The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1919-03-19
LAND SETTLEMENTS In
SOUTH CAROLINA.

clemson College.-Secretary Hous
ton, OF the Department OF Agri
culture, said in an address recently
delivered to a conference of editors ot
agricultural journals: 1T would be
desirable to facilitate land settlement
IN more systematic fashion. This has
peen too long left to the haphazard
intervention OF private enterprise, and
the Nation has suffered not a aittle
from irresponsible private direction.
thlnk 1t is high time for the Feieral
ar" State governments both, as well
as local communities, to seek to aid
tn land settlement by furnishing actual
facts, reliable information, and agri.
cultural guidance to beginning farmers,
ana to promote well-considered settle,
1nent plans. 1t Is particularly vital
that the process OF acquiring owner.
ship Of farmers be encouraged and
FASTENED"
These views are also shared by the
Department of Labor and OF tie In.
terror. Secretary Lane has associa,.
ed with him, some Of the best engi
neers who have been connected with
reclamation work Of various kinds.
The semi-arid lands Of the Ws3., the
cut-over and swamp lands Of the
South are being visited, that proper
measures may be taken as soon as
possible TO render them fit for the
plow, and open them for settlement
In these days OF reconstruction
when industry may be disorganized by
1s,ft
tracts for its products, and by the
demobilization OF large bodies both OF
working men and soldiers, the land
beckons to the man more insistantly
than ever before. 1t will certainly be
made easier for the man who wishes te
own farm to get it on reasonable
terms. And these measures cure
far worse evil. They provide the
very best security against the discon
tent likely to arise from unemploy
ment and lack Of food The idle acre,
can give healthful and profitable EN-
ployment to all who can be placed
upon them; but home ownership must
be the goal, and fair annual profits
above a normal standard Of living
must be the means advanced to Sc
cure these settlers. Almost every
man can find congeniaq employment
at his home, If he owns it, or is be
coming the owner Of It, 4 few acres
will suffice to provide food supplies ir
large part, for the family, and sur
plus for market. Organized methods
OF disposing OF the surplus in any
community will 60 far towards pro
viding funds for the other necessaries
Of life.
In South Carolina, there are abor
19,600,000 acres. Two-thirds. or aboul
13.500,000 acres are in farms. One
third of the State lies absolutely idle
for agricultural purposes; it consists
OF roads, towns and cities, and worn
out and swamp wood land. But OF the
13,s00,00o acres in farms, crops are
grown on less than half. TO be exact
the crops OF 1917 were grown on 6,198,
600 acres. Probably at least as much
more can be used for growini
crops and for pastures, but le.
us say there yet remain only
100000 acres in the State fit foI
farming. As 35 acres is the size OF
the average farm cultivated, there il
room then for nearly 60, 900 more farm
families. What a vast amount of land
settlement could be done in South
Carolina; what untold wealth could be
added to the property lists. if the loca,
communities, as Secretary Houston
suggests, should aid beginning farm
ers!
Federal and State aid in the settle
ment Of large tracts Is necessary but
nothing can be done anywhere un1esI
the people who already own the land
ere willing to cell it at reasonable
prices. and to welcome the new set
tiers.
We have perhaps the best All thq
year climate IN the whole country, al
lis shown by the location Of so many
rarmy camps in the South. We cez.
'*ainly have vacant land in great abun
dance. 1t Is cheap only because OF thu
eparsity Of our population, and thei,
use OF poor agricultural methods.
1t is still comparatively cheap. and
ct prevailing prices, is in many parts
OF the State, an attractive Investment
But there ought to be in every com
munity, committee OF the Chambea
OF Commerce, or OF the Farmers
Union, or OF aeR-appointed citizens, or
at the 9east, one or two men, whose
business II is to find new oettlers, to
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