Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-06-28
FRIDAY, JUNE 2s, 1907.

ii
are less cotton mills under construc-
ton than at any time in the last ten
years. This, to a certain extent, Is
true In every department of our indus
trial life.
Our farms have been largely drawn
upon for white labor by the cotton
mills and other industries at the ex-
pense of the agricultural interests Of
the state. One Of the results of this
haa been, as Is shown by the United
States census, that the number Of ne
gro farmers and land holders In this
state has increased to a very consider
able percentage.
II the present situation is allowed to
continue and the white men are drawn
from the farms by inducements of
greater rewards In Industrial centers,
the results must inevitably be that our
farm lands will be owned by negro
farmers.
The introduction of home-seekers
and settlers from other parts of the
United States and abroad offers the
only solution Of this problem The his
tory Of immigration movements
throughout the world has shown that
the only successful way to handle such
a question is by colonization, and it is
to this point that l particularly wish
to direct your attention.
I think from now on, the efforts Of
our bureau should be directed to the
advertisement throughout the north
and west and through the various
countries Of Europe, of the advantages
which South Carolina offers for the
small farmer and the home seeker,
both Of climate and Of soil and that
the business interests of our state
should organize local colonization COM
panies In every county.
| 10 hn Of he
and the statesman to arouse public
interest on great economic questions
and 1t is equally the privilege and the
duty Of the business man, to carry
them out to a successful issue by plac-
/ ing them upon sound business basis.
| All Of us realize that II Is impracti-
cable to enlist the active and sustain
ed interest Of people In any great pub
lie question unless 1t can be placed
upon a safe business plan which holds
out the promise Of a substantial per-
sonal reward 1t Is this very fact
which has made the colonization plan
so successful wherever tried through
out the United States. 1t not only
solves the public question Of the in
PRODUCTION Of immigrants into the
state, but at the same time IL returns
to the parties organizing such a col
onization company rewards which
equal II they do not surpass, those
which can be obtained in other bust
ness enterprises.
| What we need in this state is popu-
latlon. With population, we would
have more railroads per square mile,
more cotton manufactures and more
Industrial enterprises of every nature.
There are hundreds Of thousands Of
acres Of good, healthy, fertile land
which for years have not been plant
ed. Ny suggestion Is, that the busi-
ness interests of each county organize
a colonization company on a small
basis Of say from ten to twenty thou
sand dollars capital and obtain op-
tions on these lands at the lowest pos
sible figure. In order to succeed, the
option price on such lands should not
exceed ten dollars per acre. believe
that a majority Of these lands can be
obtained at from FIVE to six dollars per
acre. They can be sold to desirable
class Of immigrants at from fifteen to
twenty dollars per acre, provided they
are sold on easy and long terms.
The colonization company should
make a special effort to look after the
interests particularly Of the first set
| tiers and see that they are favorably
located, and are given every possible
Opportunity to make money. After this
Is accomplished 1t will form, nucleus
for large movement In that particu-
lar locality. Already such movement
has been started in Aiken and Chester
counties
1t is purposed by some of US In
Charleston county, shortly to organize
a colonization company with view OF
acquiring options on practically all OF
the low lands In Charleston county.
The object of the company will be
through the agency of the county
drainage commission, to thoroughly
drain such lands and make them
healthy. 1t is then purposed to build
houses on such lands and invite immi-
grafton. We feel satisfied that such
company so organized and operated on
the plans which / have outlined, will
make very handsome returns to the
stockholders and at the same time II
will reclaim the malarial lands in
Charleston and will give the city OF
Charleston one Of the richest back
countries which any state OF the Uni-
ted States enjoys.
AS an illustration Of the possibilities
from such lands, I would call your at
tention to the growth within recent
years Of the trucking interests In
Charleston county and vicinity. With
In twenty years this interest, from a
very small beginning has grown to
proportions where the average Tor
five years gives crop worth over two
million dollars and the net profit to
the farmers of over nine hundred
thousand per annum.
The low lands to which have just
referred, are when drained, equally
adapted for the trucking interests as
the lands In st. Andrews or Youngs'
Island, and there Is no reason why
such a plan prosecuted on sound
business lines, should not prove entire
ly successful both from public stand
point and from the standpoint Of the
Individual stockholder.
There Is already a movement on
foot embracing eleven counties OF this
state to reclaim their low swamp lands
by drainage and this will ultimately be
done. But the practical question has
always arisen; what Is to be done with
such lands when they are drained?
Colonization gives the answer to such
a question. 1t offers to my mind a
solution so rich in pecuniary rewards
as to justify in a very short time the
organization of company for the pur-
poses Of draining such lands and SELL
ing them to desirable immigrants.
This subject Of immigration Is so
large and so complex that 1t Is only
possible in the space properly allotted
to an address Of this kind, to touch
Is one aspect Of the question, however,
which it seems to me, deserves serious
consideration at the hands Of us all,
and that Is the necessity on our part OF
preparing the conditions throughout
the state to make them attractive and
satisfactory to the new citizens whom
We are inviting.
While at this time we purpose to de-
vote our attention primarily to the In
PRODUCTION of the home-seeker and the
farmer, still 1t is inevitable, that as
the movement grows, we Will broaden
out our lines and use our best efforts
to supplement the supply Of labor In
the state.
Before we can expect to bring into
this state any considerable number Of
white labor 1t is absolutely necessary
in my opinion, that our labor laws
should be made to conform to a Yhite
mans, country. Ever since the estab-
Iishment Of this colony we have been
dependent upon negro labor with the
result that all of our legislation so far
as farm labor contracts are concerned,
have reference to an inferior class of
workmen, and we have enacted legis-
lature which seemed to be required by