The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1867-08-21
Small Farms and Immigration.

The following remarks on these subjects,
from the Norfolk Republican, apply as well
to North Carolina as Virginia -
"SMALL FARMs.-One of the principle rea-
sons why Virginia Is in her present diapi
dated condition, lies in the fact that the
land owners are few and the farms large.
The landowners of the State have owned
so ouch land, that they could obtain a lux
urious living without the least energy or
care on their part. And the land, being
thus managed by parties who had no inter-
est in it, run down and was allowed to grow
up to bushes to recuperate. Now had this
land been distributed more equally among
the people, they would have felt greater
interest in working it properly and the re-
suit would have been that much more would
have been produced, and the products of
the State more equally distributed among
the people.
But poor men have been kept off the land
by the laws of the State Though the laws
did not directly prohibit the poor man from
owning land, in effect this was the result
The land paid very little tax, while the
poor men and labcring men paid most of
the taxes of the State. Now ii the tax had
been raised from the property of the State
instead OF the poor, the poorer classes would
have had more money with which to purch-
ase, andi if property had been taxed all pro-
perry which Idle owners could not prevent
from being an expense to them would have
been offered for sale, and at price sufficient
ly lowi could have been sold Then Vir-
ginia would have been cut up into farms of
the most profitable size which practical far
mers say is from 80 to $50 acres.
How rich this State would be to day if her
lands were thus distributed among the people.
Instead of the streets of our cities being filed
with people seeking aims or employment, they
would be crowded with business, our har-
bors would be teeming with ships from every
port in the world and in the country where
now stands the worthless forests of shrubs
and bushes would be orchards of fruit and
waving fields of grain, and boundless gar
dens of truck. Let the Republican party
manage the destinies of this State few wears
and property will not lie idle in the hands of
drones to whom it will not be profitable, but
inducements will be held out to the labor
ing and industrious man to encourage him,
to press on and by honest industry acquire
honor and wealth. Ali that will be neces-
sary to accomplish this result is to take from
the aristocrat the power to chush the labor
ing men, and this is the great mission of che
Republican party"
"IMMIGRATIoN.-Ther seems to be great
desire manifested on the part of the old fDgies
of this State to induce immigration here.
Two things may as well be understood at
once, that is first, capital will not come to
the State if it is all to be taken for taxes as
tod iv, h,,es !
laborers will not come here while the revenue
is raised out of the laboring men by poll
taxes and taxing business. To illustrate
this subject, we will inquire what foreigner
would come here to catch oysters when he
has to pay five dollars for the privilege, and
then sell them for half price because of the
enormous tax on the vessel when he can go
to another State and not pay over half he
earns in taxes So heavy is the taxes on all
kinds of business and labor, that it has
driven so many, of our citizens to idleness
that we cannot induce emigrants to come
here until we can find remuneratiye employ
ment for our own people.
Let the Republican doctrine prevail; tax
property, and remove the burden from bust
ness and labor, take the shackles off from
industry, and all our own citizens will find
employment, and capital and labor in other
States and countries will see the favorable
opening, and they will come by the thou
sand and million, and the old Dominion will
become rich, popular and powerful State !"
JAS. Il. HARRIs-Jas. H. Harris, the col
ored speaker who has been making speeches
throughout the State, spoke in Winston on
Saturday and Monday. We listened to q
portion of his speech on Saturday, and his
views as to the true condition of the negro
was correct. and he gave them good advice,
which if taken, will be of much benefit 10
them. We did not hear him on the politics