The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-11-01

J taken 10 the Fair Grounds and intro
duced 10 the authorities OF tho Stat
| Agricultural Society. The party wer
conducted TO the building occupied as III,
headquarters Of the Society, and from
the upper porch the speeches were deliy
cred. The crowd that gathered aFount
J the building visa large. The officers o
J the Society, members OF the City Counci
and distinguished citizens were stationed
! on the porch with the President. Gov
: Kemper delivered the welcoming ad.
| dress.
PREsDENT HAYEs' REsPoSsE.
President Hayes responded as folloWs
Coz. Kemper, Ladies and GmtlemM-l
] am admoniShed by the leaden sky and
, thickening mist that my remarks In reply
10 the welcome We have Just listened IA
must be very brief. would gladly Civ
expression to the satisfaction and gratifi
cation 1t gives me to have this truly Vir
gtnia welcome. [Cheers.l understand
very well the general purposes Of the so
ciety whose annual meeting brought To-
gether this large assembly-the growing
interest OF Virginia. The leading inter :
est has been promoted by the works oi
this society, and in trying to do some
thing 10 further this great interest, we
shall attempt q suitable return for the
hospitality and kindness with which We
have been so cordially received. ] am
glad 10 contribute something to the work.
The State Of Virginia has wisely UNDER
taken 70 make known to the world her
adyantages-to make them known 10 in
telligent and enterprisipg people, who
desire to better their condition By change
Of homes. The Board Of Immigration
has been very fortunate in securing an
officer who reports to that Board an iu-
teresting and satisfactory description oi
attractions which Virginia possesses for
immigrants. A few days ago one Of the
Senators from Virginia furnished me
with Mr.. Hotchker's description Of Vir-
ginia.
Now, my friends, in undertaking to
contribute little TO the work OF your so.
ciety, shall not be guilty Of dealing with
facts and statistics. It would be indeed
carrying coal TO Newcastle to tell Yir.
ginians what Virginia is. Thanks to
these gentlemen Of the press who are re.
porting these proceedings, ! may be able
10 reach large numbers Of people in other
States that can't conveniently be repre-
sented here and witness what We behold.
do not intend to enter into an elaborate
description Of any Of the advantages Of
Virginia. merely wish to invite and
put intelligent people in other States on
the track Of Investigation about Virginia.
merely wish to read sort OF catalogue
Of the various attractions and claims OF
Virginia upon the consideration of those
who anywhere in the United States de.
sire to improve their cozdition by
seeking new and better homes. Vir-
ginia possesses an area OF territory
about equal to Pennsylvania, or il is one.
eight larger than Ohio, but lis population
is only one-third Of Pennsylvania and
does not reach one.half Of Ohio. There
is then in the frst place in Virginia two
great spaces Of unoccupied land. Under
your former system it was the ambition
Of your men 10 have large estates. Your
state, therefore, must be divided into
greater number OF smaller farms; thus it
will be so years hence. The population
will increase by people coming In; thus
the generel prosperity will be promoted.
If liam expanding little the sky you
notice is frightening, and I happily find
them Frightening in another direction
Cheers. As there is abundant ter
ritory for migrants to possess, what
then Is the character Of that territory?
As the same is worn out, I hear our ag-
ricultural friends are doubling whether
there is skill to restore that land. Your
plan was that it was easier to clear new
land than TO restore the old. That has
been done in Virginia. Now comes the
time when the soil is to be brought up
again. Withcapital, skill and appropriate
applications what is not fertile can be
made so. Along your rivers there is an
abundance Of good land yet, in the valley
OF the South Side and In the mountain
regions the immigrant can see it. He can
get 1t cheap 1t is cheap land the
immigrant wishes. Land in Virginia is
probably about S25 an acre. For good
land that is cheap; for in my own country
land ranges from $25 to 500 per acre.
In additionto cheap land, the next thing
is . market easily reached. how does
Virginia stand in this respect? In this
State the most perishable vegetables can
reach = market before they are worthless.
But says some one they are dreadfully
taxed in Virginia. They are now divided
over there about their debt. am not
here to discuss before you local questions.
I do not mean to drop words to tell on
which side 1 may be. [Laughter.l Il
will say this, you are not as heavily tax
ed as where l live in Ohio. i will say
this also, that take your State debt and
add To it all the other debts OF the cities
and counties oil the State, and I think that
Virginia Is not heavily in debt, and here
again I might point to State in the
North, the fair State Of New York, or
smaller ONES, which have cities to pile
their taxes on. Cities pay the taxes.
Farmers do not live in the cities and a
wise emigrant knows that il the taxes are
on the cities who pays for the goods; the
farmer must,hear his share, II the cities
are heavily in debt the farmer feels it.
I say that taxation in Virginia is light.
l say then Virginia is the State the
worthy immigrant is enquiring for. The
climate Of Virginia ID excellent. The
large muscular men l see before me de.
mand its praise, and the ladies too, for
the ladies / admire; tits a good climate. II
1 am not mistaken men sof every race
will in Virginia find an excellent " ork.
ing climate; neither the severity Of
its winters nor the exhaustive heat
in the summer are1unfavorable to work.
Perhaps nowhere do We fiud the original
type, the ruddy face; muscles we'll cover.
ed, nerves we'll protected, and that type
Of Englishmen better preserved than in
Virginia. 1t Is then good climate.
Therefore intelligent and good people
viii immigrate here, and besides these I'D.
vantages l might allude to that which
will give home market to the farmer.
The growth ofmanufactures makes popu.
lous cities, and these consume the pro.
ducts Of agriculturalists. These material
advantages are supplemented by others
which, to the intelligent immigrant, are
very strong and attractive. Take the edu.
cational advantages. think few States
have done 80 much as Virginia to i'm.
prove their educational system for
both races It is very good and
his increasing. II is not YET what Gov,