The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-11-27
IMMIGRANT SITUATION.
Trouble at Anderson Not Yet Adjust
ed, But About Thirty Have Gone
Back to Work-Dissatisfa
tion the Direct Result of
Agitation of Socia-
lists.
Intelligencer.

Anderson Intelligencer
The immigrant situation in this
city is still muddled, and there are
slim prospects of an adjustment that
will keep the Foreigners here and
cause them to return to work. 1t ap-
pears to be characteristic of these peo-
pie that once they become dissatisfied
they cannot be reconciled. They are
slow to listen to argument. They ap-
pear to close their minds to reason.
In our last issue we gave the facts
as the dissatisfaction manifested by
fifty or sixty of these immigrants at
the Anderson Cotton Mills Monday.
Because of the difficulty of communi-
eating with these people (none Of
them speak Enolish) it has been a
considerable task to ascertain the true
cause of their dissatisfaction; and it
is doubtful now whether the true
cause has been learned, as the immi-
grants claim to reason, while facts
point to third and natural cause.
Tt is claimed first by the immi-
grants that the circular issued by the
Columbia immigration Bureau is mis-
leading, some of them going so far as
to say that it misrepresents facts. But
this altogether untrue. Mr.. o.
Geisberg, of this city, German schol-
ar, carefully read and interpreted the
circular to the writer and no intelli-
gent percon can find a misleading
statement. 1t is claimed, second, by
the immigrants that when they called
at the mills for an explanation they
were told that they must at once va
cate the houses they occupied and
find employment elsewhere. This
claim is not true. The mill authorities
did order two or three of the leaders
in the late rebellion to vacate, but
nothing Of the kind was said to the
others. To the contrary, indications
point to the fact that the mill people
were anxious for a reconciliation, and
it is learned that they were successful
to the extent that nearly if moi quite
half of the immigrant families return
cd to work Tuesday morning.
The true cause as pointed to by Ger
tain facts is that there arc three or
more socialists, of the German school,
among the immigrants and they are
responsible for the unrest that is be-
ing manifested The circular issued
by the Columbia Immigration Bureau,
above referred to, furnishes, in the
hands of these agitators, means to
create dissatisfaction 1t is easy for
them to read it, especially where it
refers to the opportunity to own
small farms, and when it gives aver
ages of wages paid, and interpret, put
a construction on the statements made
entirely different from that intended,
ana in this way cause trouble. 1t
was to these agitators the order to
leave was given.
In intelligence they are above the
it is learned that there is an cmissary,
an agent employed to advance in
covert manner, the interests of ccr-
tain farmers, and that he has been ac-
lively at work among these immi-
grants trying to induce them by rosy
hucd tales and promises Of rich and
immediate rewards, to quit their pres
ent positions and go to the farms. The
name Of this emissary could not bo
learned, but it is said that he is an
Anderson County man.
When these last facts are taken in
connection with the further fact that
these immigrants know absolutely
nothing Of the customs and condition
of this country, it can be understood
how easily they can be effected and
influenced to just such conduct as was
manifested at the cotton mills Mon
day. This bunch of immigrants Sc
cured by Anderson from the Witte-
kind is made up of Bohemians, Hun
garians, Galatians and Kroatians, are
under the Anderson government.
intelligence they are above the
average Of the immigrants coming to
this country, and if they were free
from the influence Of socialistic agita-
tors, especially in their own ranks,
and from the blighting effect of paid
emissary who, under cover of night,
visits their homes and makes promises
of reward for labor that arn nnyor in