Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1853-12-28
From the Holander.
OUR STATE.

states in wealth and power.
She can boast right royal domain, and n
queeniy welcome can she offer the worthy stTan-
ger, Of whatever cline or kindred, whe seeks a
home on her shores. Is he a tfiler of the soil
For moderate price, he can choose trom the
broad prairjes, rich as the valley of Nilus, from
tlfe openings, whose scattered trees and gentle
andulations scarcely offer hindrance TO the plow,
and whose soil yields the cereals almost sponta-
neously, or from the timbered lands, whose
strength of soil is attested by centuries growth
of g. tall ancient trees" All have their peculiar
advantages, and either of them will bountifully
reward the labors of the diligent husbandman.
No one of the western states has the different
kinds of farming lands so equally balanced as
Michigan. We have broad praires and beauti-
full openings, and at the same time we have
abundance of forest land covered with heavy
ened and made more genial by the surrounding
lakes, is happily suited for the perfect growth of
all the fruits Of temperate climates.
Is he a mechanic or manufacturer! Where
can he so easily procure his motive power heth-
er he seeks to compel our broad rivers to do him
service, or to harness the steam engine, with its
muscles of iron, and its siDews Of steel; and
where can he find in so young state rs much
wealth and enterprise among the agricultural
class, making them the best and safest Of custom
ers and consumers!
Does he seek for wealth beneath the soil 3
We have inexhaustible beds of COAL mines OF
copper of incredible richness, containing enor-
nous masses Of the virgin metal such as the
world never before saw, and whole mountains
of iron surprising in quality the famed produc-
tons of Norway and Sweden. Nor has Nature
Knocked us by placing our fertile fields, our for
ests, and our mines beyond our reach. None OF
the Northern States has such length of sea
coast, indented by sheltered bays and safe har-
bors and receiving numerous large rivers, afford
ing ready access to the interior of our country.
Nor has man failed to do his part in developing
our resources. We have already two contnu-
Gus lines Of railway crossing the State, and a
third is in rapid progress Our commercial fleets
amount in the aggregate, to upwards OF forty
thousand tons.
And while in pursuit of wealth with so much
energy and success, our people have not forgot
ten the claims of Education. We can justly
boast of our free schools whose doors are by
law open to all who seek for knowledge, with
out money, and without price, leaving no excuse
for ignorance.
Our financial system is such that our State
debt will be paid in a few years without any in
crease of taxation, and our specific taxes will full
ly support our State government, leaving none
but local to be paid Our State tax for 1858 is
only $4,000. What other State east or west
can boast Of no taxation except what is necessa-
ry to maintain the municipal regulations of our
counties and towns! In view Of all these adj
vantages we are surprised to find that so large
proportion of the thousands who are pouring
into tho west, hoodlossly pass US by. We find
the same subject attracting attention elsewhere,
and supposing that our advantages are neglect
ed because people are ignorant of them, it is a
favorte project with many to seek remedy for
this evil by appointing State Emigrant agent,
to open an office in New York city, and devote
his energies to sending immigrants to our State
but we have little confidence in the plan for
these reasons. We believe that the less the
State attempts to interfere in matters of trade
and commerce, either at home or abroad, the bet
ter. No good has ever resulted, or can ever re-
suit from attempts to control or direct the chan
nels of commerce or industry. And we look up
on all attempts to force immigrants into States
where they would not go if left to themselves,
as of this nature. Labor and capital require on
" the protection of the State, and they will OF
themselves find their natural channels and pur-
sue their legitimate course, unmoested by i'm
proper interference.
Another objection is, that such an agent mnst
almost inevitably be partial to some particular
section Of the State, in which himself or his
friends are interested, and unjust and negligent
of all others. His action may materially injure
and retard the settlement of those parts of the
State which do not enjoy his favor No man
lives whose knowledge Of the advantages and
resources of every county in our State is so per-
feet as to enable him, even were he DESTROYS of
so doing, to mete out exact justice to ALL
Our past experience proves this The efforts
of our former Emgrant agent were directed to
the building up of the north east part Of our
State, to the neglect and consequent injury of
the south and west.
But it is argued that we must have such an
agency, because other States do, and because
their employers use falsehood and misrepresent-
alton against us. Because other States hire vag-
abonds to stay in New York city and tell lies
about us, it does not follow that our only redress
is to hire other vagabonds and send them to tell
lies about them. No advantages can ever be de-
rived by any State from such course. We are
not ashamed to compare our foreign population,
who have sought their homes among us, of their
own free will, with that of any State which en-
ploys these latter day Moseses to lead foreigners
in droves into their promised land What we
have lost in numbers we have gained in morality
and industry.
We confess that we feel some prejudice
against these fellows; most of the Holanders
have right to feel bitter towards Emgrant
agents. and we would sooner SUP with a man