The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-11-04
OUR FRIENDS In AIKEN"
DENOUNCING THE DIRTY, LOW
DUTCH ELEMENT"
Distinguished Citizens of the State
Undertake to Influence the Elec-
fjOn-
{IbbeuiUe MeSsenge7'.)


We arose and began to talk railroad. To our aston
islment the proprietor took square Issue against It.
Some of our party walked up to the barber shop before
breakfast, and while there %inqnired. "How is this town
on the railroad 3" The barber, who was q negro. re-
piled: We'll, Boss, I'll just tell you how It Is; the
Dutch and the niggcrs are all against the road. and the
white people for it." Now, here you have the situa-
tiun about rs well rs It can DO told.
After breakfast We walked up town and struck the
Recorder office. Asking friend Dray ton how Ire stood
on the road, he replied: ell, my paper IS neutral"
In tho conversation. however, the fact developed TINT
he WAS n bitter opponent. We learned afterwards that
the Germans had stock in this newspaper, and threat
ened 10 withdraw and srt up q new paper If 1t did not
60 against the road. At the previous election the Re
cO1deT was q rcd hot railroad paper. 80 you may
scare the Dutch" one here.
We began to think about this time that we had got.
ten into the wrong pew. Going further up town, how.
ever, we fell into the hands Of our friends. who had
Just learned of our arrival and were on the way for us.
We were shown to Mr.. Alduck's office. and here met
Gov. Hagood, Senator Callison, OF EdgefIeld, Major
Lewis Jones and otner gentlemen who were deeply In
terested in the enterprise.
We now for the first time learned the true situation
Of things in Aiken. The opposition may he footed mp
thus: The Dutch element. which has the controlling
influence, financially, in town and arc always opposed
TO progress, is solid against the road. I'd. all the Oh.
~jcctions urged against tho enterprise In town were
mere local, such Us: 1.-THE road doesn't run where It
shonla; 1t ought tn have gone through Mr.. Jones land
and not by Mr.: Smith's" Another route wonld have
township oppused it because they thought the town
ought to build 1t.
We pity Aiken. As one Of the visitors said. who
cock in the pit" Heretofore we have not been able
to appreciate the condition Of our friends there who
have been laburtng SO zeal"usy. Now we are. This
dirty, low, Dutch element has complete control Of the
town of Aiken. They have nll the business houses
except one or two. They allow no American to come
In. They arise as one man and crush him ont. If
o cotton buyer comes in they pop cotton mp and
crush him. As tho thing now stands. Aiken, with
$500 inhabitants: has one cotton buyer, q Dutchman
named Haun. Huun is MS complete on autocrat Of
Aiken rs the Gar is of Russia. After the war he
was worth $40; now he is worth $151,000. and Is un-
scrupulous. When Haun takes snuff the Germans OF
Aiken snsczo, and they control the business. The
whole town Of Aiken is in the clutches of this Dutch
clement, and rs far ns prosperity Is concerned, she Is
IN the coils of u %golconda ~ that Is gradually sqlieez'
ing and sapping the life-blond. II ever o town need
ell q railroad 1t Is Aiken. We did not se q single
house being built.
However, We found our railroad friends working as
In " death ~tAroe,'and numbers OF them suftf that 1t
they lost they would emigrate. They bad posters
stuck up Of tho barbecue und speaking wednesday
and Wednesday night. An EXTRA, setting forth the
advantages of the road to the pince, was sent ont and
was well gotten up. The trouble WINS that tie ops
position would not meet the advocates Of the rund In
debate or attend the meetings nor allow any one they
controlled to g.. A few nights ~pFevions to the bar.
bccue q meeting WAS appointed, and tkey got up o ne
gro dance and general drunk in the adjoining building
to drown them ont.
FTOul OOU 10 ttU IclsuIle ultcNdeu tS ouI NM
the speaking, and near tho same number that night,
In the town ball. Gen. Hag00d, Senator Cullisun.
Prof. Hagood, George Bradley, EsI, Mr.: Jordan, 4.
5. Galloway, and S~inpkins. o color~d man from
Edgcfr;d, addressed these mpetings:' The enthusi-
asm was unboundcd and the cheering reminded one
OF &c. The railroad cause gradually strengthened up
until the polls closed Wednesday night. The friends
of the road in Aiken were condifdent they hal won
late that evening. They did carry Aiken, but not by
go strong q majority as to counterbalance The country
precincts. Neither side lett stone uaturned to car
ry the election. We have never seen 81 strong feel
ing existing among Citizens over civil elections:
They all say this is the hottest c%lcctiOnt that ever oc.
Cured in Aiken. 1t was stubburnly contested inch
by inch that day, to our knowledge. Bat 1.-THE long
est pnlc will knock down the p~ersimmons," and the
Dutch had the money and used 1t. X colOrcd man
told us that n German merchant offered him so for
his influence and s9S for his registration certificate.
There was plenty of liquor there that day. All these
things were factors In the election and used. Then
Mont MOrenci hoped II this election was defeated
she might get the road, and so h,r voting place Of
about ~ Votes went solidly against the r"ad.
These are the circumstances surrounding our friends
TT Aiken-a combination OF circumstances resulting
in the defeat of the road. TO show something OF the
spirit that exists there, the Dutch took away from or
INSURANCE agent that favored the road, Oh the day o.
the barbecue, $500 worth OF Insurance, and on al
their tenant s they proposed. to raise the rent 5000 pei
NINTH and close ont all their mortgages forthwith l.
they voted for the road.
Tie position taken by Senator Henderson against
the road was the greatest surprise to lis, as he Is {
gentleman OF culture anu lnlelcct. Dut j WHO e"H
that the Du Gu had him employed rs their counsel
and that he was the power behind the throne and ths
brains, the Dutch furnishing the money. Senator
Henderson is IN accomplished gentleman and hna
twice been invited to Due West to speak. We twitt
ed him with. trying to cut off CLOSER relations, when b
said that be would subscribe $500 to tho road, but op
posed the present tax. We do hope the Senator, nov
Tint the tax has failed, will make his word good
We have gone into particulars In the railroad cleo
ton ut Aiken because 1t has been so little understood
and 80 important. We only bav. this to say: If al
German c%infgrants are the clogs to progress that thi
Dutch element in Aiken is, when they have the MS
CO duncy, we pray to be delivered from them. Bee
md money seems to DO their goal. Think Of q MAJ
that can scarcely write his name having the cnntro
over a town like kiken. with its broad streets lO'
yards wide, NIL of them. its noted hotels, that accom-
MEDIATE 800 boarders eaeh, and its Northern truve'
MUnstr0usl
The railroad was defeated By 1913 votesin. the town
ship. Il. >. b.
Due West, s. G.