The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-12-13
from the Rural Carolinian.1
Immigration.

SltS Oh lnLiUtluClLS IIlo WI oC'tS q
class of industrious, economical far
mers, who might become possessors OF
W. soil and rear up in our midst Il
new generation that would, in a few
short wears, make this lovely country
the land it should be. But we have
never had corporation amongst
those who own the soil, and when i'll
dividuals have been applied to sci!
their property, almost invariably too
large a price has been demanded, and
thus me of humble means, VIII"
would have come, have by our folly
been driven from us.
If we intend to induce immigration
of a character that would he congenial
to the existing population, we must
! not only make known our advantages
but we must cOnvincr the Immigrant
that here rather than farther west, he
can ret full value received for his ill
vestment. Our climate, and soil, and
society, and schools and churches, and
and railroads, and all the other innu-
meraole advantages that our State pos
se,ses, Will avail US nothing, it we de-
| mand of the immigrant more money
for lands than he is compelled to pay
elsewhere. Pioneers say, if the soil is
rich and the climate suits us, we can
build up society, and our families
growing up with it, we establish u
%congeniality more easily than we can
in a country already welded to its
habits and customs, and social prcju-
dices. Hence the greater the neoessi-
ty for our presenting to them the ma
terial advantage Of cheap lands.
Our lands are cheap and always were
held at too low u figure even before the
war. But now when we are indeed
land poor, we should reduce the price
Il little more, even though it he low al
ready, for the object is not to get rid Of
the lands, but to get them settled by 4
class of men that will redeem the State
agriculturally as well as otherwise,
and make our waste places blossom as
the rose. There are thousands Of acres
of good land to-day in South Carolina
that are not paying their owners one
per cent. Indeed, some do no pay
the taxes. Infinitely better off would
those owners be if they would give to
bonu Ade settlers one-half, if they
would pay the taxes on the other half.
Many,eHoIts have been made siuce
1868 to introduce Il new class of labor
ers into South Carolina. Because of
the quality OF most of those introdu-
ccd by those who began these enter
priSes, the ohorls have not been gen
orally successful, and their failure
surprised nobody. We have ever adj
vocated the importation of immigrants
but we never did and eve will ndvo-
cate the introduction of n ace Of peo-
pie who aspire no higher than TO sup
plant the negro. As farm lalurcr,
our opinion is the negro cannot he ex-
celIed, and while we cane employ him,
we don't want amy other kind. But a.
4 real estate owner, the negro is 81 dead
failure. He is, rs Il being, thri(tless,
e~Xtravayant and anti-progressive.
! Where one can be found that will i'm
, prove n tract of land or Il homestead
after he gets possession of it, thousands
will he seen allowing everything
around them to 60 to pieces. AT pres
cnt they need counsellcrs and dircc-
tors. What they will he fifty years
hence we do not propose to stay here
10 see, but we can easily anticipate if
the tide Of immigration is v e turned
Southwark. But in making All effort
to turn this tide, we are convinced we
should attempt to induce men to come
first who can buy lands. and not those
who are dependent upon their own
daily labor for u support.
Hence we urge our landed pr0pric-
tors to correspond with Messrs. Cor
bett e. Smith, and make an effort, in
the right direction, at once to rcjuven-
ate the land.
CHICAGO, September 90, 1875.
D. Wyatt aiken, Esq.,, C0kcsJWy, s. G.
DEAR SIR: We believe you are an
advocate Of the policy of inducing i'm
migration to the South to settle up
her large tracts of surplus land. Our
firm has established an agency for the
purpose of dealing exclusively in
Southern lands, and hope to direct a
portion Of the large tide that is ~inclin-
ell westward, to the Gulf States.
There never wa a year when so many
were going to the far west as during
this season. Much of this call he d.
verted. if The vastly superior advanta-
| gcs offered by the South in the way Of
cheap and fertile lands varied and
profitable products, genial and health
full climate, adjacency to markets. etc,
ETC., can be made known to those
seeking new homes. We propose pub
fishing within s short time, a monthly
paper in the interests of our agency,
that will assist us in bringing these
great inducements before the public.
Our facilities for building up n promi-
nent agency are particularly good.
Mr.. Corbett has Il very large ucquaint-
ance among the farmers, frnit-growerS.
and Others in the Northwest, as he has
and Still remains, editor of the Prairie
| Farmer the oldest and most largely
circulated agricultural journal in the
West. Mr.. Smith is Il Southern MAJ
aud hasa full knowledge Of the rich
also has had Il long experience in the
management of real estate business.
We Judge from the tone of your most
excellent publication, the 'Rurdl Car-
oliaian," that you take deep interest
in the progress of your State and the
South generally, and hence Thoughts:
we would write you to ask what effort
il being made in the way of pamphlets
and other publications, to set forth the
advantages and resources OF SOuil,
Carolina and induce new settlers TO
com,,in? Arkansas. Louisiana, Texas
| Florida, and some other States. az,
making strong and successful efforts
in behalf Of their interests, and from
our observation we fear that your State
is hardly doing herSl If justice in this
respect. With all her attractions, she
should be making much progress, al
though the misrule of n miserable
class of politicians md hlondsuckr rs
have doubtless retarded her. IF you
will call the attention Of any of the
I]anGho!irrs of your acquaintance
who may wish to dispose of property
to our agency, you will confer an nlr
preciated favor. Hoping to hear from
YOU as to the outlook and feeling %:
your citizens in regard to imniigra.
ton, we remain very respectful,
y0urs,
CORBETT, SMITH & CO.
A CARD FROM GENERAL IlAMP-
TON.
HI PrOnonnccs "A Statement of Cham.