Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-06-28
FOR A White MANS COUNTRY
p. H. GadSden'S Excellent Address
On immigration.
POSSIBLE development UNLIMITED
Make the Country Habitabe For De-
sirable White immigrants, Enact
Labor Laws Suitable For White
Men, and Home Seekers Will Flock
to Our State In Great Numbers.

Men, and Home Seekers Will Flock
to Our State In Great Numbers.
In a recent issue. The Enquirer con-
tanned a brief synopsis Of the address
that Mr.. P. H. Gadsden of Charleston
delivered before the members Of the
South Carolina State Press association
in their annual convention on the Isle
Of Palms. In compliance with a re-
quest embodied in a formal resolution
adopted by the association, Mr.. Gads-
den has since written out his address
in full, and The Enquirer takes pleas
ure in presenting it herewith:
Gentlemen Of the State Press Associa-
ton:
l regret very much that 1 was una
BILE to be present at your opening ses-
sion and take this opportunity OF well
coming you to the Isle of Palms.
/ also wish to express my apprecia-
tion Of your invitation to address the
press of the state on the subject of inn
migration.
While the history Of the immigration
movement in this state Is fairly we'll
known to you ALL brief review OF 1t
at this time will serve a useful pur-
pose. The question Of immigration
was first brought to the attention OF
the public Of this state by Mr.. d. c,
Hayward, then a candidate for gov
ernor; subsequently, in January, 1904,
Governor Hayward, in his annual mes
sage to the general assembly developed
his ideas as to immigration. By ref
erence to that message II will be seen
that the recommendation Of the gov
ernor to organize an immigration bu-
reau in this state was based almost
entirely upon the idea that such a bu-
reau when established, was to devote
itself to the introduction into the state
of home seekers and settlers. Follow
ing the recommendation OF the gov
ernor, the general assembly passed an
act which was approved on February
3, 1904, establishing a department OF
immigration and providing for the ap-
pointment OF a commissioner. Section
twelve Of this act provided THAT with
regard to agricultural interests under
this act, it shall be the duty Of the
commissioner to secure those immi-
grants who desire to purchase homes,
become citizens Of this state and build
up agricultural interests"
The original purpose therefore, OF
the establishment Of q bureau Of i'm
migration in this state, and the pri-
mary one, was to encourage home
seekers and settlers and with that end
in view, the bureau commenced Its
operations and succeeded in introduce
ing in different parts of the state quite
grants who became citizens OF the
state and owners Of land. This pro-
ces was necessarily a slow one; just
at this time the supply Of labor In the
cotton mills Of the state became so
scarce that the cotton mill association
of the state appointed a committee to
supplement such supply by immigra-
tion from abroad and approached the
commissioner Of immigration with an
offer to supply the necessary funds to
prepay the passage OF cotton mill OPP
eratives that were needed In the state.
Realizing that the introduction OF
home seekers and settlers, while q ma
tural and proper line, was necessarily
a slow one and appreciating that by
the assistance Of the cotton mills a
large number of immigrants could be
introduced into the state at one time,
the commissioner accepted the offer OF
the cotton mills and went abroad for
this purpose.
You are familiar with the two trips
of the Wittekind Following the arrival
of the Wittekind on her last trip, the
business interest Of the state, through
the South Carolina branch OF the
Southern Industrial and immigration
association. determined that 1t was the
part of wisdom to send three commits
sioners to Europe for the purpose of
making a study of the conditions un-
derlying the immigration question and
placing the movement II possible, upon
sound business principles and on a
permanent basis. The commissioners
were Ex-Governor D. c. Hayward,
Commissioner E. ]. Watson and my
self. Unfortunately for the interests
OF the state, and the particular inter-
est of the immigration question, Gov
ernor Hayward was prevented from
going and Commissioner Watson and /
went to Germany on the 18th Of April,
Upon my return, filed report with
the mayor Of Charleston, setting out
the results Of my investigation and
giving my conclusions on the general
subject These conclusions, were in
brief, that 1t was neither advisable nor
practicable at this time to encourage
the immigration Of laborers, First, be-
cause our wage scale was not attrac-
tive to them as compared with the
wage scale obtaining in other parts OF
equally important, we were not pre-
pared at this time, to handle white
European labor; and further reported
that In my judgment, our efforts should
be directed to the introduction OF home
seekers and settlers, and with this end
in view, We should organize colonial
ton companies to provide for them
and take care Of them.
From letters that I have received
since the publication Of my report,
have been led to believe that what
must consider as a cursory reading OF
the report, has induced a number OF
neople In the state to believe that the
movement as a whole, has been a fall
ure and that there Is no longer any
use to continue the agitation or the
subject.
1t is for this particular reason that
am very glad Of the opportunity OF
addressing you today. I came back
from Europe more impressed than
ever, with the Importance to South
Carolina and the south, Of immigra-
ton. 1t was inevitable. in any great
economic question as this that there
should be disappointments and even
partial failure, but 1t has been the ex-
perience of the world that 1t Is only
from such disappointments and fall
ples underlying a movement such as
this are discovered and followed up to
ultimate success.
There has been no change In the
original purpose of the bureau or In the
discussion Of the subject Of immigra-
ton. 1t was originally projected TO
provide home seekers and settlers Ii
was temporarily diverted in the hope OF
speedily supplying help to our textile
interests. In my judgment every dol
lar which has been spent up to this
time on the introduction of immigrants
into this state, has been good invest
ment. In no other way could the SUD-
iect have been brought to public at
tention and in.no other way could
subject of this magnitude which prom
ises so much for the future or the
south. have been recognized by the
public as one Of its great economic
questions. think that Mr. watson as
commissioners, deserves great credit at
our hands in having kept the sublect
so prominently before the public. The
in favor Of immigration are
both political and economic. POLITICAL
as Offering the only permanent solution
of the negro question in the south.
Ever since the war, we have resorteu
to one expedient after another In the
vain hope of solving, what we nave
all been brought to consider, as tine
rroot napro nuestiOn Each one has