At the time of my visit to Columbia _The State_, in a paragraph
announcing that the agent of the Red Cross was in the city, stated that
Columbia would consider herself disgraced if she could not do all that
was needed for local flood sufferers, without further aid from the Red
Cross Association.
At the last census Columbia had over 21,000 inhabitants; its population
now numbers some 25,000 people. It is the State capital, and has
some thriving cotton mills. Taking Captain Gonzales’ estimate of 100
destitute families as being approximately correct, it would seem that
with employment easily obtainable in the fall and spring, it ought to be
possible for the people of Columbia and Richland County to undertake such
local relief measures as would make further outside aid unnecessary. The
dangers of creating a large relief fund, and extensively advertising its
existence, are very obvious, especially as most of the people affected
are negroes who would very readily accept a position of dependence.
Captain Gonzales told me that the securing of regular monthly
subscriptions towards the relief of cases of genuine need had been
suggested. This plan seems to be an admirable one, and would be less apt
to result in weakening any attempt at self help that might be made by the
flood sufferers. If properly and systematically managed, it would also
probably be adequate to meet the requirements of the case.