The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-01-19
A BLEsSIsG In DISGUISE.
Exodus Views OF Our Delegation In Con-
gross.

| DtEpdtch TO Chdrtestoii NetrS md Courier
| WASHINGTON, January I'm accor.
dance with your. telegraphic instructions
interviewed tonight each member OF
the South Carolina delegation, with the
exception of Representative Richardson
who had not arrived in the city. The
question asked was, what, in your
opinion, are the causes of the Edgefeld
Exodus, aud WHIT will be its effect ?"
SENATOR HAMPTON.
said: Il be- eve that the incentives to
the migration were chiefly the failure of
the crops, the glowing promises Of Yves.
tern welldoing held out TO the negroes
the passage of the Stock law, and politi.
cal restlessness. My information, how.
ever, indicates that the movement has
not been rs large us has been stated, and
tha: considerable proportion of the
emigrants have returned to their homes.
A similar movement threatened some of
the best counties of Alabama last year,
| but subsidized before there was great
| drain OF population. AS to the effect of
the Exodus, anticipate no serious con.
| sequences to the State. The places OF
| thcsa gone con be readily filed from
other sections of the State, and never
| should the emigration increase the incon-
ven!ence would be in great measure
temporary. The laborcrs who remain
VIII be more readily controlled, will
prove move efficient aud make more mon
ey. see no reason for apprehension,
| save OF temporary Inconvenience TO the
planting interests Immediately adjacent
to the depopulatcd section"
SENATOR BUTLER
UNA fnupd x,or,, l,,,,, o,I ....IJ
that the Exodus was due to three leading
causes: First, bad crops second, the
influence of sensational preachers among
the negroes, and third, the efforts OF
Western railroads to obtain settlers along
their lines. He thought that in the end
the State would be much benefited by
the movement for reasons which he would
| give me as soon rs he had time to state
them. He did not credit the theory
that ill.treatmcnt of the negroes by the
whites was any factor in the question.
REPRESENTATIVE AIKEN
had long been of opinion that the State
would be permanently benefited by the
wholesale departure of the negroes.
This movement would prove transitory
and resultless. but it would be better
were it otherwise. He considered that
the gaps left by the negroes would be
readily filled by white immigrants who
would furnish q safe and efficient class O
laborers, and that such nm exchange OF
citizens would be of infinite benefit to
South Carolina. The assurance of negro
competition kept white labor away and
prevented better methods of agriculture
There might be temporary lack of Ia
Dor. but the Inconvenience would not
prove permanent.
REPRESENTATIVE DIBBLE
said: ut will be the best lesson for the
| colored man that he can learn, for he
will find out that the white people among
whom he has lived and laborei for wears
are better friends than the strangers he
will meet abroad. To both white
and colored it will be beneficial in ma.
king each race more self-reliant. The
innate energy of the Caucasian will util-
| ize the resources now dormant, and
there will be less farming by proxy than
at present, while the colored man will
acquire more independence of character
| and broader views of men and things
There is no danger OF disaster to our re.
| sources nor that our fertile fields will be.
come deserts, but some political and
economic problems will be greatly sim.
plified. There may be few instances
of individual suffering, but to the State
on the one hand and to the emigratine
laborers on the other the ultimate results
will be salutary."
Neither Col. Aiken nor Mr.. Dibble
possessed personal knowledge of the
causes of the flight.
REPRESENTATIVE EvINs
| said: II believe the result will he en-
tirely good. Negro emigration is q go
luton of the problem with which South
Carolina is confronted. 1t would bt
mcst fortunate if the negroes could bt
dispersed throughout the country unit
they ceased to be political power. Thei
places will be filled by white emf
grants or by negroes from the up.coun
try. There is n tendency among the
negroes to gravitate towards the coast n.
there is one among the whites to monop
olize the up country. As to this particu
lar Exodus have no special knowledge
but in general such movements are du.
to the cbildlikc belief of the negroes in
an Eldorado somewhere on earth know
to their preachers and Offering milk ant
honey in exchange for simple idleness
l think that the whole thing is q scheme
to get laborcrs for the Georgia Pacifi
Road, and l doubt if they get beyond it
proposed line."
REPRESENTATIVE TILMAN
said: "The Western railroads are benin,
it all. They want cheap labor to built
some of them and to settle their land
donated 10 them by the government,
They will sell the negroes land on Ion,
time, but they will not allow them I,
| eventually own il The imprcran,ant
will be made, and then, some wears. ;
high price will be demanded which tn,
settler cannot pay. The railroad effort
constitute the prime cause of the Exodus
Beyond them are the short crops and
perhaps, the sensational clamor abou
the fence law. These two latter fact
prepared the negro to listen to the lie
and illrsiye promises of the railroad man
The roads bought up the negro preach
ers, the Inshnas of their rece, end .hn
effected their purpose. The Georgii
Pacific will get most of the laborers, bu
many of them will go to Kansas or Ar
kansas. The fence law and the Gro,
failure would not have moved them bu
for the inducements offered by the Yves
tern roads. met and talked with
good many at Augusta and Atlanta du
ring the height of the Exodus, and an
satisfied from personal observation tha
the number departing has been exagger
ated besides many are returning. Th
effect On the State will be admirable
A few white landowners will suffer tenn
porarily, but not many nor for long
The planters will be able to get all tn
laborers they desire within o few mile
of the deserted district. Ny township i
: EdPefield. Washipqton and Reec