The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1873-01-29

three hundred and fifty immigrants,
of whom but twenty-ninc entered
this State viz: Ole from Ireland, three
from England, and twenty-five from
Germany. The immense living wave
in great part rolled on westward.
Yet there is no State in the Union
that offers greater natural attractions
to the agricultural immigrant than
ours.
Situated between the 35th and 32d
parallels of north latitude, and be-
tween the 10th and SD mcridians of
longitude west from Greenwich, it
lies along the isorthermal belt or line
Of equal temperature, deemed the
most favorable for the ngthcning of
human life. 1t is adjacent to the
same parallel of latitude with South
ern France, Italy and Spain, and has
all the advantages of climate which
they possess.
The fruits Of the tropic and tenn
perate zones. and all the cereals
known to commerce. find here con-
genial cline, while the yellow pine,
cedar, the red and white oak, the
hickory and the walnut are among
our forest trees.
Our soil will compare favorably
with that Of most Of our sister States,
and our seasons are as regular, and
they are SO tempered that mechanical
and agricultural labors may he pros
ccuted throughout the entire year
Our climate, too, exceeds in health
fulncss that of many of the northern
tier Of States In proof of this, l
refer to the fact shown in the mortal
ity tables Of the eighth census Of the
United States for the decade ending
June l. lSG0-that the number Of
deaths in Massachusetts was one in
tifty-scven, while in South Carolina
the rate was ono in seventy-one, the
per centage in the former State having
been 1.76, and in this l.41. .....
We have, in round numbers, four
teen millions ofacres Of arabic land,
and less than one-third in cultivation;
the total quantity Of lands in this
State ip improved farms being about
four millions Of: acres, two thirds Of
the arabic land lying fallow. "
Our taxes have never been, nor are
thoy now, cXorbitant.
Taxation in the State for the past
four years has not averaged even nine
mills on the dollarfor State and county
purposes, and thotaXes for the pres
ent year, amounting, for all purposes
in the State and county, to fifteen
mills on the dollar, arc actually far
below that figure, in view Of the
great under-va!uaion Of property of
all classes, not inEthe assessment in
all cases, but in ths estimate on which
the rate Of taxation is based.
For instance, tho average price Of
farming lands is abont six dollars per
acre, while the same lands arc valued
for taxation at only one dollar and
fifty cents per acre. |
We have also adopted the admira-
bic New EnglandS system Of free
schools literally endowed with am
pc appropriations, Which hcnceforth
will not fail Of application to their
vital and sacred oIjet. In addition
to all these manifest advantages OF
soil and climate, there are scyara!
railroads ;raversing d large section OF
the State, connecting with lines run
ming North, making markets Of easy
access, and we have ! liberal home
stead law, which axempts fifteen
hundred dollars worth OF real and
personal property from execution and
sale for debt, and Imprisonment for
debt has been abolished
In view, therefore, If tho pressing
Of inviting Immigrants to
our State, and to the end that it may
be fostercd and encouraged, l recon-
mend the enactment Of law provi-
ding that all persons wlo immigratc
to this State prior to tho first day Of
March, 1875, and ongagein the cult
vation of the soil, shall receive from
the State Treasury bonus in money
equal in amount to tlb State and
county taxes assessed upon their cul-
tivated lands aud farm buildings !;
such bonus TO be paid annually, and
to be Continued for two years after
the cultivation Of such lands shall
have been commenced. r
The plan | propose contcmplates
the setting in motion q current Of
domestic immigrants from the North
ern States of the Union 10 our own
State. AS much to be desired as is an
immigration into our borders by the
hardy yeomanry and sliillful farm
of Europe, we have no
agencies at our disposa! by which we
can hope to turn the stream Of for
eign immigration from the new States
of the West, into which it is steadily
flowing. 1t is practicable, however,
to secure large acccssions to pur rural
from our sister States OF
the North. which have fewer natural
advantages than ours for agriculture,
and nave u population which is fast
becoming extremely dense in propor-
ton 10 their areas.
In illustration of this fact Irefcr to
the census Of the United States, OF
1870, which gives the population of
Connecticut at five hundred and
thirty-seven thou and four hundred
and tfty-four that of Massachusetts,
at one million four hundred AMI fifty
seven thousand three hundrM and
6fty-one, and that Of Pennsylvania at
three million five hundred and twenty
one thousand seven hundred and
ninety-one. Dividing the number Of