The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-01-16
For the anderson htelligencer.

Mr.. EDITOR: Laying it down as an axiom
IN political economy, that the basis of nations
prosperity is its agricultural advancement and
development, we shall proceed to enumerate
some of the difficulties that exist in our path
way as people. From the discussion already
had on the subject Of the fence law, we are dis
posed to think that, if submitted to vote of
the people, it will be generally adopted through
out the State Time alone can develop the
labor question, and believe the solution will
eventually be satisfactory
There Is one subject of vast Importance and
more nearly bearing upon the subject of agri-
cultural development than any other, and per-
haps more difficult of solution than either of
the others alluded to above, to wit The vast
amount of bottom land in the upper portion of
the State that have become waste and unculti-
vated for the lack of thorough drainage En-
some cases this lack of drainage Is caused by
the neglect of some landowners to ditch
through their bottom lands, thus causing an OBJ
struction of the bitches above. These difficult
ties may all be obviated by the provisions of
the ditching law of 1856. This law affords an
adequate remedy in all similar cases. and in the
opinion of some eminent legal men, would
reach much farther. But be that as it may,
the principal difficulty in the way of general
drainage of bottom lands, thus restoring to the
benefit of cultivation some of the most fertile
lands of the country, and, in the opinion of
medical men, improving materially the sanitary
condition of this portion of the State, is the
obstruction of mill dams. In many cases these
distractions cause the flooding of lands for miles
above, thus abstracting from the productive re-
sources some of the most valuable lands of our
country. Not only SO, but this condition of
things is seriously impairing the general health.
Bilious, remittent and intermittent fevers are
becoming quite common in neighborhoods for
merly exempt from this species of disease. And
in neighborhoods where this disease prevails to
the greatest extent, so far as my observation
extends, there are large bodies of undrained
bottom land, in the very condition to produce
this form of disease. Such being the facts up
on which any proposed remedy should be based,
it follows, as necessary consequence, that the
general drainage of these flooded lands is the
one thing needful, and the only remedy. How
is this to be accomplished, in cases where the
obstruction in the stream consists Of mill
dam, the owner of which property has acquired,
by long continuance. what is called in law q
prescriptive right without doing injustice to the
private rights involved? We propose in our
next communication to submit to the consider
alton of an enlightened public. what we con-
ceive to be just solution to this difficult ques-
ton. In bringing this subject to the attention
of a discerning community, it is far from our
intention to irritate of excite partizan feelings,
but rather to allay them.
A great deal has been said about the proprie-
ty of increasing our white population, by i'm
migration, as political necessity. This is all
right, but it is much more important to retain
our native born sons as citizens of the old
mother State. In either case, to offer sufficient
inducements of citizenship, it is necessary to
open up these fertile bottom lands to the skill
of the agricultural laborer, whether white or
DlaCK. WQcU LuG CulluEcu dSh IuCiI LOtuOi
State for bread she must not offer them stone.
The government of Scotland, one Of the oldest
and most reputable in Europe, has already
legislated on the subject, by providing for.the
removal of all distractions in the way of dams
across streams, to the thorough drainage of the
country, at the expense of the State, consider
ing that she is amply compensated for the out
lay by the agricultural development of the
country and its improved sanitary condition.
There is perhaps no State in the South SO
much in need of these fertile bottom lands for
cultivation as South Carolina. Her hill-sides
are SCARED and washed with gullies-their
natural fertility exhausted. We have no virgin
forest lands to resort TO, as the woodman's axe
has long ago cut down all that can be spared.
| If, in addition to these calamities, we must
also surrender thousands of acres of our fertile
bottom lands to frog ponds and malarous pools
and lakes, then is our condition most pitiable.
REFORM.