The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-07-11

little homes have been rebuilt, or re-
paired and are occupied Over 24s
miles of bitches have been made. re-
claiming apd improving many thous'
ands of acres Of land nearly five tons
of garden seeds, producing all varieties
of vegetables in their well-fenced gar
dens Of from quarter Of an acre p one
acre and more for each family. With
500 bushels Of peas aud beans have
been provided. These seeds have been
distributed on the islands and to every
applicant from the mainland; 1000
bushels of Irish potato seed. 400 bushels
of which went to the mainland; /; 1880
bushels of seed corn. 500 Of this distri.
bu.ed on the mainland Those provis-
ions. with revival of the phosphate
industries, the fish in the rivers aud
their boats in repair, have served to
make the 10000 sea islanders, whom
We were asked to take charge Of nine
months ago. prosperous and self help
ing people They know this and real
IL. that they can take care of them
selves. and We can but regard any at
tempt at throwing them again upon the
charities of the outside world as de-
moralizing.; misleading and fatal to
them. as . self-supporting and iodepen-
dent class Of industrisl people. aud a
matter which should concern the State
whose wards they are
It was under this conviction that [
passed to your correspondent the petit
ton which | observed be has published,
copies Of which had been sent to. me by
persons who refused to sign it. for the
reason above named. as harmful to them
aud unjust to others. The charge
proper of the Red Gross is given mp,
only when the people of the Islands aud
the right aud wholesome spirit Of self
help considered that they we're ready
and able to care for themselves and
generally offered to share their scanty
rations with the less fortunate on the
mainland | hope never TO forget the
tender tone Of these plying voices, as
with generosity worthy the highest
type of Christian benevolence, they
repeatedly rang out; '.Ob, glib it to
dem, ives can get along with little
less
The so named mainland is another
matter. aud one with which We have
legitimately nothing to do, aud fail to
see how it has, or has had. legitimately
anything to-do With Us The odd bits
Of painful relief which have been drained
from US from time to time have not pro-
perly served it. Among the small
farmeraaud rice growers there must be
people siifl 10 the need of help; not
only the negro who through all the
generations Of serving, and your pater-
nsiscsre for him. cliugs to you with a
tender solicitude which you cannot
throw of, and would not If you, could,
but your own race and color as WELL
People Of South Carolina !! Let me
for once put by all official relations
which l may hold to any organization.
forget relief, forget everything but the
simple individual fact that We are peo-
pie of one common country, which
should be the grandest in the world,
and which rests with us alone to make
it so Remem bering that I know no
section. that in the labors that have
come to me, the nations of the world
and their strange tongues have become
my Own, that for thirty-6ve years I
have known no home in this country,
but its capital, which our 65.000,000
may all claim as home. that all States
are alike to me, that the glory aud
good name Of one is to me the glory Of
all, that the neglect of duty III one.
its failure to reach the high water mark
of action, either individual or general,
is to me the failure of all; in this liz ght
let me, pray you, 0rotners and sisters
of South Carolina, speak this little word
Of caution, and pray this little prayer of
love and devotion before leave you
I realize the throes Of internal dissea-
sion which are rocking you from Gen.
tre to circumference. | deprecate this
as you do. I see how impossible it
will seem to you to take note of any
lesser matter till this seethiug, bubb'ing
pot Of political discord is still; and yet.
brothers and sisters, it will be for your
credit that you turn a single glance at
this little strip Of misery. degradation
aud want hedging you like a sea wall,
and take some concerted and elevated
step to wipe the spot out. Don't let
politics touch it, they have had enough
to do with it already, but give the reius
of thought and action for one day q
little Humanitarian effort, State and
National responsibility, nay, pride if
you will, and the thing will be done.
Surely South Carolina don't want to see
her name oo ont on the beppars' role