New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-12-17
WUlr SorrH c4RoLLNA NNEps.

A fortnight ago 4 meeting which IS de-
scIibed a. large and influential was
held in the BaInwell County Court
House. South Carolina, Tor the purpose
Of organizing a County immigration Bureau
"and Manufacturing Association" There
was the usual speaking, and The formal
deiverance of the meeting in preamble and
resolutions offered by William Gilmore Simms
set forth that, " Whereas II is vitality impor
'tant for the development of all paris OF
"South Carolina in all her interests
"to encourage the immigration Of new
settlers. for the purpose OF increasing
her population, industries and wealth, it Is
therefore resolved that the Legislature
." should establish Department Of AgTi-
"culture, Mining. Manufactures and In
Emigration, and take such other action
Gas viii enable the outside world 10 under
"stand rightly the advantages which the State
offers TO immigrants and capitalists"
1t is altogether n favorable symptom when
the ruling classes of South Carolina make an
omen declaration that an organic union with
the industrial activity and progress Of the "out
d" side world is necessary for the highest
development of State. and that tcudal Iso-
lation in this age means stagnaton and decay.
1t would be interesting to know, however,
whether these gentlemen imagined that
mere advertisement OF the natural
advantages of South Carolina would
suffice to allure colOnistS, fill up her waste
places and make them blossom az the rose.
The "outsdc world " is not ignorant of
the resources of the South, the productions
of its soil and climate and the richness of its
mineral deposits. And yet for years the en-
igration from Europe and from the Eastern
States has flowed in strong and
continuous ude toward the West, lcav-
ING the South hopeleSSly and helplessly
20 one side. Aud now, ia spite of all her nat
ural wealth, the very class upon which The
South depends and mss depended Tor IT'S
muscle is abandoning its home, and threatens
to leave the rice and cotton and sugar
fields untitled and dts0late. If The natural
advantages of the South do not avail of them
selves to keep her own population from ADAM
doning her, they will hardly suffice under the
same conditions to attract any Considerable
current Of settlers from abroad.
No further discipline of misfortune ought
to be needed to convince the South that there
is something beyond the fertility of the wheat
fields OF the West which Is 50 trlumphantly COM
netting with her own soil and climate for worthy
colonists Whenever men are convinced that
they can think and speak and act and vote in
South Carolina as freely as they can
IN Kansas, when they are assured of
social equality and cordial fellowship.
when there is a prospect of education
for their children and security in all their
political rights, that Commonwealth Will be-
come populous and prosperous. That now
there is stagnatiOn where there should be
healthy growth is simply the natural
retribution for violated law. which is none the
less memorable because it is unwiitien. Leg
islatiye statutes and Constitutional amend
ments may be for a srasOn success
fully evaded but crimes against society
and civilization will work their own pun
ishment at last. Social and political regenera-
ton Is what Barnwell County needs more than
it needs Bureaus of lmmigration.'