Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1889-10-10
said Governor Manning in substanof

construction, with their attendant
anarchy, misrule, profligacy and gon-
eral Generalization, il was a most
serious problem, upon the right So
luton of which depended the vel
fare, not only of the South, but Of
the nation. Whether they wished
or not, the Southern whites were
compelled to solve itas best they
could. They would have been un-
true tn themselves, unworthy of
American heritage, haaSthey tamely
submitted to the rulelof that igno.
rance and profligacy which had been
forced upon them. 1t was not alone
financial ruin that confronted them,
but something far worse. Their ia
miles were not safe from pollution.
Plundor of the State led to robbery
of the citizen. The white man had
no rights that the ribald Grew which
controlled South Carolina felt bound
to respect. The protligacy of lead
ers extended to the ignorant masses.
There are no more trustworthy and
respectable people in the South than
the old family servants. They are
loved and trusted by all who know
them. But the masses are ignorant
and easily duped. When taught
that freedom meant idleness and
plunder of the whites they were
willing pupils. Their fear and their
passions We're skillfuily aroused by
those whose selfish ends they served.
When military surveillance was re-
moved the conditions changed for
the worse. The army had been, to
considerable extent, protection to
the whites as we'll as to the blacks.
1t was the only real conservator of
law and order in existence. 1t had
not been long withdrawn when it be-
came evident that the whites must
either organize for self-protcction or
else must abandon the State to its
fate. There was no alternative.
Some Of the methods employed can
not be defended exception the ground
that necessity knows n6 law But
action was taken and "a end was
accomplished.
"The salvation of AtEa State. MAS
the salvation of the freedman also.
let those who doubt it visit South
Carolina and candidly compare the
the present condition of the negroes
with what it was from 1867 to 1876.
DO not ask the whites, but (avoid-
ing the professional politicians) go
among the Industrious blacks in the
villages, and on the plantations. Sc
lect tho thrifty and sclf-rcspecting,
who are to be found everywhere Tex
cept possibly on the sea islands) and
but one answer will he given. All
will testify to their growing prospe-
rity, and to their peaceful and con-
tented lives. They will show that
the so-callcd race problem is fast set
Ting itself, and that time, educa-
ton and religious influences will
soon ohIitcrate it altogether, if poll
tical demagogues and sensational
writer's but let it alone.
"The industrial progress of the
South is attracting attention every
where, and it merits it. Its steady
progress is filing the minds of it's
adults and youth with new ideas
and ambitions. The South has
ceased to be a purely agricultural
region. Mills and factories of many
kinds are employing thousands of ne
groes who were once field hands,
and other thousands of poor whites
for whom in former days there were
few chances to earn wages. The
curse was removed from, labor when
slavery was abolished. 1t is no
longer a disgrace to work for live
lihood at any handicraft This
change has brought with it another
equally significant. The South opens
wide its doors ana cordially invites
Northern citizens to come and live
here. We, want small farmers to
buy and till our rioh lands. We
want skilled citizens to carry on such
small shops as abound in the North.
Mon have to send twenty miles in
some parts of South Carolina to get
linch-pin, if one gets lost or brok-
en-. Great plantations are no longer
profitable possessions. The day for
small farms and minor Industries has
come. Capital also is needed. There
are ample opportunities for its en-
ployment. In South Carolina is the
Santee swamp, three hundred miles
long and from three to scven miles
wide. On both sides are the lofty
Santce hills where fruits, vegetables