The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-02-25
an ENGLISHMAN ON IMMIGRATION
Hb Views ON the Methods That Must
Be Employed to Bring lmmi-
grants to South Carolina.

His Views on the Methods That MUST
Be Employed to Bring Immi-
grants to South Carolina.
To the Editor Of The State:
I have been much interested in read
ing reports in the newspapers express
ing public opinion on the question OF
introducing into the State OF South
Carolina a class Of European immi-
srants-farmers, who in some respects
are less ambitious than American
farmers-a class Of people who Will oe
content With small farms, say ~. 81
or so acres of ground. l am to!d tnat
the south has enough even no" OF
common laborers. and that the need
Is simply those who Will enter 'ne
State and buy up the large tracts OF
lands and convert them into small
farms.
The peasantry Of France have small
farms which they till with artistic
skin and reap excellent harvests TOT
their industry. They are a thrifty
people, save their money and at times
Of great financial depression have saw
Cd the government from Impending
bankruptcy. These French peasants
i've in rural villages and go daily to
their little farms, which may be dls-
rant from one to three miles from the
domestic roof. Under prevailing CIR
eumstances 1t would hardly be prac-
ticable to introduce such a system IN
this country. 1t would be better 10
follow out the American method, a
farm for each farmer Of say so to loO
acres with the dwelling in which the
family It to abide on the farm.
But how will the better class Oh
European immigrants be attracted to
the south? It must not be forgotten
that the farmers and immigrants from
Europe have been attracted in vast
numbers to the great northwest, where
millions Of acres are yet unoccupled;
that western Canada is attracting set
tiers by furnishing free farms and
homes for all who will come. BY rail-
road companies and local communities
thousands Of dollars are being eX-
pended to get these settlers on those
lands. Now, the south has no 1ree
homesteads, but every one who enters
the State and secures farm must pay
fer it. The western people reckon
every healthy, laboring man VINO
makes q permanent home In a COM
rnunity to be worth to the place a
sum noe less than $4,000. That Is, II
100 able-bod1ed, Industrious and enter
prising men should settle in a farming
community, they add to the perman-
ent wealth Of the locality $200.000. I
should say such an estimate is very
conservative for there may be among
the 100 half dozen men who alone
would add more than twice that sum
to the taxable wealth of that COM
munity.
But how shall the immigrants be
obtained? One man having thousand
or more acres for sale cannot afford to
equip and maintain an Immigration
real estate office for the purpose of
anding purchasers for his lands. A
town, county, immigration association
and the State, acting in conjunction
with railroad companies, may adver-
tise the agricultural, commercial and
manufacturing advantages through
newspapers, circulars, folders, etc., and
distribute them through the mails all
over the land. They will do some good
and in time will. bring some people.
But that is not all which is needed.
I remember once spending week on a
cotton plantation short distance out
from Yazoo City, Miss. The planter
was native Albanian. He had
beautiful place Of many thousands or
acres and one Of the finest in the State.
One morning his good lady said they
must send to a distant orchard for
fruit and to garden for vegetable
for the table. I said to my friend.
'eWhy Is this? Why do you not on
yonder rising ground plant your orch
ard and cultivate your garden VeGe-
tables; have your meadows for hay
and your own corn fields? By pro-
ducing these necessary supplies at
home you will save money" He re-
piled, II only make cotton. If you
want to kindle fire with the suns
rays, use the sun-glass to concentrate
all the rays of the sun at one spot and
1t will scoreh it."
/ would apply this process of ana
logical reasoning to secure people to
become permanent residents Of the
State Of South Carolina I think it
would be unwise- to waste money in
Initiating a plan of work and then
suffer it to languish for want Of sup
port. An agricultural commissioner
with secretary to begin the business
is only first step. The department
must be amply supported. This work
is not only to get immigrants, but
they must get them. They must go
where these people are to be found
and must select just such families as
will be most suitable. You don't want
all that come out of ship. You want
them selected. OF course your COM
missioner will have his principal Office
in the capital Of the State, but he
must have an, Office in the city of
New York. No matter what the cost
may be, even 100000 in this work will
be profitable investment. When you
get 5000 or 10000 of these people into
your State and they are content, they
will advertise the advantages Of the
State all over Europe without cost
But the expense at the start must be
borne by the State. The newspapers
Of the State, publishing gratuitously
communications like this and others
descriptive of the country, are doing
their part most literally. Every To-
cality and every individual should do
part.
AS the Alabamian said, "focus the
suns rays Owners Of large tracts
of land. some improved and some not
improved, want to sell so as to be
getting an income. They are getting
nothing now. They better sell these
lands to the immigrants. if they be of
the right kind, even with very small
payment down and in small yearly
payments and at low rate Of interest.
It will take pretty much all the ready
money the immigrant has to get
al f@v