The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-04-19
A, IMMIGRATION. hll.Ml A MENACE 4
IN CONSTITUTIONS
BISHOP CADLER WRITES AGAIN
ON THE SUBJECT. ,.nE
Several Reasons Given to Show Arti-
ficially Stimulated Immigration
Must Result in Harm-South
sE Must Preserve Ameri- .,
canism.

RaEsf the state Of Illinois, sends me a
interesting letter from which
some extracts to which I beg
to invite attention, He writes:>
my Dear Bishop Candler: I can
sEnot refrain from thanking you most
,s8heartily for your recent article in the
& Atlanta Journal, entitled, 'The De-
Il fusion and Snare Of Artificially Stim-
ulated Immigration Having been a
resident of Georgia for the first
& thirty years of my life, I can easily
understand why some of Georgia g
citizens clamor for foreign immigra-
ton. They wish labor for their
farms and factories, and money for
their purses. A scheme promising f.
+ nanclal returns attains an easy popu-
larity when it's moral consequences
are ignored. But 1 am glad there
are some left who are not misled by
the glitter of gold, and who view this
matter of immigration from Il more
elevated standpoint.
"For the past three years I have
/%ved in Central Tllinois-thc most
prosperous part Of one Of the first
agricultural states in the union. My
business brings nc in daily touch
with the farming class, and I wish
to give you some Of my observations
along the line Of your article. This
part of Illinois is denscly populated,
one hundred acres being regarded as
large farm. The country is laid
off in sections of one mile square,
marked by public roads which are
perfectly straight and which divide
into squares these beautiful and fer
tile prairie lands. Handsome farm
houses line these roads, giving the
country the appearance of the sub
urbs of large city. The land around
them is worth from $100 to 5000 per
acre. The physical conditions are
all that could be desired, but what of
the intellectual and moral conditions
"The people are very illiterate--
shoclSin9ly so--landowncr as we'll as
his tenants and hired laborers shar-
ing in a common ignorance explains
why they are so free from any thing
like caste. This illiteracy is overlook
ed and uncriticised because of the
high standing financially Of the farm
owners. 1t is not uncommon to find
prominent and wealthy men among
them who can neither read nor write
eff a man who owns one hundred
acres of land has son old enough to
work he needs no hired help to cul-
tivate his farm for in this level,
stumpless and reckless land, the faith
er and son with gang plows, culti-
vators, and other labor-saving de-
., vices, can easily cultivate the whole
8 tract. The wife and mother, aided
II by servants, will do all the house.
hold work, including the laumdrying.
If the land owner lives in town, as is
often the case he is constantly COM
planning about the labor problem,
just as you hear such men complain
ing in the south. In fact, necessity,
not superior industry. leads people of
means to work on their farms here.
AT the season of harvest labor is so
scarce that common day hands COM
mand So to $3 per day. Nearly every
class of labor is organized, and de-
mands both high wages and short
hours. Domestic servants are few,
and not one farmer in twenty has one
in his home. So much for the labor
question.
"Now, what of the moral conditions
of this section7 First, let me say that
pure Americans are in the minority,
the population being mostly Italians,
S)Poles, Irish, Germans, and some
fEFrench. The Sabbath is not observ-
Med, but is for the most day Of
IMPORTS and games, such rs fishing,
= s1nting, ball games, and cheap thea
ses. was invited to progressive
:. chre' party to he held on Sunday.
n ethical standards are different
i'm those Of the south. d
Children have no reverence for
\ and men have little respect for
]; innocence of childhood. A faith
athinks little Of using profane or
Sene language in the presence Of
( family, and the children in turn
Fix after the same style on the
Nets. Little Difference is shown
lan, and apparently she expects
Individualism Is the reigning