Leaving the Field
If it be desirable to understand when to commence a work of relief, to know if the objects presented are actually such as to be benefited by the assistance which would be rendered, it is no less desirable and indispensable that one knows when to end such relief, in order to avoid, first, the weakening of effort and powers for self-sustenance; second, the encouragement of a tendency to beggary and pauperism, by dependence upon others which should be assumed by the persons themselves. It has always been the practice of the Red Cross to watch this matter closely and leave a field at the suitable moment when it could do so without injury or unnecessary suffering, thus leaving a wholesome stimulus on the part of the beneficiaries to help not only themselves individually, but each other.
Seldom a field, or any considerable work of relief which may have attracted public notice, comes to a close that there does not some person or body of persons arise and propose to continue the work under some new form, but using the former well established sources of supplies; to put out new appeals to old patrons, detailing great need, newly discovered, and thus keep the sympathetic public forever on the anxious seats of never-ending pity and help. We have been compelled to guard against this at the close of every long-continued field, notably Johnstown, where it became necessary for the citizens to organize a “Home Relief” to keep sensational strangers off the ground, and their well arranged “Benevolent Union” of to-day is the result.
The Sea Islands were no exception, and at the last moment of our stay a well-drawn petition was discovered (for it was to be kept concealed until we were gone), and was checked only by the vigorous aid of the Charleston News and Courier, of June 25, 1894, always our stay and friend in time of trouble. I append a letter to that journal which followed a visit from their able correspondent. The last weeks of our stay in that place were passed in Charleston, hence the letter dates from there:
To the Editor of the “News and Courier,”
Charleston, S.C.:
If no other service called for my pen this morning it would be sufficient motive that it comes to thank you for the graceful, manly and cordial note of yesterday, which will always hold its place among my treasures of elegant literature, asking for a personal audience for your correspondent for some facts concerning the work which has recently been brought to a close. * * *
It is little to say that, without the strong, honest support given in notes of no uncertain sound, bearing in every line the courage of its convictions, of the Charleston News and Courier, no work of relief of this great disaster could have lived and been carried on to any success. * * *
The rations issued have been as follows: St. Helena, 5,724 persons; Ladies’ Island, including Coosaw, Corn, Morgan and adjoining smaller islands, 3,500; Hilton Head, including the twelve islands in the group and adjoining mainland, including Bluffton, 2,875; Paris Island, 597; Port Royal Island, 2,666; Kean’s Neck, situated on the mainland, including Coosaw and Pacific phosphate districts, 1,437; Hutchinson Island district, including Bennett’s and Musselboro Points, Fenwick, Seabrook, Baird’s, Sampson and other smaller islands, 3,238; Edisto, Wadmalaw, John’s and adjacent islands, 8,000. The above figures do not include the special issue on the mainland of 34,000 in number nor the regular labor rations of 6,500, which is a double ration.
I say I was more than willing to leave all this needful detail to other hands, inasmuch as the subject which I desired to present is of a different nature, concerning the general points of welfare, and, may I say, reputation of South Carolina, and addressed to the people of all this grand and goodly State of old renown. Proud and chivalrous, all the world knows that it must be hard and distasteful for her to accept help under any conditions, and it is only in the fury of an elemental rage, as when the earth crumbles under her, or the seas roll over her, that anyone essays to attempt it; and it was for this reason, if no other had been needed, that I came personally to stand among my workers, and see to it that the Red Cross, at least, bear in all it did a demeanor of delicacy and respect, where it must extend its aid. I believe it has done this.
It cannot be necessary to repeat at this late day that I was asked by your governor to accept the charge of the relief of the sufferers of the Sea Islands, of whom it was said there were thirty thousand who would need aid until they could raise something to subsist upon themselves. This was accepted with great hesitancy, and only in view of the fact that no other body of persons in all the land appeared to assume the responsibility, and with the cordial, unselfish and generous support of the advisory committee of Charleston and Beaufort, to whom our earnest thanks are due, the work has been carried on to a successful conclusion. It later developed that an equal number of persons, both white and colored, residing on the seagirt coast of the State, now known as the “mainland,” were nearly as destitute as the islanders, and many of them equally storm swept. Finding these people appealing to us, and well knowing that, in the depressed financial condition of the entire United States, we could not safely take on this double charge, we memorialized the South Carolina Legislature in November; the people, also under our advice, petitioned for a little aid to get them through the winter. The governor also recommended the suggestion.
