The Morning herald., 1877-12-08
WILMINGTON. Del. Dec. 8, 1877,
SOUTHERN EMIaRArION.

SOUTHERN EMIaRATION.
Nj Elihu Burritt, the learned blac
smi'', makes an earnest appeal throu
the New York Tribune in behalf Of t
unemployed laboring classes. He att,
butes the present unhappy condition
things to the competition of corpora
companies engaged in manufacturing,
which the laborsrs and the sons and daugl
ters of the farmers are tempted to lea,
the farm for the factory. We have re
peatedly drawn attention to the same ev
tendency of our civilization, and ha,
pointed out the importance Of maxim
country life more attractive.
Mr.. Burritt justly says that a corporal
company, composed Of individuals Of dif
iering occupations and training, or Of nom
in particular, cannot so wisely invest thei
funds in given enterprise, nor so ju
dicionsly manage its business as an ind
vidual whose pursuit through life it ha.
been; and yet, every stockholder in COM
pany has voice in its management; and
as often happens, the readiness to embark
in = new branch Of manufacture, or to en-
large the operations Of an old one, is in
versely proportioned to the capacity to
form a correct Judgment on the subject.
New railroad, steamship, and manuac-
turing companies are formed by men and
and women Of capital, but without expe-
rience, when the only chance of success is
based on the hope Of breaking down q
competitor. Hundreds Of laborers are
thus induced to leave the dreary farm for
the more social occupation furnished by
the company and whether the new or the
old company fails, = large number Of peoA
pie are thrown out Of employment, and
wander over the country as Cramps"
Mr.. Burritt recommends emigration to
Virginia. and points out how Virginia
capitalists can realize profit from loca.
ting colony of sixty families upon two
thousand acre tract of woodland, building
a church and school house, furnishing lum-
ber, and so forth, for building cabins, and
drawing a moderate rent for number of
years in the nature of annual instalments,
until the tenants can pay for the lands
But Just here the obstacle presents ITSELF
The Virginians are not capitalists. Those
who have lands have no money and these
who have little money have not accumu-
lated it by specializing in lands. Southern
men have no faith in such enterprises; and
il they had faith, they have no capital to
invest in that way. Mr.. Burritt should
call on the capitalists of the North to un-
dertake the colinization of the South on |
much grander scale than he proposes.
Northern capitalists are ambitious of fame
of leaving great and good name to |
rosterl'y. Hundreds Of them might plant
colonies twenty or Fifty times greater than
that proposed by Mr.. Burritt. On such
scale success would be certain: and pc
cuniary profit would be certain. The land
can be had at from one to ten dollars per
acre, and the presence Of population, even
without improvements. would double or |
treble its value.
Fertility is the circumstance which has |
lie ast to do with the price of land. 1t is !
the presence Of the buyers that makes the
difference. Massachusetts, is naturally a |
poor State and not larger than some
Southern Congressional districts; yet Mas.
'acLusetts is worth half dozen of those
States, There are half dozen capitalists
in Boston who could buy and colonize a |
'erritory iu Virginia or North Carolina, as
large as Massachusetts,, as healthful, and
4 great deal more fertile.
We maintain that the lavish e1pendi-
ture of millions in the cities ia building
tenement houses, in positive injury to |
The poor. 1t increases their number BY
alluring them to remain crowded together
where the competition for labor and the
litficulty Of making livelihood is con-
'tantly on the increase. Capital accumu-
ates in the cities, but it is drawn from the |
country; and 80 far as capitalists are
actuated by motives Of benevolence, they
will most wisely dispense their munif.
'ence by sending their millions back to
he country, to plant colonies, to found
,hurches and schools, and to make rural
life and pursuits pleasant snd attractive.