The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-05-16
AUGUSTUS Big SHOW.
SHOULD OUR FARMERS BE EXHIBITORS
OR SPECTATORS
Importance to AbbeviIIe of the Au.
eusta Exposition.

Importance to AbbeviIIe of the Au.
gusta Exposition.
BY reference to the proceedings of the Far;
mers Club on Saleday-which we published
last week-it will be seen that 1t was deemed
of vast importance to us that Abbeville coun-
ty be we'll represented at the Augusta EXposi-
tion.
Mr.. Blake's speech especially urged the i'm
portance of the move. and he was heartily
seconded by Mr.. j. e. Bradley and others.
Mr.. DUP e's letter was suggestive on the same
line, and went further by proposing the most
acceptable plan of inducing Immigrants from
the West In preference to sending to Europe
for any spare population which that country
Of the suggestion about immigrants
we have nothing to say except in approval:
This, for two reasons: First, because we Will
get none under that plan, and second, If we
should happSn to get any hsy you'd De-
A great hurrah, and much talk about I'M
migration. like measles, break out semi-occa.
sionally, and so far as we know, has not yet
accomplished much one way or the other, and
we have no particular fears that the present
agitation will be fatal In many cases.
But we do not propose to discuss the imml-
grafton part OF, the programme. IL Is the
and the curiosity of the proposition that 1T is
Important that Abbevllle's minerals and
wood ought to be represented there.
wood worth talking about.
In the next place, it is infinitely better to
improve surrounding opportunities ourselves,
than to seek to induce foreigners to come here
and take possession OF me eonhtryii d yir,,,os, IN
q practical sort of q way. The idea that the
country can be built up by voting taxes to
railroads, By adopting high. sounding resolu-
money in cotton factories is delusion and a
snare. 1t accomplishes nothing, and our at
tention is diverted from our respective pur,
suits. What will it benefit US individually, II
strangers should come and possess themselves
Of the lands of our neighbors?
Can anything be more funny than TO near
the citizen, whose average wealth as rule
does not exceed hundred thousand dollars,
factories?
Is it not ludicrous to hear our citizens talk.
ing of bringing foreigners here to do the very
work which we ourselves are neglecting 70 40, @
might readily do.
Great stress is laid on gathering up of rare
specimens OF wood and mineral to be exhibit
ed at Augusta, when 1t is well known TACT
that we have no minerals or wood. AS we'll
hunt up all the old curious coins In the coun-
ty to show the kind OF currency we have here
-one act would be no more ludicrous than
Why dig after minerals which can't be
found? Why advertise wood which we havn't
If our much respected friend Mr.. Blake,
who halls from perhaps the most enterprising
and thrifty town In all South Carolina, should
wish to build a kitchen chimney. wouldn't he
get the brick from the State of Georgia, and
The city Of BE MseqRarel ifieaq dho
build plank or picket fence around his front
yard, wouldn't he send to the State Of Geor,
gia for the wood? What say you, friend ana
neIghbor? Guilty or not guilty? 70 csoro,o
for plank. We havnt any wood here, except
a few relics which we keep for exhibition at
National Expositions.
water, old field pines, and unutilized elbow
grease abound in and around Greenwood In
sufficient quantities to make brick enough TO
build Chinese wall around the city? II SO,
because we don't make the proper effort to de.
velope our own resources?
Abbevile. the place where this Exposition
meeting and immigration movement mas had
such a ,rousification. Is not far behind Gresno en-
have at Abbeville the flEest brick clay In the
world-no doubt of that. We have good wa
ter running by the village every dayInobody
enough for any use-we can prove this, TOO.
We have plenty Of voters who are willing to
work by the day for small consideration IN
ready cash but for all this, we have not had
enough brick In this town for twenty years In
that time we have had lomfoolery, public
speaking, and personal feeling against those
Of our Citizens who didn't get delirious over
air castles and imaginary factories and VISION
AIRY railroads which will never be built. The e
the chimney of factory or to build the depot
Of a railroad. The work OF building
houses Is delayed constantly for the want OF
in finishing a $4,000 church. We sent to
Greenville for brick. They were not satisfac.
tory In quality, and, we believe, some Of them
we're reshipped to the starting point. Then
houses commenced. The church had to be
finished. Spring was coming. on, and we
could spare the chimneys, and the flowers
wouldn't freeze.
oring for cotton factory, when we dldn't
have brick yards-a brick yard, mind you,
fully equipped needn't cost SIS. 1t needs
scraping of little, and s. for molds would
set man up In business-the water, clay an q
timber lies around loose.
II it were not impertinent, we would men
ton that some Of the members OF the farmers
club are doing something toward blazing out
try. But others working in that way only to
y very limited degree. Passing resolutions
doesn't count. All farmers we believe, have
not barley patch. We venture to say that
this county, 1t is estimated, bought this
spring one thousand mules and horses which
were raised outside the State, Is there any
reason why we can't raise mule? If we can
When the GreenvilIe and Columbia Rail-
road was being built it was urged that the
cost would be returned by the transportation
Of our corn and wheat 70 market: has has any any,
since the war?
Pastures are small and almost worthless,
while thousands of acres OF grass are annual
Very few of our farmers have q
stand Of bees. 1t Is useless to say that honey
Is not only luxury, but q most heathfui
food, especially for persons Of weak lungs and
debiitated constitution. Besides this, honey
has market value every day in the year.
AS rivers come from springs, so great wealth
comes from small beginnings. If we send to
Augusta for our bricks, If we send to Indiana,
Kentucky and Tennessee for our mules, II we
drain the Western markets OF their corn,
-four and bacon, Is 1t strange that we are poor,
and willing to hold idle and meaningless
meetings to adopt buncomb resolutions?
If Abbeville county has any exhibit Mt the
NationaI Exposition in Augusta, let it be moi
specimens of our minerals of which we have
so little; let 1t not be blocks OF our wood, Of
which we have rot enough to build plank
fence to the confines of the Nation, on Little
River, in Abbeville county. But let us send
to the Exposition samples of our crops, speci-
mems Of our cattle, horses. and mules. Let
that exhibit from Abbeville county not
be any Of those wonderful paints and pot
terry dusts, which may be sometimes dug out
Of the earth hereabout, but let 1t be Ineas-
ure Of genuine clay-"a specimen brick" that
we can make. We have the best brick clay, In
the world. We have excellent pine timber
for burning the moulded clay, and anybody
who can rent a claybed, and raise q capital
stock Of s25 can go into a most profitable bust
ness in Abbeville county,
Now, let us reflect upon the evil conse-
quences that have followed to those Of our
citizens who took an active part In our own
County Fairs in former years? Without re-
flection, the reader, no doubt would natural.
ly set down the distinguished premi um.
takers as the leaders and successful men In
all the agricultural and mechanical pursuits
But little thought will convince the reader
that not single instance Of marked prosper.
ity is to he found among those who took most
Of the premiums. We do not pretend to say