The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-07-05

mot attractive to them as compared
with the wage scale obtaining IN 9th
er parts Of the United States, and sec
ondly and equally important, we were
not prepared at this time to handle
white European labor. I further re-
ported that, in my judgment, our ef-
forts should be directed to the intro
duction of homeseekers and settlers.
and, with this end in view, we should
organize colonization 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 number
Of people in the state to believe that
the movement as a whole has been
a. failr re and there is no longer any
use to continue the agitation Of the
subject.
Why We Need immigration.
"It is for this particular reason
that I am very glad Of the opportun-
ity to address you today. came back
from Europe more impressed than ev-
er with the Importance to South Car
olina and the South of immigration
It was inevitable, in any great econ
omic question as this, that there
should be disappointments and even
! partial failure, but it has been the
experience of the world that the sound
and sane principles 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 immi-
grafton. It was originally projected
to provide home-seekers and settlers
It was temporarily diverted in the
hope of speedily supplying help to
our textile interests. In my judgment
every dollar which has been spent up
to this time on the introduction OF
immigrants into this state has been
a good investment. In no other way
could the subject have been brought
to public attention and in no other
way could a subject of this magn1-
tude, which promises so much tor the
future Of the south, have been rec
ognized by the public as one Of its
great economic questions.
"I think that Mr.. Watson as com
missioner deserves great credit at ou1
hands in having kept the subject so
prominently before the public. The
arguments in favor Of immigration
are both politicl and economic |oll-
tical, as offering the only permanent
solution Of the negro question in the
South.
"Ever since the war, we have re-
sorted to one expedient after anoth-
er in the vain hope Of solving what
we have all been brought to consider
as the great negro question. Each one
has proved temporary and unsuecess'
full; the only permanent solution Is
to make this a white mans country
not necessarily to drive the negro Out
Of the country; for one, l think this
would be a mistake. [ think that he
is a most desirable laborer and his
services should be encouraged. But IN
order to remove the influence which
he exercises as being practically the
sole labor in the south, we must IN
crease our white population. This is
impossible to accomplish satisfactory
bv natural methods and therefore II
is imperative that we resort to the ar
tifcial increase Of our white popula'
tion by immigration.
."The economic arguments sriaE
for themselves. The South, since the
war. has been rapidly increasing IN
wealth. 1t has built up>a great cotton
mill industry and other industrial
enterprises and the result is that at
this time capital has outgrown labor
The South at a Standstlu.
"The two factors which go to make
up the prosperity Of country are
capital and labor. One must be a
plentiful as the other. Today we are
faced with the situation in the South
that there is in certain industries,
st>enation for want Of labor. At a
time when the cotton mills OF TINS
state have never been more prosper
Gus. there are less cotton mills under
construction than at any time IN the