The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-10-09
WHAT THE SOUTH NEEDS.
"A Clear Statement of Our Wants an {
the Benefits of I'm migration.

WHAT THE SOUTH NEEDS.
A Clear Statement of Our Wants an d
the Benefits of migration.
At the Immigration meeting on
salesday at Yorkville the.following re-
marks were made by Mr.. Louis Sher-
fesee, in which the situation is pre-
sented with great force and clearness:
The country we live in is one of the
finest in the world. Our soil Is fertile
and our climate is perfect. Our people
are of the very best i; but the trouble
is, that they are too few. We have
more land than we need, or than we
can cultivate. We need more people
enegetic small farmers to take up our
our schools and other institutions, and
make our country more prosperous
generally.
The Northwest is filled with intelli-
gent, hard working well-to do-farmers,
who, after bitter experience, have
learned that that section is u poor
place to live. These farmers are
mostly from Europe. They came over
to this country from 10 to 20 years ago.
When they arrived at Castle Garden,
they were met by shrewd emigration
agents who poisoned their minds
against the South, and induced all who
grants, considering the disadvantages
of the country in which they settled,
have performed wonders but now, on
account of failure of the crops, drouth,
forest fires and the rigorous climate
that will permit only five work months
in year, they have commenced to
look for better locations. All they
want now is somebody to give them
satisfactory information as to the best
place to go.
These Northwestern farmers are
generally men of means. They had
means when they first came to New
York. 1t was because they had means
that the shrewd emigration agents
sent them to the West. They have
means yet, and are not only able to
pay their way and bring their families
into this section; but they are able to
buy lands and establish themselves
after they get here.
Now SUPPOSE we could bring into
this county from the Northwest LOCO
families, each having cash to the
amount of $1,000 That would mean
81 ,000,0 added to our circulation, and
oue-half of this sum expended in lands
for 1000 families, would make the re:
mainder of York county's land worth
more than all Of it was before the new
settlers arrived.
But this is not all. Look at Atlanta,
Asheville, Birmingham and Chatta-
pooga, and compare them with Char
lesion, Columbia, Savannah or Montgo-
merry for instance. The first named
cities have sprung UP since the war,
and outstripped tho others that haye
been founded more than hundred
years. And why? Simply because
the old cities have long since fallen
;,tp dam rnfS and Sattln6 wouo yl, lo
the new cites are made up Of cosmopo-
Titan populations, and stimulated with
constant additions OF 4eW hl9od, gro
always pushing onward and upward,
immigration would produce the same
effects on this section. One of the first
things the Northwesterners would
demand would be better roads; next
they would show our people how sue
cess lies in this diyersihcation OF crops,
and they would infuse new life into
everything.
Some people tell me that they favor
efforts to secure immigration ; but that
they arc opposed to the idea of bring
ing in Poles, Hungarians and Slavs.
Very we'll. Perhaps that is all right:
but you will agree with me when ! say
that the merchants all over the State
are constantly growing poorer in cash
and richer in lRnds. Whether they
are growing richer or not, they are
every year getting on hands more
lands. Within iivo or ten years at tho
outside these merchants can hold
these lands no longer. and they will be
forced to unload them cheap, rr."Hhably
to some Northern speculator. The
speculator will ccrGaidiy Aoy allow the
lands to remainidle and unproductive,
and he will probably settle them up
with Slavs, Poles and Hungarians-
the very class of people you don't
want. Ho will do it because the labor
Of these people is cheap, and he will
realize that even II he doesn't make,
he stands but little chance to lose.
In view of these facts, itseems to me
that it is high time for us to begin to
make q move. If we wait few years
longer we are in danger of having
forced upon us blass of people that
we do not want; whereas If we com
menco at once. we can have our picls
of the West. Not only that; we are
in the position OF the possible Northern
speculator. We have everything to
gain and nothing to lose. Our efforts,
oven il unsuccessful, can result in no
harm and if successful the immig=
rants we bring in will, by increasing
our values and diminishing our ex-
penses, do more for us than we will
ever have to do for them.