The Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1869-1872, 1869-12-08
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Il
Real estate men in California are entitled to
some credit for ingenuity in dsrisng
schemes TO attract gold coin from the pockets
of Others into their own; but the lateA little
arrangement for that purpose exceeds most Of
those which have preceded il for unbnshing
audacity. 1t is proposed. now. to make the
State pay for the private speculations Of the
land owners by appropriating the State funds
for the benefit Of immigrants, provided said
Immigrants will Immediately transfer the
money into the pockets Of the Spectator I'M
der the disguise of a purchase Of land.
The scheme Is something like this: So
called Immigration Society has been organized
in San Francisco, ostensibly designed to in
duce residents of other States, and particular
ly of the East, to settle in that State. A bill
viii be presented to the Legislature, providing
for the appropriation of S25 to each adult
member of family thus settling on the agri-
cultural lands of the State, on condition that
the family first prove that it already has in its
possession the sum of one thousand dollars
Poor people are not wanted, for they have no
money to spend in buying land. They can
only 60 to work for wages. 1t is certainly de-
sirable that the farming lands of all this
western country should be speedily occupied,
but there is no reason why the funds of the
State should be used to especially foster any
one particular pursuit. Why pay m immi-
grant S25 for becoming farmer in that State
rather than to become miner or manufac-
turer? Why tax one species of industry for
the benefit of another? The reason is evil
dent in the fact that the immigrant must settle
on agricultural lands To do this, he must be-
come purchaser-a purchaser from individ-
uals, for the Government lands of much value
are not easily found at this late day. The
whole arrangement can be summed mp as sim
ply tax upon the entire community for the
benefit of the large land holders of the State.
most of whom have acquired their lands at a
nominal cost, and now want the public to furn-
ish them with purchasers. Immigration to this
coast is very desirable, but this is not the prop
er way to induce it. The cloven foot of self
interest is too apparent to deceive many who
have any real knowledge of the state of affairs
here. Immigrants want labor-work; though
they may be possessed of over one thousand
dollars. Some who cannot bless themselves
with that amount would be none the worse
citizens, and equally deserving of assistance.
Give them labor and they will find the thou
sand dollars, and more, to say nothing of tho
paltry premium of twenty-five dollars. Give
them work and they will continue to come MS
in former years. They will not only settle ND
the agricultural lands, but they will spread out
over this vast mining region and aid in de-
veloping the richest mineral deposits the
world ever saw. They who suppose that the
mining interest has driveled away into secon.
dairy value, have but n faint conception of the
wealth which the railroads are now opening
to the use of the world. Mining needs en-
couraSement in California as well as agricul-
ture; and if the movers of this new Immigra-
ton Society are sincere in their desire to in
duce allow Of population from the East. they
will not limit their little patronage TO the set
tier on agricultural lands; they will throw
their premium wide to all those who would
assist in developing any of the many wonder
full resources Of this Western country.
Some Of the newspapers are discussing the
cause of so large population going East Just
now on the emigrant cars. Twenty-Five dol
lars would not stop many of them; plenty of
work at good wages IrOtild. We shall not be
disappointed if We do not soon see some of
the prominent characters who are doing their
best to pour the population of Asia to these
shores. figuring at this Immigration Society.
They will eventually discover that the most
effective process to secure immigration from
the East is to stop the immigration from the
West.