Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-05-22
DISTINGUISHED VISITORS.
Prospecting to COIOnize More Swiss
in Tennessee.
Interview with COnsul-General Hitz
and Senator zoos.

Among the visitors TO the UNION AND
AMERICAN yesterday were Gen. John Hitz,
Political Agent and Consul General Of the
Swiss Confederation, at Washington, and
Senator Wilhelm Joos, also of Switzerland.
The General said, in the course of an in
formal conversation, he had been IN this
country a number of years, observed the
Americans succeeded very well as migrants,
but it was different with the immigrants,
particularly those who could not speak
English. They needed some one to guide
them where to locate, that they could be
sure they were doing so to the best ad-
vantage. His attention had been called to
the Tennessee lands because of their great
fertility and adaptability to agriculture in
/ large tracts. The lands in Virginia, be had
noticed, were suitable only for pasturage.
Security of title was an important matter
he had been investigating. The overlap
| ping of grants had caused trouble. Final
| settlements were being effected, in some
cases where Swiss were concerned, through
Col. Staub as trustee, and money had
been placed in the possession of a court for
this purpose to be disbursed according to
the orders of the court. He had hoped to
devise some means by which State legisla-
ton would enable the immigrants to Ten
uessee to obtain secure titles TO the
property they had paid for, but the
constitution interveDed between him
and his aim. If the State donated one
hundred thousand acres of land on the
homestead principle it would encourage
emigration, facilitate the establishment Of
an immense colony and prove productive
of prosperity to the State which would be
a compensation for the land. A strram of
immigration would set in which would not
only soon cover this donation, but spread
itself in all directions on other land. 1t
would be of benefit TO the railway cOmpa-
MES in giving them increased business.
The competition, if it might not better be
called the monopoly, of the Northern lines
was SO great that they controlled immi-
grants. All found that those and the
Steamship lines were as a chain from the
coast of Europe to the Western part of
America. The Southern railroad lines and
interests did not seem to have any show to
compete there. The Immigrants were
hurried to the West and inveigled into in
vestments sometimes that were
unprofitable, and through the
agents of these steamship companies
and railroad lines. Again, these cor
porations were interested in western sland
speculatioHs. He considered the salubrity
of the climate in Tennessee far surpassed
that of many other parts of the United
State. If the State gave away one hundred
thousand acres of land, as homestead gift,
each immigrant would be worth to the State
$500 at once, or upwards of 100000 capi-
tai would be brought into the State when
the 100000 acres had been taken up.
Senator Joos, exhibiting a diagram pre-
bared for distribution among the friends of
| Swiss emigration, said it was proposed to
have the State donate one hundred thOus-
and acres of land probably in that part of
Tennessee embracing the colony of Swiss
| already in Grundy county, and then to
| have the land pass into the hands Of Trus-
tees to be agreed upon between the Gov
| ernOr of the State and Consul General HitZ.
He could at once present this matter to the
| people of Switzerland, and tide of emigra-
ton would be detected on to the new grant,
which could be divided into farms Of con-
| venient size. The education of the children
of settlers, on the grant, would be made
compulsory, The capital of the colonists
would be used not only in improving
| their farms, but in manufacturing
establishments which they would erect.
He explained the nlOdus operGn6 by which
the communities" /" proposed to be settled,
would unite their interests in developing
industries of various kinds, how they would
be able to maintain themselves prosperous
/ ly and altogether lead happy and indepen-
| dent life, well educate their children and ac-
| quire completeness for them. When inter
| rogated as to the number of Swiss emf
grants annually, he replied, "between five
| ard six thousand The population of
| Switzerland is 2,570,000. Its annual in
crease, 10000; so that from twenty to thirty
thousand emigrants can be spared each
| year.
The attention of the Consul General and
| the Senator had been called to tracts of land
| in other States, to be donated for the pUr-
pose they had in view, but not yet having
| examined them they did not know whether
| tbey would be suitable or not.
Gen. Hiz and Senator Joos yesterday
| and the day before had long interviews
with Gov. Brown. Last night Senator
Joos presented a proposition in writing
! which will at once be referred to the Com
missioners Of Emigration. These gentle
men having partially accomplished their
| object will leave this morning for Grundy
county.