Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-06-02
REFRIGERATION, LAND AND la
BOX.

The agitation of the questions connect
ed with these topics by the press, and the
late movement of the Legislature of our
State Toward some practical action for the
encouragement of immigration, indicates
a growing interest, among our people, in
measures which promise an increase of
our population and the usual beneficial
results. There are, however, some mar
row, prejudiced minds who cannot, or
will not, see in these efforts the evidence
of an honest purpose to improve our con-
ditiOn generally, as anintegral part of this
great country; nor do such minds seem to
be acquainted with the first principles of
political economy, which recognizes, as a
primary element of national prosperity, a
population adequate to develop the re-
sources of a given territory. Certainly no
elaborate argument is necessary to sustain
a proposition so simple. Universal histo-
nv illustrates and confirms it. The patriot
ard philanthropist, viewing the moral as
pect of the subject, are influenced
by a principle contained in an axiom of
modern civilization, viz: ''the greatest
good to the greatest number; a senti-
mcnt slightly appreciated by class of
statesmen in our day, whose ideas of
legislation appear to be limited by motives
of party interests and personal emolu-
ment. But not to digress from the OBJ
ject of this communication, allow me,
Messrs. Editors, to present few facts
and statistics bearing upon the commerce.
al features of the questions before US, and
from which we of the South may learn
some profitable lessons at this crisis. 1t
is estimated that in twenty years five
thousand million dollars has been added
to the wealth of the nation by foreign
immigration, nearly all of which has gone
to enSch the North and especially the
Northwest. In Kansas alone last year,
1000 immigrants found homes, and
the year 1870 win add, tits believed, $50, :
900 to the population of this young State,
increasing in this proportion her capital
and productive industry. The other
States and territories of the Northwest have
received, though not to the same extent,
nor 81 rapidly as Kansas, accessions by
scores of thousands annually, the greater
number from the different European ma
tons, mainly English, German, Irish,
Scotch and Scandinavia, DENMARK,
Sweden and Norway of the latter
nationality there is in the Northwest a
population of 500, 900, $4,000 in Mime
sofa alone, constituting the most efficient
clement of thriftand development in this
vast domain of our national territory.
The settlement of these millions OF
foreign immigrants has been thus rapidly
accomplished in few years by the facil,
tiles afforded by land grants to railroad
companies, the homestead law and private
land companies, all offering inducements
of cheap lands-from $l.25 to $500 per
acre-and on time, if desired, by an
| nual payments for five years without
| interest the first year; one-tifth cash, witt
| interest, due at the end of tbs second year
and so On to full payment. Besides thes'
easy terms afforded to actual settlers
| ample arrangements are made for tn
| transportation of immigrants from Europe
by agents there procuring through ticket
at reduced rates and checking baggag
| through TO destination.
In this way large bodies of land arr
sold to colonies by these companies, AM
sometimes almost whole counties are Oc
cupicd by purchasers whose quota o
forty or eighty acres had been set apal
by their agents previous to their arrival
But thousands of immigrants are unable
of course, to become landhOlders at once
and are barely able to reach our shores
and hence aredependent on their labor fC
suslenance, affOrding the landed proprit
tor aud capitalist the element essential t
agriculture, mining and manufacturing
in the older States especially. As to tn
facilities for rapid settlement above II
fcrrcd to, pertaining TO our Western tel
ritory, it is evident they do not apply
the South, for the simple reason that Il
/ | general Government has very little land
| dispose OF, by pre- emptiOn or grants to RAJ
road companies, particularly in the Souti
y eastern States of our section. THIS faC
7 together with that of the higher price
lands held by private parties, will ma