The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-12-30
[OoMMUNIoATED.


TO the Eittor Of The State Journal ~ tEs
In your issue of the 10Th instant, | find
o very able article in answer to a commu-
ncation of mine of the same date, in which
you endeavor to show the inpractability OF
my suggestions. You say the Legislature
has already done all which is possible un-
der our financial circumstances. That is
no objection at all, as my plan is selfsus-
tanning. You say there is really no bene-
fit to be derived from the operation of such
a bureau, as has been made apparent by the
failure of incorporated companies, their
failures are certainly no proof why my
plan for establishing cheap homes forsour
thousands of homeless peasants
should not prove success, there
has never been citherqf company
nor individual in this State that
has ever offered land on such terms as my
plan sets forth. The reason that every one
failed in this matter is simply the very IL
liberal spirit in which all such transactions
have been carried on between the Southern
land owners and the Northern purchasers.
The very fact that all have failed to bring
immigration into this State makes it imper-
atively the duty Of the State to do some
thing for the thousands of the sturdy sons
of the soil, who are both willing and able
to make our vacant lands productive -
You further say that the reason
why immigration to Virginia is not
more active is that farming on our
lands does not pay. This statement
is an argument in my favor. It is1aa fact
that farmers who are used to live on rich
productive lands, cannot live on our poor
soils, but it is certain that the men who
thrive and iatten on three and a half pounds
of fat bacon and peck and half Of corn
meal per week, can live on them and inn
prove them too. You also say it would
surprise one, if they knew the amount of
capital or number of Immigrants that have
come since the war. You are right in
that; many have, indeed, come here with
their money and their brains, but you are
in the wrong when you assign the reason
theyoleit again was because our land re-
quires fertilizers and continual working
which the immigrant cannot bear. 1t is
true our land needs fertilizers, but it
needs less labor than either Western
nor Northern. land. / tell. you the
true reason they left, they became heart
sick most of them came with the best
feelings, intending to fraternizc with the
people; many have even refused to take
any part inIpolitics at all for time, in the
hopes of gaining the goodwill Of their
neighbors. How have they succeeded? I?
They have been derided, hated, nicl-namcd
and cursed. Yet you hear many Of our
people cry continually, we want the right
kind of immigrants; by which they mean
such men as the few that have become vio-
lent Democratic partisans since they have
been here men who have been the
greatest Union shrickers at homie
are great Democrats here and would be
Turks in Constaitinople, but yery few of
this right sort have ever done an honest
days work. You acknowledge this, and
ask, will any bureau remedy this? Yes!
such bureau as | propose will give the
poor whites and destitute .colored people a
chance to own land and produce something,
and they are the only people that can exist
here now. This may be "a bitter pill to
swallow, but it must be done sooner or
later, for, with the few acres that
our farmers cultivate, they caiiot
pay taxes on the thousands they own
as for manufacturing in this country
that's all .fudge, we baye. no skilled labor,
and if we had it would not stay long in a
country where the working class is dis
pissed where man is ostracised for his
opinion where so cents per day is con-
sidered ample pay fora hard days work
where cotton factory operatives work. till.
ten O'Clock at night and don't average two
dollars and a half week, and where sew
ing women make pantaloons for ten cents a
piece, and have to trade that out in such
goods as the employers keep in their stores,
which is the case.n this city, with one or two
exceptions. NJ. MARSHALL.