stock raised more pro-
fitably in the Southern than iii the
Northern States; and we. will then be
in no want of immigrants. Let them
know that we can have pastures during
the whole year for our horses and cat
tie, and that it requires much less pro-
vender to raise them in the South thar
in the North and we will do more to
invite immigration than can ever be
done by speaking Of the high price of
cotton. But q small portion of our
land can ever be planted in cotton pro-
fitably, for experience has shown, and
will continue to show, that whenever
and wherever large quantity of land
is planted in cotton, there viii always
be failure. Those who have planted
small crops on highly manured land,
and cultivated them well, are the only
ones that have made much money.
Since only small portion of the South
can be cultivated in corn and cotton, il
becomes a very important inquiry,
what can and ought to be done with
the remainder of the land. If the now
waste lands of the South were put into
orchards, vineyards, pastures and grain
tields-which would require compare
lively little manual labor-immigra
ton would begin to flow into the coIIn-
try, manufactures to increase, and
tide of wealth and prosperity to come
upon us, to which we are now strang-
ers.
The system Of cotton planting which
white men can engage in, that is, on
small farms, is the Gnly one that ever
will be profitable in the South. Bat
will that system ever be adopted whilst
the present notion of planting all the
land they possibly can in cotton, pre-
walls among planters and farmers?
The policy OF hiring labo-ers to work |
OH large plantations has tendency to |
discourage immigration. The men /
who come here desire to have farms of
their own, or wien they work as hired |
laborers they would prefer doing so on
small farms, on which the owners
themselves are laborers. If our large
could be divided into small /
farms, and either sold or leased on ia
vorabIe terms to immigrants, we be-
lieye many more of them would settle
among us and become permanent citi-
zens, adding political strength rs well
as wealth to the country Our land
owners would realize larger profits
than they now do by attempting to
keep up the old plantation system.
The advantages of that old system
have passed away, and the sooner we
abandon the system itself the quicker
will the country recover. When intel
igent farmers from the North or from
Europe settle in this country and get
whether as owners or en-
lnts, they will cultivate the land in
hat which will be the most remunera-
i've as vel! as the most applicable.
When men have large quantities of
and planted i'm cotton, they have no
ime to make any improvement in
heir lands, their stock or their houses.
Everything is devoted to this one crop, ,
which requires, the whole year, and :
else is neglected and goes to
uin. The country presents a desolate
ma worn Outappearance not at all in
1iting to Immigrants, who do not
know that it is not the fault of the I
country, but of q miserably defective
ystem.
Pulling fodder aid picking cotton are
lone during the m st unhealthy por-
ion of the year. Exposure to the hot
llns and morning dews tend to in- ,
,rease malari0us diseases, such as chills ,
md fever; not only 50, but this sick
lcss interiors very much with the gath
ring of cotton. The corn, grain and ,
lay crops may he sown and harvested
,efOre the sickly season commences,
md if small crops OF cotton were plant 3,
ID, they might be gathered with but lit
lie exposure. In this way the health
If the country would be materially inn .
proved.
Let Us wisely use the labor we now
lave in enriehing our soil, in supplying !
,ur immediate wants, in making our
elves independent and self-sustaining. l.,
md then we will he prosperous, even
0tthoW tDlDiigrdtiOiI, and we will also :,
We much more likely to invite it than !
Is things are now. Our remedy is
,reatly in our own hands. Have we
he wisdom and self-denial to furego ( ,
gain, or what we think i'm !
Mediate gain, for tie sake of future I !
,oOd?
One million of bales of cotton raised i
nd manufactured in the South, would /,
o more to increase its wealth aud DOW
r, than four millions of bales made
nd sent abroad to be manufactured in i
ther countries. III
Another difficulty in the way of i'm .
ligration is the fear on the part of inn e
Migrants that the South will be under :
egro rule. >
1t is not INV DrOyincp In inferfara X,,;ty Z