Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-12-17
THE CITY.
InIsIIGRATION.
Mass Meeting at Masonic Hail.

Address OF Rev. II. G.. BIitchfeidt on
scandinavian Labor-Remarks of
Col. COIyar, Messrs. Gross, Baird,
WhitwOrth and Others
The immigration meeting held at Ma
sonic Hall last night, under the auspices of
the Nashville Board of Trade, was one of
considerable interest, aud very fair au-
dience was in attendance, including sew
eral OF our distinguished citizens. The
main object of the meeting was understood
to be to:listen to Rev. r. O. Bitchfeldt, of
Alabama, the agent for the introduction of
Scandinavian labor.
The exercises having been orened with
prayer by Rev. DR.. Baird, on motion of
Mr.. Gentry, Secretary of the Board of
Trade, Rev. Dr. Strobe was made Chair
man of the meeting.
Mr.. Strobe said that the object of the
meeting was TO devise some proper system
of immigration. On this occasion q gen.
tleman OF experience Mr.. Blitchfeldtl was
present and would proceed to present his
views Mr.. Strobe remarked that Mr..
Blitchfeldt was native of Denmark, Gin
Scandinavia, and was highly recommended
by prominent citizens of Alabama.
REMARKS OF REV. R. c. BLITCHFELDT.
Mr. Blitchfeldt began his address by say
ing that he desired to favor system of
immigration direct from Europe. Some
papers had spoken of him as the great i'm
migration man; but he would say that he
did not desire the title of great man. He
was but a young man, and if he did any
thing that would benehi the people, his
help must come from above.
Mr.. B. stated that the two points to
which he would direct the attention of the
audience were these: First, what could be
accomplished by providing for the as yet
undeveloped resources of Tennessee a SUI
ficiency Of good and honest labor; and
second, what kind Of labor ought to be Sc
cured. No State in the Union had more
natural resources or q finer climate than
Tennessee, and nevertheless thoussnd4
and thousands Of acres were lying idle, and
thousands of tons of coal and other mate
rails were lying in the earth for the want
of the necessary labor. In many of the
Northwestern States you could find men
who had developed the resources Of
those States by their own labor.
Heretofore g man with capital in the
Southern States could buy labor, but the
speaker thought it was blessing to the
State to have the niggers free. He be-
lieyed that it was shame to the nation to
take away so much property from the
Southern States ss had been taken by set
ting the negroes free; still, on the whole,
he thought it was blessing.
If Tennessee wanted laborers, she should
tell emigrants that she had good country
and fine climate, and that the immigrants
would be protested in the enjoyment Of
their rights.
At present the labor of the South is in
adequate in quantity and quality. As the
country RECEIVERS from the desolations of
the war, more labor must be had. Was
labor desirable when the immigrant would
work little, steal a little aud starve q
little? Do we want more negroes from
other States, some Cinnamon, or do we
want some Scsndinayians, some Scotch
men, and some immigrants of that class?
The speaker then said that he would
consider labor in regard to three points,
social, industrial and political. He thought
God never intended the Niger to work in
his own country. He was sold to those
who brought him to this country, and
made to work, but as soon as he was free,
he would work little, and steal little,
and starve little.
In Scandinavia q man had TO wsrk, for
he did not the country was 80 cold he
would freeze, if he did not Starye.
Mr.. Blitchfelt said he had been asked if
it would not do to take Scandinsvians from
the North. They were not specimens Of
the kind of Scandinavians he wanted. If
a steamer landed in New York the best
laborers would be taken there, and
the worst class of these immigrants
would go to the West. His plan was to
go to Europe and get the best labor.
In regard to John Chinaman he remark
ed that John did not bring his family with
him, and as soon as he got money he
would 90 back to China and take with him
the money he had made here.
In regard to the social point, neither
John Chinaman or the niger would do
There was distinction between rich and
poor of the same race, but there was a
different distinction between the white and
the black race.
The Scandinavi8ns would desire to at
tend common schools. In Scandinavia a
common school did not mean a place
where pupil could learn Hebrew or Latin.
A public school was not for that purpose;
it was a place where a man could acquire
fair education in the way of reading and
writing his own language and be able to
perform any business calculation in arith-
metic.
In regard to the political aspect of the
question, Mr.. b. made some humorous re-
marks about the Niger representatives. in
some Of the Southern States who could not
read, and yet were sent to the Legislature.
Those niggers had to be paid 50 day for
sitting in the Legislature and turning
newspapers upside down. (Laughter.)
The objection had been made TO him
that White labor was no better than negro
labor. That was because they had had the
worst kind of white labor in the South If
the Scandinaviaus were treated kindly they
would not be objected to as lsborers.
In regard to the question of how proper
labor could be secured Mr.. B. said that the
failure heretofore to secure good labor IN
the South was owing to the want of proper
and organized efforts through some man
or men who understood how to secure
good labor. If q man wanted physician
he would not go to a quack, but to a well
educated doctor. So In regard to immi
grafton, a man should be employed who
understood the business and the wants of
the people.
If Tennesseeaus desired to relieve their
noble State from debt and to develop their
resources, the first point was to get some
one who would take hold Of this thing and
. r7cf ha
qualified for the work, must understand
the laborers themselves, and also the wants
of those who desired to employ such Ia
borers. He must go to Europe himself
and select bis laborers.
First get man you have confidence in
and then get the means TO put the thing
through, In fen years il proper labor meH
be secured here the people Of Tennessee
would be making their own furniture and
manufacturing their own articles of neces-
sity, and the aunoyances of the present
system of labor would be done away with.
How could the necessary means be raised:
| Mr.. Blitchfeldt said he had first thought
that the State should have control of the
| subject OF immigration, but he had been
| informed that as the State was in debt, q
| State system of immigration would lot be
practicable. 800, 900 could land in this
State withins year 8, 900 immigrants whose
fare Tennesseeans would pay, and they
would in turn bring 5000 more who would
have means to pay for little land The
best method he thoughtwas something like
the plan adopted in Chicago and Othel
cities, where an Association was organized
| and life members were obtained and a live
man was set to work tospesk in the cause,
and wherever he spoke he would get some
one to join the Association. Some sucf
| plan should be established in Tennessee
If there were any present who desired tC
have their names on record, the Secretary
had paper prepared which those who de