Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-12-02
TENNESSEE LANDS.
Our Best Way to Promote I'm
migration.
A Sensible Letter from the Mas
ter Of the State Grange.
To the Union and American:

! IL appears. 10 IS important to the tax-pal
ers; 1t is important to the healthy growt
, in morals, as well as schools, churches an
the development of the rich ores and Coz
beds Of the State, and the introduction {
manufacturing, and the stimulation
would otter to the diversity of production
and diversity Of employment all of whic
would succeed each other by the occupation
OF the large unwieldy plantations as the
now are, that don't pay the owners, and arr
wasting away in intrinsic value for want of
permanent citizenship and ability to manag
them, who would have a common interes
and identity with the present citizens.
labor had encouragement, by being offered
an ownership in the lands on terms anC
rates it can pay, that settles at once ths
much talked of labor question as well a:
that of immigration. If we were disposed
to overlook this immigration question
with the active pens Of Charlton, KiIle
brew, and the columns of the RsfraI Sun
the Grange Outlook, the industrious UNION
AND AMERICAN and Memphis Appeal
the NGShUiile Banner, as well as the Pres,
and Herald and Chronicle, of Knoxville
and the Chattanooga papers, all watchful
| guardians of the interests of Tennessee
and many other public spirited city and
county papers of the State, we would be
poorly at ease with all these constantly call
ing our attention, in their sensible, earnest
way, the imperative demand for the careful
consideration of the subject. But we arr
not disposed to let it 60 by as a thing to be
unnotieed and uncOnsidered. Their ma
tured thoughts are announcements and in
centiyes to stimulate thought and action.
And we have been watching with impa-
tient anxiety the developments. They
are coming out in bold relief. The State
has taken the initiative and let in the
| light; she has Illuminated the path
way. The helmsman is at his post on
! duty.
The State has built a lighthouse, and
has, perhaps Internationally, placed a SEN
tinel on the very top window. The Oranges
and farmers clubs, now are dotted over the
State thick as the school houses and
churches, are and can be ready helpers with
their lights, which they can lend to come
to the assistance Ofthe State, and add story
to story to that lighthouse, and fill each
story with light that shall shine till all who
are looking TO our soil, or our mines, or our
water power, or our timbers, can surely
and safely reach an unembaTaSsed land
ing in any part of the limits .Of Ten
neSSee.
The book entitled GThe Resources of
Tennessee" the production Of the Agricul-
tural Bureau established by the Legisla-
ture, is a lighthouse. The Oranges,
through their secretaries, aud the farmers
clubs, through their secretaries, as we'll as
individuals who have lands to sell, and are
not convenient TO, nor connected with,
either of these organizations, can become
cO-wOrkers with the State Agricultural Blu
reau.
Unawares doubtless, but nevertheless
true, has the State placed Col. j. b. Kille-
brew as Secretary Of the Bureau, as the
Waterman, and forced him to become her
medium. of communication between the
enquiring hundreds who have capital TO in
vest, and who could bring labor with them,
if need be, and whose attention is attracted
toward Tennessee by that book. His fund
of knowledge can be utilized in the immi-
grafton and labor interest, if the effort is
made, and made properly, while there is
tide. The tide is in fagOT Of the land
owner who wants 10 cut up and sell, or
who wants to sell without cutting up, and
also in favor of the State, which begins to
realize that its future prosperity lies in en-
ergetic, skilled labor, and in the rapid de-
velOpment Of her natural wealth, and whose
safety to life, limb and property, is in the
moral and financial thrift Of her citizens
who are identified with her every interest,
morally, personally and pecuniarily.
Letters Of inquiry are pilinS up in the
headquarters of the Agricultural Bureau, in
Nashville, directed TO the Secretary, Col.
J. Is. Killebrew, asking minute statements
and information relative to lands for sale in
Tennessee. He gives freely and cheerfully
and gratuitously all the information he is in
possession Of that his official duties will
allow. But he is not informed as TO who
has lands to sell, nor where it is located;
neither has he minute and detailed state
ment as to its precise quality and quantity
and relative surroundings, socially, morally
and educatiOnally (if The word is admissi-
ble), and the church privileges or adyan
tages, its mills and factories, its coal, or
iron, or timber and water, and improve
ments in particular, all of which purchasers
want to know Though he probably has
more general information on all these sub
jects than any other one man); and al this
definite information the aforesaid owners
can give to the Bureau, and it can be placed
in book that could be kept there for that
purpose, so that all inquirers could be
answered, as well as advertisements in
serted in some journal or journals, CIV
ing to the public minute and authori-
tative descriptions that would
thus add story upon story on this light
house already erected. And l will under
take to say that the Secretary of the Bureau
will continue to give all the time and labor
to such a work that he can possibly spare
from official duties, and that freely and
gratuitOusly, as long as be can perform
such work without the neglect Of his Off
cial duties And when the business grows
to that proportion that it becomes necessary
to establish it as a business, and additional
help is required to conduct it, he can en-
gage Trustworthy and efficient aid on such
terms as he and the landowners can very
readily and easily adjust, and on such con-
ditions as will prove beneficial 70 seller for
such valuable aid, as well as an aid to the
buyer, of very great and almost incaicula-
BILE value in reliable and authoritative in
formation. II is a va.ue to a seller to be
furnished with buyer, and it is Of equal
value to buyer to find AZ as little loss in
time and money as possible what he wants
to buy, and those who receive values can
ALWAYS devise a remuneration to those who
furnish them.
This scheme can be begun and carried |
out without the State creating any more
offices. and thus meet the objections to ere
ating Offices; or if the citizens find, after |
watching the operations Of this plan, that |
il will paw the State as well as the work Of |
the Agricultural Bureau promises to pay |
through its Resources Of Tennessee" they |
can ask the Legislature to establish Sec |
retarvship Of the Bureau in connection |
with its present Secretary, and under the |
direction OF the Bureau, TO perform the |
work that the present Secretary cannot per |
form long and keep up with the present |
iuties, if the business in the intelligence |
department is encouraged by giving the in
formation called for.
Patrons in every county and neigbbor-
hood in the State, this is your opportunity |
% show forth Your ability 70 accomplish /
,Ood for sellers and buyers by cooperating
With the State in the work she has set ON
ioot, and by which she has accomplished so
much.
This is no real estate agency, perhaps, |
hat has effected many sales. IL is a work /
you can do, and is the scheme that presents
tself to my mind, after comforting with |
others who have bestowed thought on this
subject, as the one that has in it all the |
features necessary 10 success.
Action is the watchwOrd and the road to |
success. w. MAXWELL,
Master Tennessee State Grange.