The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-05-24
New immigrants are Well
Treated in the South.
INVESTIGATION is MADE
Baron Moncheur, Belgian Represen-
tative at Washington, Makes a
Special Tour and Gives
Out Good Report.


ister who has just returned to Wash
ington from a visit to South Caro-
lima. where he went to investigate
the condition Of the Belgians who
game over on the Wlttekind, finds
the south a good place for his peo-
pie
lie finds, after ten days OF investi-
cation, that the reports Of dissatis-
faction have been exaggerated, and
that the Belgian immigrants are very
veil satisfied and have no complaint
TO make The baron commented on
the lower wage scale in the south as
being the only possible ground for
dissatisfaction His Investigations
did not cover the cheap cost of living
in The south, and he was not prepared
to say that lower prices of com
modities balanced lower wages
Ia the party brought over by Com
missioner E. } Watson, of South
Carolina, last winter there were about
800 Beglans, who are now employed
in the cotton mills and in various
trades in South Carolina Since then
South Carolina and other southern
states have sought to induce new i'm
migrants, and particularly Belgians, to
GONE in
Speaking of these Belgians in South
Carolina, Baron Moncheur said: Il
saw all of them except a few who
are scattered, and they had very lit
tie complaint to make of the treat
ment which they are receiving. OF
course there are few who are not
satisfied, but they are very few. /
visited them at their work in the cot
ton mills, and they told me that they
were pleased with their labors and
the treatment given them.
Il have no criticism to make of
the work they are doing in the mills.
IL is not hard work at ALL and they
make very fair wages 1t is the kind
Of work which would suit a large
number of our people, especially those
having families. boy or a girl IL
30 IA years of age and upward can
easily make so cents a day and more
ia the mills
"Or course, the masons and car
penters earn better wages, Those
who come over and follow these
trades are experienced men, and
good, steady workmen They find
plenty of work to do, and are paid
we'll. as | have found
1T would be great deal better if
there were a good sized colony in
the state, such as there is near Roch-
ester, N. Y. Our people there are
getting along nicely, and are salts
fed, and ii is particularly because
q number OF them are together"
Concerning those who left South
Carolina dissatisfied Baron Moncheur
said that the number was not very
large Those who left would proba-
bly, not have been satisfied under any
circumstances" he said. The proper
ton that has left South Carolina dis
satisfied is not any greater than that
which has left other states. We have
had some complaints from the immi-
grants who went there, but not many.
On the whole, they have gone to work
lhere and are contented.
Several reports have been circulat-
sd since the Baron returned to Wash
iagton 10 the effect that he was adj
yising, or had advised his people
against going to the south ON account
OF the negro. Baron Moncheur said
that this was entirely erroneous. Il
see no reason why the negro should
deter anybody, My observation is
the white people and the negro in
the south do not associate, either So
oially or at work They do not work
together i'm the cotton mills or i'm any
other industry. The one way in which
ihe negro is at all to be considered
in this connection is that the ne
groes in the cotton fields and else
where on the farm can work for
cheaper wages than our people, and
hence our people could scarcely eX'
pect TO compete with these laborers
On the farm. Otherwise, the negro
has nothing to do with the case, and
il you hear that ! have advised any
OF our people not to go south, you may
say for me that it is simply not so
i have never advised anything OF The
kind any @lere.