For some reason, which we never knew, no response was given. We never questioned this, but redoubled our exertions to meet the wants as they came by single rations issued upon application, until our books show an issue up to June 1 of over 34,000 to the needy white and colored on the mainland of the State, from Charleston to Savannah. No applicant, unless detected in absolute imposition, and this after having been repeatedly served with all he needed for the time, has ever been declined. Our thirty thousand Sea Islanders have received their weekly rations of food, they have been taught to distribute their own clothing, making official report, and have done it well. They are a well clothed people, and over 20,000 garments have gone to the mainland. Thousands of little homes have been rebuilt or repaired, and are occupied. Over 245 miles of ditches have been made, reclaiming and improving many thousands of acres of land; nearly five tons of garden seeds, producing all varieties of vegetables in their well-fenced gardens of from a quarter of an acre to one acre and more for each family, with 800 bushels of peas and beans, have been provided. These seeds have been distributed on the islands and to every applicant from the mainland; 1,000 bushels of Irish potato seed, 400 bushels of which went to the mainland; 1,800 bushels of seed corn, 800 bushels of this distributed on the mainland. Those provisions, together with a revival of the phosphate industries, the fish in the rivers and their boats in repair, have served to make the 30,000 Sea Islanders, whom we were asked to take charge of nine months ago, a prosperous and self-helping people. They know this and realize that they can take care of themselves, and we cannot but regard any attempt at throwing them again upon the charities of the outside world as demoralizing, misleading and fatal to them, as a self-supporting and independent class of industrial people, and a matter which should concern the State whose wards they are.
Clara Barton.
Charleston, S.C., June 24, 1894.
February 26, 1895.
Copy of Circular Letter Sent to Each Clergyman and Committeeman of Our Sea Island Relief Work the Season After We Came Away from the Islands.
Although the claims upon our time are more than we can meet by working all the day and much of the night, the memory and the interest of our faithful Sea Island friends with whom we worked last year, through the months that followed the great storm, still claim much of our thoughts.
Another planting season is approaching, and we are hoping that your people have been doing the preparatory work of ditching for the raising of good crops. If any have not begun this work, will you see those who would take an active interest in the public good, like yourself, and get them to start the work again at once, so that there may be as great an advance over last year’s improvements as last year was over previous years.
Get the neighbors to join together and clean out the old ditches, make all the new main ditches and canals that they can, and then make the smaller ones to connect with them; this will help to give them better health, less fever, larger crops and better ones.
We hope they will give particular attention to their gardens and have even better ones this year than they did last, improving each season by experience and by learning from one another, particularly from those who have been most successful.
Dr. Hubbell has made a list of seeds profitable to plant, in two groups, as follows:
For Early Planting.
Early purple-top strap-leaf turnip, early cabbage, lettuce, rutabaga turnips.
In a hot-bed or in a protected place, where they can be covered at night when it is cold, the cabbage plants and tomato plants should be started at once, to be ready for transplanting when the ground is warm.
For Planting When the Time for Frost is Past.
Early Rose potatoes, onions (sets and seed), early turnip, blood beet, early corn, English peas, snap or wax beans, bush Lima or Sevier beans, early squash, okra, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, collards, late cabbage, taniers, and large sugar beet for stock. (Some of these may be planted in the field.)
In the field (with corn or cotton) pumpkins and large squashes, cantaloupes and watermelons may be planted.
The garden should be well fertilized and no weeds or grass allowed to grow. The weeds take the nourishment from the plants, use up and waste the fertilizers.
There should be a good fence to keep the chickens out; then the garden, with the chickens and their eggs, will furnish most of a good living for a family until the regular crops can be harvested and save from debt.
A good garden and a variety of crops are as necessary for the prosperity of a farmer as they are for his health.
Every Sea Islander should plant now a few fig cuttings and a few grape cuttings, and such fruit trees as he may be able to get; peaches, pears, pecans. In a few years these plantings (if protected from the goats, pigs and cattle) will give plentiful fruit through the “dry season” (particularly the fig), and the grapes and other fruit will be a luxury and profit in their season, besides keeping the people in health.
With good ditches everywhere, with plenty of vegetables from the gardens, figs and grapes, there should be almost no sickness on those prosperous islands, and every one should be happy.
Regarding the other crops, as cotton, corn, rice, sweet potatoes, peanuts and cow peas, the people should be encouraged to get and save the best seed. Select from the earliest and best of their own or their neighbor’s raising. Fertilize as much as possible with those fertilizers that they can get by their own labor, such as marsh-grass, sea mud, stable compost, fish, oyster shell lime, ashes, etc. (and some commercial fertilizer).
They should strive to raise the best of everything. The best yields the most for the same labor, and brings the highest price, gives the greatest satisfaction to him who grows it and him who buys it. That means prosperity, which we wish for you all in largest measure.
Enjoin the people to keep out of debt, to “owe no man anything;” this course will make the road of honesty and integrity easier and shorten the way to plenty and prosperity; speak no evil of thy neighbor, then all will work together happily in their public work of ditches, bridges, roads, wells, etc., and live happy in their homes.
The people should not forget the fact that water from wells not thoroughly cleaned will breed fever and other sickness, and that good pure water will in a large degree keep the fever off.
To encourage the general continuance of this work of improvement your people so readily took up at our request and carried on of yourselves to our gratification and to the astonishment of your old-time neighbors, I will have copies of this letter sent to other leading Sea Island citizens, thus all may be at work at the same time and all will receive the benefits of your united labors by lessened sickness and increased crops.
May the good Lord bless the efforts of a faithful people is the wish of
Your friend,
Clara Barton,
President of the American Red Cross.