Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1867-08-01
iCOMMUNlCATRD
Why Immigrants and Farmers Should Come
20 the South

n
70 the South.
Ii was once true that the cheapest ard best
lands for farmers Of the United States and
European immigrants, were found 10 North
western States and Territories Such have
been the transformations Of social conditions
and OF the relations of races, that the great
body Of Southern landowners, stripped Of
personal property and having nothing besides
lands. are compelled to sell at least large
share Of their estates. 1t has happened,
therefore, that most "planteTs' Of former
years must become farmers" Burdens OF
taxation, indebtedness incurred while war
ragged, subsequent failures of crops, the dis
ruption of a system of labor Of more than
certury's growth-eithcr or all these causes
operating upon property holders OF the South,
have reduced the great body of the people to
the absolute necessity of selling the whole or 4
share of their estates Such is the vast area
Of country thrown upon the market chat the
cost price of these lands is reduced to q min
mum.
Foreigners and Northern farmers are now
especially welcomed by Southern people,
There is no eumity OF race, but the capacity OF
blacks for many duties OF citizenship is queS-
toned, if not utterly denied In shaping the
civilization of the South, and directing its
| industrial transformation, the present white
population Of the country would have the
potency OF blacks lessened by the introduction OF
Europeans and citizens Of Northern American
States. Whatever OF enmlty 10 new citizens is
shown, grows ont OF the enactment or laws
which exclude the masses OF native-born whites
from all partic patton in the conduct Of govern
mept. The potency Of blacks IS lessened by
the augmentation of the white population, and
Northern, Foreign and Southern whites can be
speedily assinliated by contract and inter
course, in tastes, habits and modes of industrial
life. The South was never cursed with prcju-
diccs termed "rcgious.
In former years immigrants from Europe
were impelca by two considerations to seek
homes in the colder regions OF the Northwest.
There, cultivated farms cost more per acre than
those offered for sale at the South. 1t hap
pened, however, that wheat and corn were
abundant in Northwestern States, while the
South, devoted exclusively to cotton and sugar
production, bought its food, bacon and bread
stuffs from Northwestern farmers. Now,
however, the area Of land devoted to the pro
duction OF cereals Is quite equal to that which
produces cotton, and such IS the adaptedncss
of Southern lands to the production o. food
that the greatest possible quantity is produced
with the least possible labor.
An European or Northern farmer, having
small sum Of money, can live Is chcaply, until
he makes crop, in the South, as m the
Northwest. Never before was this fact to be
presented to immigrants Never before were
such crops CT wheat, oats and corn gown in
S outhern Safes.
Immigrants objected, too, to competition
with sIave3, and this competition annually cx--
cludod no! less than two hundred thousand
poor people from the Southern States. Now,
that Africans toll or not as they choose there
is not white man who apprehends danger
from their competitive industry.