The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-09-12
Problem Of Immigration.

He remarked that great deal was being
people were being told that we needed more
people in Georgia; that we should go abroad
and induce ioreigners-Italians and other
peoples-to come into Georgia: The railroads,
he said, favored the scheme. Why, Of course.
The railroads would get to haul the immi-
grants and balf the millions bales OF cotton
these immigrants would aid In producing.
That was obviously the idea. Bring more
people into Georgia and the south 10 MAKE
more and cheaper cotton.
The thing to do was to 80 manage that the
price for all the cotton produced would De re
munerstive That fact. once spread abroad,
would itself bring in the industrious and the
There was talk of lack of help in the cotton
mills and other similar industries In the
state and in the south. BE bad not heard ol
any idle spindles anywhere south. All the
talk ipdulged in along that line was ground.
less. 1t seemed to be part and parcel OF the
scheme to flood this fair land with uncop.
genial people Of an undesirable class from the
Col. Browns speech was delivered with In:
tense earnestness and much that he said
won rounds OF applause.
Col Peek's Address.
Then Colonel Peek spoke with the We
hemence OF deep conviction on the necessity
for change in the fertilizer inspection laws
OF the state.
the University OF Georgia, David c. Barrow,
who spoke with deep earne nestness on the
pressing necessity tor agricultural education
Colonel DnnIap Stirs Assembly.
The large audience was in a most peaceful
frame OF mind, baving forgotten Colonel
Browns impassioned periods and Coio9e!
Peek's wsrlike utterances, when Colonel Sam
G Dunlap, commissioner OF the Georgia
bureau OF Immigration and industries, Was
announced TO speak On "1mmigration." The
colonel opened up all along the line most
He had not been speaking three minutes
when every one In that large assembly
leaned forward lest they might lose word
and strongly antagonistic position taken by
Colonel Brown on the immigration and In
dustrial questions.
Colonel Dunlap boldly declared that he wac
aston ished at the misinformation generally
prevalent as to the real question Of 1mmtgra-
uop. II one should take counsel OF the .oppo.
nents Of ofimmigration one would believe lhat
was TO food Georgia and the South with the
scum OF Europe. Such statements he de.
clared 10 be badly inexcusable. The scum
Of Europe cannot remain aI or on al American n sa
The better class OF people come from
abroad. Families come headed oy fathers
better chance than they themselves had
known In the old country. The young men
: and the young women come in the hope 70
make good for themselves and ofttimes for
the loved ones left behind. All these come 10
be Americanized. They come TO cast their
lots with as. They come pnrposing 10 be-
come good citizens. They Know how TO
They are the people we greatly need. Good
citizen and patriotic man as was Colonel
Brown, the orator stated he was utterly
astounded at the position taken by the genial
colonel on the Question ofimmigration. OF
"How is 1t possible" exclaimed Colonel
Dunlap. "for an intelligent gentleman to take
such q position on q question OF 30 great i'm
portance to the state and The south ?"
Embarrassing Lack Of Laborers.
Turning to Colonel Browns declaration
that he had not heard ofany idle spindles In
Georgia Colonel Dunlap by look and word
uttered his absolute astonishment at Colonel
Browns statement He could not for the life
offlim understand how q gentleman Of Col
onel Browns wide reading and observation
should have fallen asleep when he came to
that portion OF his daily or weekly paper
mills was noted and dwelt upon.
The fact was 30 patent, be said, 80 pregnant
with losses TO shareholders and the people
generally II should not have escaped the al
tention Of the man even who ts content with
scanning the headlines Of his morning and
afternoon papers.
(l906) by +. B. Gordon, OF Columbus, 10 show
that there are ll3 plants in operation In
Georgia. equipped with l,77O,957 spindles and
1880 looms; s22 TO the spindle will closely ap
proximete the average amount upon which
these plants are capitalized and on which
they 10 ust earn dividends-a total capital OF
S40,OOO.O0. Recent estimates by competent
show that an average OF 10 per authorities
cent OF all cotton mill machinery In
Georgia ia constantly idle. This stands
for $4,OOO,OO0 OF idle capital. To grasp
this situation 1t is only necessary that
q man Imagine. twelve average. sized cot.
ton mills in Georgia shut down all the time
Cor lack OF bands TO operate them.
Colonel Dunlap instanced striking case In
the city OF Griffin, where q mill OF 10 QUO
spindles and $50 looms completed in the
latter part of 19Cb. had not turned a single
wheel, The actual loss in interest on this
one "idle'' Investment amounted to $4,000 in
six months.