Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1907-07-10
Mr.. GADSDEN SPEAKS
Has Been to Europe to Study the
Emigrant at Home-Discusses Con-
ditions, Prospects and Need Of Ag-
ricultural Settlers-His Suggested
Colonization Plan,

Colonization Plan.
At the annual meeting Of the State
Press association at the Isle OF Palms
Mr.. p. IT. Gadsden, president OF the
| Charleston Consolidated company,
who had been sent by Mayor Rhctt
to visit European countries and there
to make an investigation into imn1l-
grafton conditions, was called upon
| for an address. MI. Gadsden had as-
ready made a report to Mayor Rhctt,
which was published in he Charles
| ton papers, but was not given much
publicity throughout the State and
| the members of the State Press As
sociation were very much pleased al
his broadly intelligent discussion OF
the situation. He told of the need
of labor, the need of immigration, the
need of more liberal labor laws and
finally of Q population which will buy
and build up farm lands, which are
now being bought very largely by ne
groes.
He spoke in part as follows:
"While the history Of the immi-
grafton movement in this State is
fairly we'll known to you all, brief
review of it at this time will serve
a useful purpose. The question of
immigration was first brought to the
attention of the public of this State
by Mr.. D, C.. Howard, then a call
didate for governor; subsequently, i'll
January, 1904, Gov. Hayward, in his
annual message to the general as
sembly, developed his ideas as TO
immigration.
"By reference to that message il:
will be seen that the recommendation
of the governor to organize an imna:-
grafton bureau in this State was
based almost entirely upon the idea
that such a bureau when established
was to devote itself to the introdu,-
ton into the State of home-seekers
and settlers Following the recon-
mendation of the governor the gencr-
al assembly passed an act which was
approved on Feb. 3, 1904, establish
ing department Of immigration anal
providing for the appointment of
commissioner. 'That with regard TO
agricultural interests under this aci,
it shall be the duty of the commits
sioner to secure those immigrants
who desire to purchase homes. be-
come citizens of this State and build
up agricultural interests
"The original purpose, therefore.
of the establishment of a bureau of
immigration in this State, and the
primary one, was to encourage home
seekers and settlers, and with that end
in view the bureau commenced lis
operations and succeeded in introduce
ing in different parts Of the State
quite number of Scotch and other
immigrants who became citizens If
the land. This process was necessarily
a slow one. Just at this time the
supply of labor in the cotton mills OIL
the State became so scarce that the
Cotton Mill association of the State
appointed committee to supplement
such supply by immigration from
abroad and approached the COM
missioner Of immigration with an offer
to supply the necessary funds to pre-
pay the passage of cotton mill opera
tives that were needed in the State.
Realizing that the introduction
of. home-seeers and settlers, while
natural and proper line, was neces-
sarily slow one and appreciatiug
that by the assistance of the cotton
mills a large numberof Immigrants
could be introduced into the State at
one time, the commissioner accept
ed the offer of the cotton mills and
went abroad for this purpose"
Here Mr.. Gadsden described the
trips of the Wittekind and the re-
suits that came from them.
Why We Need Imnagfation.
cit is for this particular reason
that am very glad of the opoprtua-
ity to address you today. I came
back from Europe more impressed
than ever with the Importance to
South Carolina and the South of i'm
migration. 1t was inevitable, in any
great economic 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 underly-
ing a movement such as this are dis
covered 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 i'm
migration. 1t was originally pro-
jected to provide home-seekers and
settlers. 1t was temporarily divert
ed in the hope of speedily supplying
help to our textile interests. In my
judgment every dollar which has
been spent up to this time Oh the in
PRODUCTION 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 subject of
this magnitude, which promises so
much for the future of the South,
have been recognized by the public
as one of its great economic ques-
tions.
"Our farms have been largely
drawn upon for white labor by the
cotton mills and other industries at
the expense of the agricultural in
terests of the State. One of the re-
suits of this has been, as is shown
by the United States census, that che
number of negro farmers and land
holders in this State has increased
to a very considerable percentage.
After discussing the various needs
of the State for additional labor,
Mr.. Gadsden closed as follows: