American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-07-13
A Few Words on the immigration
Matter.
BY F. ROCKHII.L, FROM NORWAY.
Editor Of the Americon Citizen

Editor Of the American Citizen
AS a constant reader of your pa
per, in which l always find some
thing interesting or useful, L beg
you to give place to these lines.
Only want of time have kept me
from doing this before.
l am a Norwegian myself and
have resided in the South over
three years. 1 have, so to say, made
it theme of my life to introduce
immigrants to the South of my own
race, the Scandinavrians. l have
travelled pretty much in those coun
tries; l am acquainted with the
habits of their inhabitants; l know
their iron nerve, their Industrious
habits and law-abiding character.
Skilled, as they are, IN every kind
of farm work, used to the plough.
the spade and the ak, 1 can have
no donbt of their making the very
best of laborers.
Year after year are nearly $4,000
immigrants landing in New York,
mostly from Norway and Sweden.
Now, Mr.. Editor, don't you think
as 1 do, that it is an all important
matter to get at least small por-
ton of this big tide of immigration
to turn Southwark, instead of No.ti
and West Will you assist me !!
Will your pen, your head and your
influence to the good of the coun-
tryf Look around see all those
old fields lying idle, growing up in
broomseed and bushes, fields which
once yielded abundance of crops.
Hands, hands, laborers, industrious
men OF good habits, are the cry.
Well, sir, can bring them, in tens
of thousands, if God will spare my
life, and let me fulfill this my mis-
sion, as my heart calls it. should
delight in seeing whole colonies of
those Woodworking men and wo-
men established here, in time, on
their own little homes, having their
own churches, schools, etc.
Let me now first tell you, that l
am not going to put up such terms
as would enable me to make only
this trip and then quit; but I will
try to establish a tiourishing and
increasing business. What good
would some few hundred immi-
grants do hereq No, let US have
them in tens of thousands
1 expect, as my commission, $40
for every grown man, and the first
months wages for a wOman-wages
for them ranging from Sc to $40, ac-
cording to abilities. All to be paid
over to me, when the hands are de-
livered in Canton. Wages for men
the first year would be put at $40
a month. Now sir, you see 1 don't
require dollar in advance ask
no pay for children, and select on
~ people who can pay their way.
lust as l myself make the trip on
my own expenses. Can you find a
particle of risk in it for anybody Z
Does it not look like fair business ?
1 wish everybody who wants
hands to come forward as quick as
possible, and describe what kind of
Iaborers they desire, and to address
their letters to me, through the Z.
O., care Mr.. e. Cordts. This will
enable me to decide if l can make
the trip or not. which will depend
on the number of hands wanted. l
could go early too, and get back
here by Christmas, or the first of
January next.
Let me furthermore state that I
want my cOuntrymen treated rs
white folks, treated with good, CON-
Portable houses and necessary pro-
visions, if they do not board at their
employers own table.
When have got a sufficient num-
Der subscribed for, 1 will call
meeting IN Canton of farmers and
others interested. n. II.