The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-03-30
Ludicrous.


II there is one thing more foolish tnan
all the rest, tits to talk about Importing
choice foreigners to this country that tney
may become farm laborers. Labor is cneapel
in the South AMI more abundant than In any
other section Of this country. The farm Ia
borer who may be fooled Into coming mere
will soon find his way elsewhere. Our OWL
people are quitting the farms and focking tc
the towns. The wages paid on the farm is fai
below the figures which are paid by the greal
industrial and manufacturing establish
ments.
The man who is dependant upon his mus-
Gle can dispose OF his labor to better advan
tage In town.
In proof Of this 1t is only necessary to state
that the 81, 900 cotton mill operatives now en-
ployed In South Carolina quit the farm. The
Railroads hava given good wages to hun
dreds and thousands. In all the industrla
enterprises are to be found men who have
Quit the farm in search of better pay for theil
time and their services.
That there are hundreds Of thousands Of
acres now going to waste is too apparent
That there Is room and inducement for the
immigrant, II he has little money and some
executive ability, no one will deny. But
when our people talk Of bringing French
Scotch and Irish getlemen to the South te
work for S7tto $40 month, to eat dirt and &c
naked while they are blacking our boots
they are simply talking through their hats
five understand what that expression means
The revival Of this talk about Immigrant
reminds us Of the time when some OF ou
good people thought they would send of anc
get Irish chambermaids.
The negro would have to 60. White SCI
wants were better.
Three Of the Irish maids came one day or
tickets for which the money had been advan
ced. They went to three separate houses in
town. No. was assigned to household
where there was sickn ess, and no time coulo
then be given TO training her in her new du
ties. She was banished to the company
loom to await orders. In the night she be.
came Ill, and In her sickness Of stomach, she
threw her supper on the finest carpet in the
house. The bottle on the mantel board and
the smell of whiskey explained the trouble
She was sent home the next morning.
No. 2 went to work cheerfully in another
home, and all seemed.well. Everything was
lovely until the mistress addressed the new
maid as "Bridget." Bridget stood this the
first time without resentment Her indigna'
tion escaped all bounds at the second offense,
and she lot. the mistress know her name was
Mrs. O'Keefe. and that she would have no
more OF Bridget in hers. Mrs. O'Keefe was
pos tive on this point. and she would forbid
her employer from addressing her otherwise
than as Mrs. O'Keefe. Mrs. O'Keefe took the
train next morning.
No. 3got along very nicely for three or four
days, when she became offended at some In
nocent remark, and not only talked "sassy, y
but talked it loud. When her employer rem
onstrated with her for the pitch Of her voice
she added that the neighbors would hear
her. This exemplary maid simply put her
arms akimbo, and shaking her head, said
.What in the HI do care for the neigh.
bors" She was furnished transportation
day, and We have heard OF her no more.