The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1872-02-22
For the virginian.

rs f.. ~
Mr.. EDITOR VIII you allow a plain Farmer
small space in your excellent paper to give a
few thoughts in relation to the subject that APP
pears to be agitating the minds of Virgnians
illude to the necessity of immigration to The State
of Va, and the kind Of immigration we want AS
to the necessity immigration that is matter that
is obvious to all, the vast uncultiyated fields the
numerous beds of valuable minerals lying DOR
mant in the bowels Of our State, the beautiful
streams offering the bestepower for machinery,
the lofty forest etc. all of which intheir present
attitude are Understandable at the same time ere
is heavy State debt that is grinding the very
vitals Of the owners OF the property All this be-
speaks the necessity of lditional population and
as yet see no practicable mode Embarrassing our
numbers with population that will be beneficial
to US. AS to laborers we have more than we have
capital to employ-cnnsequently the foreign pau
| per, or Industrious lahcrer, without capital
would be of ne benefit to us-what we want is
men of enterprise and means, to purchase our
waste field of wealth and turn them into profit
to themselves .and asorce of revenue to our State.
1t matters not from where they come or how they
come or how they get here, fbut would prefer
that they come on their own expense instead of
| taxing cur already tax ridden people to bring
| them. And the quickest and best way, in my
OPINION, 10 populate our waste places would be TO
| give all a hearty welcome who do come. Let Va,
News fapers stop this clap trap about carpet bag
| gers and yankee adventures and in less then five
| years our State will have a population meeting
4 our demands and filling our wants. 1t matters
not to me from where my neighbor halls if he is
honest and Industrious, if he has come from
| Massachusetts and bought a farm for $40 600
| anu PAID tor,it have the consolation of knowing
that there has been $4,000 brought 10 my neigh.
borhoodo be used in Va If another would start
| a machine shop or factory on the creek near by
welcome him, he will give employment to the poor
oy,1x hoo 6
midst 1t matters not to me whether he votes the
Democratic or Republican ticket, or what partic-
ular church he may chose to attend-I shall al
low him the same privilege in this matter that I
have received for myself This is the only kind
of immigration that..can do US any good, let them
come from where they may. But there has been
for years past, and is up to this time immigra-
ton that has and is yet sappngt the life blood of
our State-which if not soon arrested will leave
Virginia without. Vs1ginidns-tha is the emmi gra-
ton ofVirginians from the home of their youth
to hunt their fortunes in the Western States
when look our old Dominica and behold
the vast riches and innumerable blessings that
have been bestowed upon her by the Creator, the
question naturally arises; why is this !? echo an
swers ask the emmig grants! whose respond is, was
poor-and there being monopoly in my Father
land both in practical and Financial matters
saw no prospect of future eminence OF wealth ;
consequently determined to plant my standards
where men are appreciated for worth and merit
and thus our Virginians have gone, taking as it
were the trophies of our country for in almost all
cases it has been the intelligent Industrious and
persevering that have gone-bfight youths with
high ASPIRATIONS. Qeaving the drones to take care
of the hive,) Farmers, Mechanics and men of al
most all professions, and still they 60 and will
tinue to do SO as long as aristocracy holds domin
Ion IN our State. lthas not been II months since
party of some 40 left our county for the west
in one body. Suppose that they had been met on
the way by band ofimmi grants bound for Virginia
what would have been the probable consequence?
1t is but fair to suppose that the tide would have
been turned and all land in Missouri; and this is
but one Instance in hundred thatis taking place
in our State almost daily; nor is the immigration
confined to the poor alone, men of means help to
swell the tide. It does seem to me that if the
friends of immigration who are saying and doing
SO much and spending Virginia money SO freely
70 lnuuee foreign immigration to settle among us,
wouiu hola out the same practical Indictment to
Nsinf "a sons 10 stay at home and help to build
ap cur otte, oy showing to them, that merit shall
hsVe us reward here as we'll as elsewhere it
would BE time and money better spent-and when
young man appears In n strange neighborhood.
instead of asking if he is of a good family. ask
II ne Is eigoed doy---is he gentleman of honest
and Industrious habits, and if so assign him to
that position in society that the God of nature de.
signed him to ill-Break down the landmarks of
.ne =. T.. s., and show to our people that the
iaoorer IS 10 be respected and merit rewa'rded,
anu virginia Will need no immigration societies
ihls ioSlc may seem strange to the politicians
of the day. but it is the candid conviction Of a
FARMER