The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-03-18

Gvsniila Stats Soitrmal.
IMMIGRATION,


tant subject will either be totally over
looked or left to the hasty action of a
closing session. Two bills have been in
troduced looking to the encouragement of
this interest, but we do not see in either of
them any advantage over the present
organization. There is at present State
board of three members and the law seems
to cover the ground, except in one or two
points. We believe there is now one
vacancy to be filled by the Governor.
General Richardson, the agent Of immi-
grafton, has served in that capacity for
several years without remuneration. In
that time he has sustained vast cores
pondence at home and abroad organized
a system of agencies and diffused much
information as to the resources and climate
of Virginia abroad. He is probably more
thoroughly acquainted with the whole
subject Of immigration than any other
man in the State.
His energy, disinterested zeal, and the
extent to which he shares the confidence
of all classes, emnently fit him for this
work. Such moderate appropriation as
the State is now able to make, expended
under his direction, would be far more
productive of good, we are confident, than
if new organization is attempted. No
time is to te lost if we are to get any good
of the emigration during the present year.
At best it will take several months to get
the agencies organized and a knowledge of
the plan widely disseminated. With new
men, who must meet and organize and ac-
quaint themselves with the work, we shall
be put back six months at least. The
size of the Board suggested in the House
bill is, to our mind, a serious objection.
Three members are ample, and far more
likely to arrive at harmonious results than
larger number. Let the Legislature ap-
propriate what it can afford to do, and
leave General Richardson to present plan
of action to the present Board. Give
them power to legalize it, and the work
will be faithfully done, and we shall have
something to show for our money.
There are some very crude ideas aAoat
upon this whole subject in the South.
Some people have an idea that Europe is
filed with capable laboriug people who
are SO poor that they are willing to come
to this country, live anywhere, and work
for q mere pittance. Nothing is farther
from the truth capable workmen of all
kinds are able to live decently in all the
countries of Europe, and, although their
pay is small. they enjoy many social ad-
vantages and home comforts wholly un-
known among laborers South.
These facts must be considered by those
who would induce an emigration which
will yield us any substantial good.
We must then prepare the way for it
by complete revolution of public senti-
ment upon all subjects relating to the
laboring classes. Schools must be pro-
vided and advanced to high grade, that
our German, Norwegian and Irish emil
grants may not compare our educational
advantages unfavorably with their own.
Large land-holders who expect to employ
laborers of this class, must build neat
comfortable homes of two or three rooms
each. Whole neighborhoods must do this,
SO that the new corners will have society
of their own and form permanent local at
tachments. If emigrants of the better
class are isolated, they will soon get tired
and disguised, and seize the first op por-
tunity to leave for those communities where
social advantages can be enjoyed.
More important, as we conceive than
any other point yet thought OF, is some
plan of cutting up large estates so as to
enable us to compete with the West in
furnishing small farms at cheap rates.
The present land owners as individuals
may be willing to do this, but no one of
them can do it alone, and it needs some
method by which they can throw large
tracts of land into a common tract, have it
re-surveyed into small farms, with conve-
nient roads, titles cleared up and guaran-
teed to the purchaser by the State. We
are not lawyers enough to arrange the de-
tails of such a plan, but we know it is
feasible. We are confident that its adop-
ton would enable the board of emigration
to bring to our State the class of people SO
much needed, farmers, with sufficient
means to buy and improve small places.
Let it once be known that one thousand
small farms can be bought at reasonable
prices, contiguous to each other, with
GOOD roads laid out, and in portion OF
the State accessible by rail, and the people
will come that we want to see. This
people will not come alone and live in
isolated barbarism. But there are thou
sands in the North who would like to get
away from cold, who have desire to
grow fine fruit, who have heard Of our fish
and oysters, who would like to get here,
but won't sacrifice their social institutions
to do it.
Open the way for colonies as the West