The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1873-02-07
WANTED


WANTED
Blythe peopleof Kentucky an immigra
ton law. Though the bill TO secure i'm
migration has been defeated, il is not prop
er TO surrender the question. Public and
private agitation Of the subject should BE-
kept up until our representatives in the
General Assembly should feel themselves
peremptorialy instructed to frame law
according to the wishes, and in the inter
est, Of the people. Another Legislature
will assemble next Winter. A new set
Of representatives will be elected at the
coming August election. Tmidity in
the initiation Of new measures. has
been the characteristic feature in all our
legislative bodies which have assembled
in the last score of years. Instead Of an
ticipating the wants and necessities Of
the public, ss servants, sealous for the
well-bcing Of their country, should be,
they have delayed and temporized until
public sentiment has dashed them into an
active obedience. That there are honor
able exceptions to the rule Of this apa-
thetic, old-fogy spirit, is hot to be ques-
toned. Those who have stood in the
van Of the few progressive movements
that have been made are entitled to their
mead of praise. The immigration bill has
its advocates. They represent the NOV
ing, living spirit of Kentucky. At
this juncture in our history.asystemstized
plan of immigration is more needful than
il has ever been. We need labor. The
sturdy German, the thrifty. Scotchmsn
and industrious Swiss are all wanted to
make our agricultural and mineral lands
yield double their present product. We
are afflicted with lazy set of emsncipa-
ted laborers, who, when they work at all,
have no ambition or object beyond
days rations. We need work men, who
combine industry with intelligence. A
comparison of the productiveness of our
present labor with that Of the old world,
is all that should be required to demon
strate to any mind, not biased by stub
born prejudice, the excellent advantages
that would accrue to our State by the
introduction of European labor. 1t is
folly to talk about our being an exclusive
people. We re.made up of the odds and
ends of creation. We are neither Pct,
Saxon, Teuton, or anything else. Amer
lean, in fact, means a conglomeration.
We have no right to pride ourselves up
On any particular blood. and practically
forbid to immigrants, from any of the pres
ent European nationalties, the privilege
of joining us in the development Of our
country. and the enjoyment Of the boun-
ty of our soil. We cannot consistently
indulge the foolish pride that we are bet
than any body else. We cannot, after a
calm survey, deny that the immigration
Of industrious artisans, mechanics and
farmers would rebound to our interest.
We are forced to admit that an encour-
agementof theproper kind ofimmigration
hormonizes with the spirit of our free in
stitutions.
The Eastern portion Of Kentucky,
more especially perhaps than the Wss-
tern, abounds in uncounted thousands Of
acres of land, rich in lead, copper, mari,
iron, coal, and perhaps other minerals,
which lie untouched, because we have
no labor of the intelligent, hardy charac-
ter that will undertake to develope it.
Our young men are too proud to work.
Our negroes are too lazy. All labor of
that kind which the country affords finds
its encouragement and reward in the New
England manufactures. Why do our
representatives stand back? Rather,
why do they stand in the way? Are
they still hugging that old political catch
word, Americans shall rule AmericaS
That is as defunct as slavery. We want
material improvement and development
in Kentucky. As a State We are fifty
years behind time in many respects.
We must quicken our pace. If we will
not put our own hands to the plough, let
us have among US those who will.