Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-05-08
Manufacturing industries and
the Negro Problem,
Interview With Hon. J. H. ManIey Oh
His Late Trip.
- n
Beauties Of Charleston. S. c., and suround;oo
Points Of Interest.

MY trip was purely one of pleasure
and observation. ] went over vir-,
ginia, North and South Carolina visit
ing the various sections of the several
states. l was deeply impressed win
the great progress being made in tho
South in every way. Prosperity is
visiting that portion OF our country nc
ii is every other section. In the tobac-
co growing portions of those states. in
the cotton belts and in the lumber dis
tricts the activity IS seen upon every
hand. | visited at Columbia n new
COTTON mill Just erected-one of the
flnest in the country and the largest in
TIE entire South. 1t is to be run by
electrical power. and | have no uucs
ticn ras a good future. New England
need not be disturbed about the cotton
manufacturing industry III the South.
On ccarser goods they can compete
with New England, but on finer goods
1t Will be many years before they will
be abb" to successfully do it, The great
diificulty is i'll labor. Tho labor of the
negro is not Yet educated to the stand
ard required for manufacturing and
mechanical work. They are much bet
derstand more thoroughly agricultural
work, although they learn readily.
They have been trained at Somcrville.
South Carolina, to become expert tea
pickers, and this reminds me that at
SomcrVille, 20 miles above Charleston
Is the only tea farm in this country. IL
is being run successfully and profit
ably and the experiment will be tried
on larger scale in certain locations
in the South.
Il spent more time in Charleston
than in any other one place in the
South, ana | was deeply impressed
with the city. 1t is a magnificent resi-
dental place, almost an island with
two rivers, the Ashley and the Cooper
one upon each side. both navigable for
many miles in the interior. and by
their junction forming the harbor
which presents to view the historic
forts, Moultrie Of Revolutionary. and
Sumter of Civil War fame This city
is full. of historic interest. being one of
our oldest settlements, inhabited by
an aristocratic class of people of great
family pride, fun of public spirit and
devoted to charitable and philanthro-
pic purposes. Charleston has, of
course. lost its commercial Importance.
which is due to the railroads favoring
other ports. but ii has such maSnifi-
cent advantages time will restore to it
its commercial importance on the
south Atlantic coast.
Many of the private residences are
very old. from $50 to 200 years. They
are beautiful types of the pure old
Colonial: and st. Michaers church is
one of the most beautiful edifices in
the United States. 1t was copied from
church in England designed by Sir
Christopher Wren.
I'm Charleston there still exists and
is maintained an old HuGenot church
the only one on this continent; and the
descendants OF the Hugenots still wor-
ship there.
There is also seen the statue of
William Pitt, erected prior to the
Revolution. and the monument to the
memory of John c. Calhoun, who is
buried in the cemetery of st. Philips
church.
Strange to say, South Carolina has
done more toward the education of the
Negro than any other Southern state.
In Charleston they have for the Negro
fine public schools. hospital. a home
for the aged. and they are cared for
and locked after by the white people
who feel toward them kindly. and who
thoroughly believe that their cduca-
ton should be along industrial lines in
stead of literary. and in this l think
they are right. They are only carry
ing out the idea of BoOkcr Washington.
who is the most learned. wonderful and
practical man the colOred race has
ever produced in this country. 1t takes
a long time to overcome sentiment and
prejudice. and the Negro must work
his way to the front slowly. Let him
do il along industrial lines. Let him
show his worth and let him prove to
others that he is needed for their sue
cess. then all thingsselse will follow.
As a banking center Charleston occu-
pies Il prominent position in the South.
''The old residents of Charleston ar"
an educated. cultivated race. with
great pride of ancestry. devoted to
their city, full of public spirit and en-
terprise, charitable and hospitable to
the extreme 1t was with some degree
-
leading citizen was Mr.. George w. Will
Hams. who is known to many of the
Older citizens of Augusta. He is one of
the Wealthiest men in the South. spend
ing his time between the great chart
ties of the city and in the banking
business at the age of 81 years. He
was a cousin of the late Reuel and the
late Daniel Williams of this city. His
ia .her went South from eastern Massa-
chusctt, to Georgia when his brother
came to Maine. Born and reared in
the South. having spent his life there.
where he has made IA large fortune.
surrounded by children and grand
children many of whom have been in
the North, he is living an honorable,
1iseful and ideal life. While he took
an active part in the late Civil contest
on the Confederate side. he is nov a
strong Union man: great lover of his
country, aiding and helping to press it
into the fore rank among the nations
of the earth. 1t is delightful to see this
gentleman in his old age. in full pos
session of his faculties. physical and
mental. dividing his time between his
business and great philanthropic OBJ
jects.
"Char!eston is most charming city.
Jts suburbs are delightful. 1t is land
If flowers and it is the Sunny South"
tie palmetto. it's magnolia. its forests
NJ camelias and aZaleas of every va
rietv. it's glorious live oaks. it's roses