The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-05-10
TexasLetter.


ALLIyToN, April 9th, 1876. 4
Editor Grange Adrance:-1 have
before me copy of your paper bearing
date April 5th, in which is an article
headed, "The Future Of Red Wing
which just exactly suits me. It is by
no means the first sound article that I
have found in your paper (for your edi-
torials are always to the point, nor is
it the last 1 expect to read, but it
strikes me as being exactly to the point.
More especially as once belonged to
that same crowd Of grumblers and croak-
ers that you describe. One Of those
that thought it necessary to |jump from
the frying-pan into the fire." by going
to Texas. Though, of course I did
not realize the fire part of It, until I
had been in this great State some little
time. Your words are true, and 80 men
in every 100 will find them so, if they
try the emigration experiment, especial
" If they are poor men.
This is called a poor mans country,
and with good reason. Let a man come
here poor man and in a majority of
cases he will not only remain SO, but
will get poorer every year. I have met
100 men, perhaps, from different parts
Of the north, within the past year, and
I have not met a half dozen who express
ed themselves as satisfied with the coun-
try; and when I would ask the ques-
tion:, 'tWhy don't you 60 back north?"
I would almost invariably be answered.:
because, can not possibly raise the
means to 90 with" III
Now, am well aware that all men
interested in getting up our migration
documents and sending them up into
your country will pronounce this a lie,
but I am prepared to discuss the ques-
ton and prove any assertion that have
made Or may make. also know mum
bers of men who have been here from
one to sixteen years, and have not got
fifty dollars to bless themselves with
to-day nor to take them out Of the coun-
try, no matter how bad they may want
to 60 out.
As have before intimated there is a
way-various ways-to make money
here. A man with money can make
money. Without it he can also make
money if he chooses to work into the
stock business by slow and easy stages.
But unless your emigrant is chronic
thief and is prepared to do a cut-throat
business on general principles, he will
hardly embark in that business. There
is much behind this assertion that your
people can not thoroughly understand
without coming here and learning by
experience or observation; but I will add
that "whether it is worth while to go
through so much to gain so little" is a
question, and I would not advise them
to try emigration for the sake Of learn
ing the particulars.
I cannot forbear giving you All idea
of the practical workings Of the Emil
grant Labor Employment Agency"
through which many poor man has
been humbugged into serious trouble
here. l will do this, hoping that some,
at least, will steer clear Of the difficult
ties that will beset them if they fall in
to the clutches of said agency; and if
any poor man, after a fair warning,
comes to this State through said agency,
they will realize the truth Of what I
write.
The plan Of the Agent is summed
up in one word, "money;' and he does
not care one cent whether the em;grant
lives or dies. His modus operondi is
this: He sends circulars to your PEG.
pie setting forth that this is the finest
country in the world and the only one
that is really worth living in, and that,
if said emisrant really wishes to come
here, he can come whether he has a
dollar or not, by simply entering into IN
agreement to work a certain length Of
time for Il planter. Said planter will
advance the fare to his place, pay the
agent his commission, etc., etc, and give
the emf grant an opportunity to get rici.
speedily. am, Of course, drawing !.
picture Of the poor emigrant.) lie ar
:ives in Houston, for instance, without
money and he goes to Barnes l. Mckay,
agents, states his case frankly and they
tell him:
"You are all right. l know of
man out here in Colorado county, that
wants a man and his wife to work.
The man to work AZ u field hand and
his wife to cook for l2 or Is hands,
And an agreement is drawn up to the
effect that the man and wife are to. re
ceive 500 per month, and the agent says