The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-08-30
Wednesday, Aug. 80, 1899.
Gen. Buffers Letter.

Wednesday, Aug. ~, 1897.
Gen. Buffers Letter.
Mr.. Wyatt Aiken requests US to publish the
letter, which he has received from General
Butler.
The Generals idea OF deporting the negro Is
about as practicable as would be an effort 10
remove the sands Of the seashore, ana the
removal of the negro from this country Will
be accomplished about the same time tnat
the sands which are washed by the Atlantic
is exhausted In the erection OF forts, churches,
public buildings, and private dwellings,
When the supply OF sand for such purposes Is
exhausted the negro may disappear from the
land.
The practical question of the day is. how
NAV the white man find more profitable en-
ployment than Is now to be had on the farm.
The low price Of cotton and the high rent
of land, combined with the high prices
charged for supplies on lien make 1t almost
impossible for white families to exist on the
farm, Because Of the discouraging condi-
tions on the farm, hundreds OF white families
are seeking employment at the different COT
ton mills.
It would seem to us, writing from prscti-
cal standpoint, that the solution OF tnis
question largely depends upon the develop
ment OF the manufacturing industries. TO
the average renter the cotton mills AFFORD
much better, or more profitable, employment
than can be found on the farm. This fact Is
attested by the great numbers OF families
that are leaving the fields and going to the
mills-with very seldom an instance OF men
leaving the mills for the farms.
When the public mind is cleared Of its pre-
judice against corporations greater number
Of factories will be built, and multitude
OF white people will find better employment
than they now have.
The tendency OF the white people Is to the
abandonment OF agriculture for other employ
ment, and 1t seems TO us that 1t is only
question Of time when the labor OF the coun-
tryswin be divided-the black man growing
the cotton, and the white man manufacture.
ing 1t.
Cotton mills cannot be built except by cor
porations, or the united effort Of individuals.
and as cotton mills give employment to labor
OF all sorts from the little boy or girl to the
full grown man or woman, the greatest en-.
couragement should be given to the organiza.
tlon Of such industries. Such industries ben
eft all. The mill operative and the stock
holder Is alike benefited. Neighboring
farmers find ready sale for all their products.
and business men in the community have q
better trade. When q man leaves the field
the cotton production is certainly lessened to
the extent Of his labor, ard Dy his services In
io tno tr, ua1na A
manufactured bale Of fcotton-instead OF being
worth s25 as 1t is brought to market--will
bring from $50 to SIS. The increase In the
price OF the raw cotton to the manufactured
product is Just that much gain to the com.
munity-the profit being divided among indi'
viduals.
The wealth Of this State consists in its
labor and the productiveness Of its soil. We
have labor enough to grow the cotton and we
have labor enough to weave 1t into cloth.
It will be long time from now when Gem
eral Butler can persuade this people that
larger area of waste land would be more
profitable than the cultivated fields from
which q rent is received that few white
men could pay. We have vast stretches OF
waste land in Abbeville county. Although
the productiveness Of our land is greater
than lands In Anderson, yet the price Of our
lands will average but little more than one
third OF the Anderson lands.
We know the sterotyped answer which Is
nearly always given as a cause for this differ.
ence In price, but that cause may be found
more In the number OF the farmers than In
the color Of their skin.
Instead OF worrying ourselves about the
negro-his welfare, his presence. or his ab-
sence-we may find enough to do in looking
after our own best interests.
IF WHITE PEOPLE ARE DEPoRTRD EVIL
CONSEQUENCES MIGHT FOLLOW.
1t might be ludicrous II the 100000 negroes
OF this State should assemble and adopt reso-
lutions declaring their 4O0 900 white neighbors
nuisances, and then proceed to deport them.
We hope the negroes may not do this. II the
white people should be sent to Kansas or
Nebraska the free silver cause and Organism
would suffer in the South, to say nothing Of
the individual hardship such course would
impose.
II the Democratic party should be deported
serious consequences might result. Tillman
might lose bis seat In the Senate, and his old
PlLCA lOIA h0lkuL ou0 UOuo away
Charleston might take charge Of the govern
ment OF the State and wipe out the dispen.
ssry. With Democrats deported to Nebraska,
ana with the dispensary gone, South Caro-
lima aud free silver would be in q bad way.
II the negroes should ask Congress for an
appropriation, urging their claims as being
superior to ours because OF our fewer num-
bers and the consequent great saving In the
cost Of transporting 100000 white men, as
compared to the great expense Of deporting
100000 negroes there is no telling what an
economical Republican Congress might do.
It is earnestly hoped that the negroes may
not deport their white neighbors. II they
should succeed in destroying the free silver
party and in putting the country In the hands
OF the city OF Charleston the dispen sary and
Tillman will be gone. The last chapter in the
glorious history OF South Carolina will be
finished, and the State might be left In the
hands Of the Prohibitionists. the license men,
and the foreign born barkeepers OF Charles
ton.
The statement has been made that the
South was chained to the Democratic chariot
m 1lol IN 10