Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-02-18
NASHVILLE SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 49, 1871

to get the Immigrant Col. Colyar and
the Banner would say, let everybody
keep telling him of the advantages of the
Tennessee lands, the climate, soil, miner
ais, varied productions, etc, etc. Well,
let us see if that will get him. We will
suppose that the immigrants are all igno-
rant of these facts; but would Col. Col
var have US believe that the honest sons
of toll, born among the hills or in the
valleys of Tennessee are lazy, louDg-
ing, ignorant set of fellows; that the
man who has grown gray on the spot
where he was born, is ignorant of the
advantages held by his State over all 9th
ers, and that he has not the energy to de-
velOp that which is his, until some wan
dering Teuton or Celt, or Aztec, or some
one else comes along and exhibits to his
stupid eyes, the wealth at his door.
Away with all such-ihings, fit only to
shield one from an indignation meeting.
The fact is that Tennesseans are hardy,
active, energetic, Intelligent, industrious
PEOPLE as a mass, and l will venture the
assertion that there are an hundred thous-
and men here who know how to work,
and who are willing to work, but the
SPADE is in other hands. But the cues
ton still is, how can we get the immi-
grant2
Such pieces as Col. Colyar's have been
sounding in our ears ever since the editor
of the Banner blazed the way into the
woods; every wind that bows is freighted
with it; every brook in the land murmurs
it. But where is the immigrant Every
body believe is in favor of immigration
except Gen. Harding. profess to be as
strong for it as the man who made the
first blaze, but might just as well be in
favor of pilgrimage to the Holy Land
without the means to take the first step.
But still the question is up, how can we
get the immigrants Mr.. Bokum could
not get them. Mr.. Giers cant Resolu-
lions at public meetings don't bring them.
The original blaze made by the editor of
the Banner, don't much; and | am certain
that articles in newspapers telling of the
wonderful wealth on the soil and under
it, coupled with the detailed account of
the poverty of the people, and the total
absence of capital, will not get them,
for they well know that the two things
don't go together. If the wealth is really
here (and everybody knows it Isl and
still the people so poor, there must be
some terrible side shows which have not
yet come to light. 1t might be like the
boy and the rabbit. The boy had a
rabbit in hollow log, but he had no ak.
The rabbit was worth twenty-five cents,
and his neighboT charged him one dollar
for the use of his axe. Can't you see
why the boy got no rabbit Now,
how can we remedy that state
of things By multiplying the
rabbit No, for if he could not get
one he could no manage greater number.
Nor by multiplying the logs for each
would require the axe, but if we could
multiply the axes We would then compass
the difficulty. Col. Colyar says, that
'the wealth is here" That is true.
That eve must have capital to develop
il" That is true. And 'that the only
chance to get capital is to bring in the
immigrant That is pity. May /,
Mr.. Editor, make an attempt to unravel
this tangled yarn. In the first place we
must begin by removing the rubbish out
of the way, clear up our surroundings
My opinion is that the best way, to be
sure of the visits of your friends is not
to hide yourself away where they can't
reach you only at the risk of life and
treasure, or both, but build your hOuse on
the public highway, where it is easy of
access. Make all your surroundings in
vitinE, meet your guest st the door with
hearty good cheer, and make him feel
ike he was at home. Next, you must
put real estate on the market upon an
equal footing with bonds. By which l
mean, if you tax real estate, you must tax
bonds equal to the tax on the real estate;
if your bond is convertible into money
easily, you must make real estate convert
ible as easily, or at most within ten days.
How can real estate compete in the mar
ket with bonds while the real estate is
doomed to carry the burden of the coun-
try and the bond go freel
Why do capitalists seek bonds as an in
vestment2 Because they are free from
tax, and can be converted into money at
the pleasure of the holder. Why is not
real estate sought for as an investment
Because it is loaded down with taxes,
and the difficulty, and the length of time,
and the expense necessary TO enable the
holder to realize on II. Then it is not
because of any intrinsic value attaching
to the one or the other, but because of
the difficulties surrounding the one, of
which the other is free. Suppose you
could prevail on our Legislature to pass
law, so that the holder of real estate could
mortgage it for a potion of its value, and
such that the mortgage could realize omit
within ten days, without expense to him.
Then ! will agree to show Col. COlyar
more money in Nashville tan immi
migrants would bring him in an age. But
you say that would be the death of the
poor man. (Well, sir, l think l would
be the last man to int1ict an injury on the
poor man, for then | would be dealing
hard with myself, and the graves of my
ancestors.) Well, let US see. Here is a
IOor man; he is a mechanic; can build his
own house; and, by industry and econo-
my has secured him little home, worth
say $1,000. 1t is sill the means he has on
earth He las home, it is true, and
thereby subject to heavy tax; but he is
turned out on the market, as a
day labOrer, or 10 seek such jobs
as he can pick up, and these
would be only such as capital could make
nothing out of, and at the end of the
year his little house is embarrassed; one
or two more and it is gone. But suppose
tina. with the mortgage law he could have
mortgaged his house for $500; with
that, combined with his skill, be could
have built him another house, and mort
gagged that, and so on being not only his
own boss, but the architect If his own
fortune. Take another picture: Here
are five young men, all good mechanics,
Just commenced the world, and have ex-
hausted all their money in procuring
comfortable homes for their families :;
this done, and they are without capital,
except an honest purpose, a strong arm,
and d steady brain. Their united prop
erty is worth say $4,000. They mort
gage this property for $4,000, which,
combined with the skill and energy of
five young, enterprising mechanics, no
one need be careful about their future.
But you say that their homes would he
sold at public cutlery before they could
get their shop into operation. Well, let
nc coo The DrpDprtv ie rOnr+rauo6 for