The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-11-04
Ill. !llIEss0A
TkLEs IlIIaIlGRAT ATloh.
Suggestions for the Meetings.
81 so per annun-in advance.
aDvsar1s EaBRf:

Suggestions for the Meetings.
3 no the Editor Of The State.
again ask the use OF your columns
10 refer to some matters connected
with the subject of immigration, TO
which referred In a communication
q to your widely read Journal some tame
Ago.
In the first place I wish to express
TIE deep qualification, not so much
personally, but as a citizen having at
heart the present and future welfare
of the State, and as a devoted lover
of The farm, for the widespread inter
est the subject OF my former. r.commuics-
gion has awakened. ] have received a
large number Of letters. all OF which
indicate an earnest and most of them
Intelligent desire to enter upon and
push this movement to successful
completion. And permit just here,
parentheticaLy to acknowldge the re-
ceipt OF these letters, and to say to the
writer's that failure to reply personally
is due 80 no want of appreciation Oh
tae words OF encouragement and the.
sensible suggestions they contain bu5
to the fact that have not had the
opportunity, my time being otherwise
SO competely occupied.
In submitting few suggestions In
reference Go the meetings, county and
State, to be Eeid / viii Say by way of
rre eliminary, that do so only because
Scf deep and abiding interest in tie
moYsment, and not with any desire CT
intention to dictate. It is not my ma
ture to arrogate 10 myself any superi-
orisy over my falloW-farmers; am
but hcrnY-handed son of toll. - =
more accustomed % directing the plow
and hoe than to handle the pen or
pencil far more content TO follow than
) 10 lead, and j am open to conviction
TO any better plan CT arrangement
than that heretofore suggested. To ac-.
scompiish the purpose is the great de-
ssideratum; the mode and means, ii
honest and honorable, are Of little I'M
portauce
In the first place, it seems advias he
! I'd me to hold the county and State
meetings at the times first suggested.
tie former on salesday and the latter
on the 10th of Observation-Disclosures than
that the county meetings be-he2d some
time IN October and the State CONVEX
ton during the State fair, as has been
suggested by some of my correspond
enlts. My reasons for this are because
$ ef the wide publicity and general en-
dorsement given the time first suggest
ED. and, secondly, the subject matter
Is Of too much importance TO receive
divided assention. Were the conFen-
sion held during the State fair, the
attractions and excitement incident to
that occasion might prevent the de-
I Liberation and due consideration the
subject demands.
None but intenigenI interested and
li5sral-mlnded citizens should be sent
10 Columbia. This is not political
increment, there is no politics ia it,
ard the professional politician has no
place IN it. Experience in the Grange
and the Farmers Alliance ought to
teach us that the moment any move
ment gets in the hands of the politi-
eians, or is used for political purposes,
that moment its usefulness is destroy
5ed.
The State convention ought to have
some information as to how much
money can be raised and how many
immigraats are wanted in each county.
70 secure this information one dele
gate might be selected at the county
laeetihg to makei a preliminary canvass
tc ascertain, approximately, facts and
6gares ON this subject and report at
sColunabia.
Some pCeparasion should be made
for these immigrants. While those we
6xrect TO secure are accustomed to
khard labor and scanty fare, their
Saoraes as ruae have been comfortable
yand very eleanly. A shanty, with
cracks through which you can throw
d dead cat" and white western bacon
with not q streak Of lean," will not
Gatisfy them; they would prefer an
atSic and cold porridge.
"A n1mber sufficient to constitute a
sociat circle of themselves and make
them independent Of other society,
should be recognized In all efforts to
zsecure white immigrants, otherwise
these efforts will prove abortiye.
An erroneous impression seems to
prevail WIFI SC1u0s ~ WaG. eho1 1UOoO
Immigrants are expected to compete
with or take the place Of the negro.
Such was never my idea or expecta-
tion. What we want, and what they
viii prove to be, are good settlers and
citizens. who in due course of time
will be naturaLzsd and become part
and 8 valuable part of the body polite.
Having but limited means on arrival,
we ought to lease our lands to them
"a favorable terms and assist them In
diminishing their farms and in obtain
Ine supplies. with pull-a strong
Npuu, sad pull together" we can
have our fertile lands under cultiva,
/. sion, and our fields, now idle and
choked with noxious weeds and worth
|. less broomsedge, will "bloom and
blossom as the rose.'
A. j. Matheson.
Bennettsville, Oct. 25.