The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-11-05
POSSESS THE LAND
Cleveland, Ohio, Ca thollc Universe

tCleVelRuu, OnlOi SabuollC OnNerSo)
The time is fast passing away when
sissippi it is now impossible. There was a
time when men of small capital could have
bought farms in Ohio, Indiana, and IllI-
nois, but that time is gone. None now but
the rich can hope to buy in any of the
above States-and whatever individuals
may hope to do, there is now no hope for
colonization in any of these three States.
The question of Catholic colonization is
one that has long occupied the attention of
the public. few efforts have been made
here and there through the East, and in
some States of the West. but there has been
no Systematic effort. Where the effort has
been made, though there has been much
suffering in the beginning. yet in the end
success has attended the effort. One of the
earliest efforts, after the colonization of
Maryland by Lord Baltimore, was on the
Allegheny Mountains, by DR. Gsllitzin.
Though in the BEGINNING there was much
suffering, yet, to day the result is most
gratifying. For miles around the little
town of Loretto, where the few Irish and
German families came with then sanity
priest, now some sixty years ago, there ts
to be found none but Catholics, we'll to do
farmers, with churches, schools, and or
phansges to meet the wants of the
Mary's, Elk County, Pennsylvania, there is
similar story.
In Ohio there are numerous Catholic
settlements. Nearly the whole of An
glaze and St. Mary's counties is occupied
by Catholics, and in Stark county in our
own diocese there are no lees than eleven
churches, the members of which ale
nearly all farmers. There are also Catho-
lie settlements at Thompaou, Shelby, Peru,
Depboa, Defiance, Glandorf-which form
centers around which are found a large mum
Der of Catholic congregations composed
almost exclusively of Catholic farmers. In
this respect the Catholics of Northern
Ohio are far better off than those of the
South, and towards the West they are
growing very fast. Illinois is well taken
up with Catholic farmers, 30 is Minnesota
and Michigan, but Wisconsin has been, 80
far, pnrhaps tue most successful of all the
Western States in drawing within it
healthy class of farmers, who have settled
down IN large Catholic settlements, pos
tessiDg the land and building the founda-
tious of future Catholic population that
will be not only wealthy, but will have
within itself the means of keeping the faith
among them.
Quite number of efforts have been made
by priests to form Catholic colonies, and
though here aud there, there has been dis
satisfaction, yet none have actually failed
and those who have had courage to bear
with the privations necessary to fret be-
ginning in the woods, or on the unbroken
pralrley have invariably ended in compe-
tence and independence. Those who own
the soil will rule the country, and if
Catholics expect or intend to be anything
beyond heweTs of wood and drawers Of
water, they had better be bestirring them
selves and get hold of a piece Of land.
Whether arge or small, get piece of land
that you can call your own. Don't be
renters or tenants at the will of any man,
the more so as with little economy and
industry you can soon buy and pay for a
lot or a small farm. The great point is to
get hold of \ piece of land.