The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1880-02-25
Letter From Hon. George Torrey
on Immigration.

on Immigration.
FAYETTE Miss, Feb. T. 1850
Hon A. NJ. West:
DEAR SIR You letter of the Path ult.
to hand. | am in hopes that ! may DE able
TO visit the Capital soon. So far MS the labor
question is concerned in this section of
country, it is daily growing from bad 20
worse. l see from the proceedings iu the
/ Legislature, that there appears to be a great
demand for appropriations from all the pub
| lie institutions in the State This is all
right, provided the finances of the state
can afford it, Unless some means can be
devised, by which the soil OF the State can
! be cultivated, where are the means to
come from in the early future, to sustain
these institutions? If what appears in the
newspapers be true as to the negro exodus
from all parts of the State not only our
State, but the most of the Southern States
will soon be destitute of large portion of
our laboring population. We have nothing
to do with other States. Our business is To-
take care of ourselves.
From what experience l have had, in the
two years | spent in England, l feel conf
dent that immigration can be procured iu
any quantity, if the proper effort was made
to turn it to our State But to do this 10
will take money. Suppose the State was 10
expend one million of dollars in the next
ten years, and receive twenty millions of
dollars in return, she certainly would not
be loser by the appropriations. But mo-
such an appropriation rs this is required
In my opinion the first thing to be done Is
to prepare the proper information as To the
great resources of our State, to be sent
abroad and let the outside world know what
kind of a country we have. In order to do
this, the Commissioner Of Immigration
should have sufficient means at his disposal
to enable him to prepare q pamphlet, not
necessary to contain over one hundred and
fifty pages, one page OF said pamphlet
should be allowed to each county in the
State giving a full description of the soil.
timber, health Of the country, etc This
pamphlet should contain wood cuts of many
of our agricultural productions as well as n
map, with each county marked out, with
all the rail roads naYigable streams, cities.
and towns. In fact make il as attractive as
possible Each Of the lines of steamers that
sail from the old world to New Orleans.
with the cost of passage money, as well as
the railroad fare from New Orleans to Jack
son, should be contained in the pamphlet
Then if there was notice Of
the Clement Attachment in said
pamphlet, it would make il still
more valuable. This Company would will
lingly pay for such a notice. The balance
Of the pamphlet should be a general review
OF the State, as to the amount of cotton pro-
duoed to each acre, what the average
amount of corn per acre, and what it brings
IN the market the same as to wheat rice
and every other production Of the State.
Then make comparison As to what is pro-
duced in the Northwestern States, after
deductlng the transportation. This would
place the production of our section OF
country on proper footing. The resources
of our State as to rearing OF stock should not
be overlooked. Col. Hardie Of New Or
leans, stated to me, that he would furnish
such map as | have decribed SO six cents
per copy, each pamphlet should contain one
of these maps.
If the Legislature in their wisdom should
conclude to act at once in this matter, thew
should not adopt penny wise, and pound
foolish policy. While in England ! saw
many such pamphlets, rs / have described
sent out from the Northwestern States as
we'll as from Canadas The Northwestern
states have spent millions Of dollars to pro-
cure immigration to that section, and thew
have been well compensated for their out
ay. No person that has 40 experience in
immigration can form an idea as 20 the
amount of labor that would have to be per
ormed by the commissioner 10 make the
business a success.
While on this subject, il might not beout
u place to give some statistics as to immi-
grafton into our country. Up to 1920. the
hat arrived in the United States F-e,r,
$50 to 1870, eight millions arrired ~
his number our State received - won HIM
lred. This information 7 oot from
'amphlet published at We. abingdon Citv fiji
ID with information 20 immigrants.1 Mis-
amPhlet was pres' nted to me in Liverpool,
y the Amerle'-.I Consul. In this pamphlet
'Ss d sta1erhent as to what each immigrant
Jus I" the wealth of the country. The
es'. political economists of the North, were
lot agreed on this subject, some put the
mount as high rs twelve hundred dollars.
theirs at one thousand, and some as low as
lght hundred. 1t is now conceded to be
ne thousand dollars.
Then as to the amount Of money each inn
Migrant brings with them into the country.
tier many years of close investigation at
astle Garden, New York, the amount was
'certained to be sixty-eight dollars for
ach person, man, woman and child. If
lese statistics be correct, this will at once
low the Importance in turning the tide of
emigration into the State.
l remain yours truly,
GEO. ToRREY.
REV Tcr1.v Cfrr,~,rr.--