The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1904-02-24
AN ENGLISHMAN ON IMMIGRATION
His Views On the Methods That Must
he Employed to Bring Immi-
grants to South Carolina.

ing public opinion on the question of
introducing into the State of South
Carolina q class of European immi-
grants-farmers. who in some respects
are less ambitious than American
farmers-a class of people who VIII be
content with small farms, say 20, 80
or 80 acres of ground. L am told that
the south has enough even now OF
common laborers, and that the need
ia simply those who will enter the
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
skill and reap excellent harvests for
people, save their money and at times
OF great financial depression have saw
cd the government from impending
bankruptcy. These French peasants
live in rural villages n go daily to
their little farms, which may be dis
tant from one to three miles from the
domestic roof. Under prevailing cir
~cumstances 1t would hardly be prac-
ticable to introduce such u system in
this country. 1t would be better to
follow out the American method, a
farm for each farmer of say so to 100
acres with the dwelling in which the
family It to abide on the farm.
But how will the better class of
European immigrants be attracted to
the south? 1t 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 u~noccupied;
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 free
hoInesteads, but every one who enters
the State and q farm must pay
for 1t. The western people reckon
every healthy. laboring man who
makes @ permanent home in n com
munity to be worth to the place Il
sum not less han $4,000. That is, If
leo able-bodled, industrious and enter
prising men should settle in @ farming
community, they add to the perman-
ont wealth of the locality $2O0. 900. /
should say such an estimate is very
conservative for there may be among
the leo half q dozen men who alone
would add more h twice that sum
TO the taxable wealth OF that COM
munity.
But o shall the Immigrants be
obtained? One man having q thousand
or more acres for sale cannot afford to
equip and maintain an immigration
real estate office for the purpose Of
finding purchasers for his lands. A
town, county, immigration association
n 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
But that is not all which is needed.
/ remember once spending a week on n
cotton plantation n short distance out
from Yazoo city, Miss. The planter
was a native Alabamian. He had a
beautiful place of many thousands of
acres and n of the finest in the State.
N morning his good lady said they
must send to a distant orchard for
fruit and to a garden for vegetables
for the table. / said to my friend,
Why is this? Why do you not on
yonder rising ground plant your orch
ara and cultivate your garden ege
tables; have your meadows for hay
and your wv corn fields? BY pro-
ducinS these necessary supplies at
nome o Will save money" He re-
piled, II only make cotton. IL you
want to kindle a fire with the suns
rays. use the sun-glass TO concentrate
all the rays OF the sur at one spot and
it Will scorch it,"
would apply this process of ana
logical reasoning to secure people to
become permanent residents of the
state of South Carolina. I think 1T
initiating a plan of work and then
suffer 1t to languish for want of sup
port. An agricultural commissioner
with n secretary to begin the business
IS only a first step. The department
must be amply supported. This work
they must get them. They must go
where these people are to be found
and must select just such families as
VIII be most suitable. You don't want
an that come out of a 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 I'm the city OF
New York. No matter what the cost
may be, even 800 900 In this work will
be a profitable investment. When you
get 1000 or 10000 of these people into
your state and they are content, they
VII 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
or tbs State. publishing gratuitously
communications like this and others
their part most literally. Every To-
caltty and every individual should do
a part.
AS the Albanian said, focus the
suns rays" owners of large tracts
or land. some improved and some nor
improved, want to sell SO az TO he
getting an income. They are getting
nothing now. They better sell these
lands to the immigrants. If they be of
the light Kind, even with a very small
payment down and In small yearly
payments and at a low rate of interest.
IL Will take pretty much all the ready
money the immigrant has to get n
start with implements and stock for
his little farm n to buy needful
supplies until he can grow and market
u crop. Hence he Will need the advice,
sympathy, and often forbearance of
those with whom he deals. with a fair
chance he will be able In q few years
to pay for all. But the Intelligence,
the kindness. n generosity OF south
ern communities need no suggestion
in this regard. The State of South
Caroline is broad enough I'm area and
ample enough In resources, yet unde-
Neloped, to afford homes of wealth and
abundance for 5000, 900 to 1000. 600 of