Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-11-21
OUR GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY.
Tennessee's Future in Her Own Hands.
An Admirable Letter from Col. j. ID.
KiltebreT.

] AAtktD-
The following open letter has been
addressed by Col. j. b. Killebrew
Secretary of the State Board of Agri-
culture, to Col. G. A. Charlton, editor
of the Grange Outlook. and head and
front of the Order of Patrons of Hus-
bandry in East Tennessee
/ NASHVILLE, Nov. II, 1S74.-Col. C..
W. Charlton: | read to-day with
great pleasure your open letter address
ed to DR.. Maxwell ON the subject of
immigration. 1t meets with my most
hearty approval There never was a
time within the history of the State
certainly not within the past quarter
of a century-so opportune for pro-
curing immigrants as the present. and
to this conclusion / am led from the
very extensive correspondence | have
had with the people of the North and
Europe. The reasons for my convic-
I tions are
l. The low price of land in our
State-cheaper than it has been for
twenty five years
I 2. The great anxiety of large class
of farmers to sell off portion of their
lands, which they cannot. under the
present labor system, cultivate with
profit, and which rests ASA burden
upon them.
B. The failure of the West to meet
the wants and expectations of large
class of emigrants that have been de-
luded by glaring misrepresentation,
and are greatly dissat;ied. There is,
therefore, refiux in the tide, and
Tennessee is attracting special atten-
ton from this class.
4. The warm welcome which our
people have, within the past year, been
extending to all seekers after homes.
D. As resultof the recent elections,
the increased confidence which the
people of the North will have in the
future prosperity of the South, and
their greater willingness to invest
money In the State.
q. The distinct enunciation of our
people, as shown by the election, that
the pllghted faith of the State shall be
preserved at all hazards.
Z. The depression in the price of
iron in all the markets of the world is |
bringing about investigations as to
where iron can be made cheapest. 1t I
is now conceded fact tina; it can be /
made as cheaply in the State of Ten i
nessee, as at any other place within |
the bounds of civilization, and with 1
facilities for transportation. English /
iron masters are now turning their at
tention to this State, and with proper
efforts on the part of the next Legis
lature, and the hearty concurrence of /
our people, thirty millions of dollars +
will be engaged in the manufacture Of
iron in Tennessee within FIVE years.
Coal and iron ore are here found in
juxtapositiOn, both easy of access, and
nothing but the blight of a dishonored
name can prevent capitalists from
seeking investment.
These are few of the many reasons
why think the time is highly pro- 1
pitious for the invitation of capital
and labor. Our people need them
We are land poor. Rich in all the /
elements of wealth, we lack the means
to transmute these elements into
wealth. Said very intelligent Eng
lishman, few days since, after visit
ing one of the iron regions of the
State: Sir, you have a country rich
in everything except capital and labor. +
Bring these, and the sun will shine /
upon no land more prosperous or more
plentiful. Let us reach out, then,
and grasp these keys, which will alone
unlock for us all the hidden treasures
of our mountain chains, and our fertile
valleys. Let Tennesseeans prove
worthy of their heritage, and not /
slumber forever in obscurity and |
poverty, when the glories of the gold /
en- age are within their reach. Develop I
ment of our resources means low taxes,
and improved agriculture, an exten-
sion of our commerce, 4 multiplica-
tion Of our industries, utilization of
our wasted forces, and a growth of our
cities and towns 1t means more-it |.
assures an increased intelligence and
all the blessings of rational existence,
and of a higher and more benign civil
ization. Believe me, there is but one
way to reduce taxes, and that is to in-
crease the wealth of the State by i'm
migration, by labor and by the intro
duction of capital. Any other plan
than this, consistent with honor, is
the delirious dream of visionary and
shows signal lack of craftsmanship.
There is a growing demand for copies
Of the work on the Resources of Ten
nessee. Very truly,
j. b. K1LLEBREw. /