Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-12-12
AND ANTI.EMIGRA-
TION.

TlON.
EDITORS CHRONICLE During the
past few years many ways have been
proposed and much talking done,
through the press and otherwise, and
much is still being done, with the view
of inducing emigration to our State
This, so far as it goes, is all well
enough, but in my opinion it would be
better if we would act little in the
meantime whilst We are talking and
writing so much upon the subject.
Every good man who has the interest
of his State at heart wishes to see it
filled with good people, and it matters
not what their politics are, or
what country they come from, or
whether they are rich or poor, they
should be welcome, and all induce
ments consistent with our honor or
ability offered them to come. But
whilst we are doing so much Tin the
way of talking, if nothing else) to de-
wise means to induce emigration to
come to our State, would it not be well
for us to do something to retain those
people with us who are already here?
or in other words, to keep emigration
from leaving our State9
Every year thousands of persons
whom we know as good citizens are
leaving us for the want of good homes
and employment by which they could
make a living for themselves and
families, whilst we can furnish them
with homes and employment if we
would, and by doing so not only retain
good neighbors and friends but put
money in our own pockets. But ore
may ask, how can this be done? 1t is.
| think, very easily planned and can
be made so plain that any person with
ordinary intelligence can easily under
stand it. In Montgomery county there
are over one hundred farms that are
large enough to spare from them one
or more small farms of from fifty to
one hundred acres each. These farms,
on an average, have not yielded their
owners over three or four per cent. on
the capital invested in them since the
war. These small farms with comfort
able improvements, such as respectable
families would be willing to occupy,
will rent readily for from eight to ten
per cent. on the investment, including
the value of the land and the cost of
the improvements. For instance, our
best farm lands without improvements
are now rated at not over thirty dol
lars per acre. Fifty acres at this price
would be worth fifteen hundred dol
lars. Then we will add to this five
hundred dollars worth of improve
ments, which would make it cost two
thousand dollars. Now, fully one
hundred or more of these farms. of
first class land, could very readily be
rented in Montgomery county every
year for two hundred dollars each to
good tenants. This, then, would be
ten per cent. on the money invested.
As a matter of course, second and
third class land would not rent for SO
much, but it must be taken into con-
sideration that the land is not so val
liable, third class land being rated now
at only about ten dollars per acre where
there are no improvements and very
much of it would not sell for that, at
the present time, with ordinary i'm
provements.
Now suppose each farmer in the
county who owns large farms, instead
of allowing his fences to go to decay
and his vacant lands to grow up in
bushes and briers or have it half cul-
tivated, would make one or more COM
Portable homes on them for good fam
lies. how much better would it be for
themselves and the people Of the whole
county? Then in place of trying
to cultivate all of their land and only
half doing so, and thereby making but
one-half of crop, let them cultivate
but one-haif and cultivate it well,
whilst good tenant and neighbor is
doing the same thing on the other half,
and each making their half produce
as much as the whole has yielded
heretofore. Now, suppose each farmer
in the State of Tennessee, who owns
over one hundred and fifty acres of
land, would make improvements on
portions of his farm to the value of,
say. five hundred dollars or more, as
he chooses, and those owning five
hundred or one thousand acres or
more would make improvements of the
same character in the same proportion,
say one to every fifty or one hundred
acres, after keeping one hundred and
| fifty for his own use, and then rent
these places to good tenants at reason
able prices, charging them fair per
centage on the cost of the improve
ments with ground enough attached
for gardening purposes, then take a
part of the crop or fair money rent
| for the farming land. Then | would
further suggest that when they have a
tenant who has proven himself to be
a lust man and good neighbor, and
one who has saved little money and
wants a home of his own, that they
will sell him one of these small farm,
at a reasonable price, taking what ht
has saved as cash payment giving
him time to make the balance on tht