The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1869-06-30
The Failure of Southern Immigration
Where the Fault Lies.

We copy the following article from the
Greensboro Messenger, the leading Demo
cratic paper of the State 1t expresses the
same ideas as the STANDARD has often put
forth, and is the first expression of the kind
we have seen in any Democratic paper.
The question of immigration is not politi-
cal question, and those who treat it accord
ing to party prejudices are injuring the in
terests of the State, and consequently, in
iuring the people. The STANDARD has
always been willing to throw aside all poll
teal motives in discussing the question of
immigration. 1t desires to have large
amount of immigration into North Carolina,
that our waste places may be built up, our
products increased, and our common pros
perity greatly heightened That all attempts
to induce immigration have proved fail
ure is well known to every person in the
State. The reasons for this failure they will
find in the following article, which we COM
mend to the close attention and earnest
thought of our readers:
immigration to the South is dead
letter.
Every effort, thus far, to induce immigra
ton here has proven a most lamentable fail
ure. No desire in this direction has been
realized, and the fault is with our own
people.
OF the hundreds of thousands of foreign
laborers who land yearly in America, the
best authority says perhaps one, certainly
not two, out of every five hundred find
their way South. And fully half of these
become disguised and leave for the North
and West. And this will continue to be
the case under existing circumstances.
The peasantry of Europe seek our shores
for homes of their own. And they cannot
we'll be induced to come South as hired
laborers, for one of the very best reasons in
the world. Thistle prices we pay will
not command skilled labor. Labor at
present prices is not remunerative. The
prevailing idea among our farmers is con-
trary to this proposition, but we are correct,
and we assert without the fear of successful
contradiction, that wages are better any
where in Europe to day, than at the South.
Else in those sickly populated countries, the
people would starve
But with our uncertain seasons, our crude
system of cultivation, and the miserable
conditions of our farming lands, we paw
higher wages than we are justified in doing
but not enough for the work that is required.
and but for the dependent condition Of the
negro, we should have no labor at all. This
negro labor is our main dependence and will
be just as long as the people rely upon the
hired labor Many of the negroes are dying
out, while not few are beginning to feel in
somewhat independent circumstances, and
in short time "farm strikes" will be of every
! day occurrence. What are We to do then I
"Hold on to our land" answers old Fogy.
Yes, hold on to the land, and see the farm
ing operations Of the country decrease year
by year, and poverty and crime increase
Finally the land will be sold for taxes, 9
new population win step in and buy
and then new era will dawn upon the
country. Is this the road to our prosperity
How much better for us, had our lands al
been confscated and sold, or given tc
strangers" ....