The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-11-03
Letter on Immigration.

reasons why people who come to this coun-
try from the North of Europe, give the cot
ton belt of the United States the gc-by. oc-
| casionally, see quite number of English,
Scotch, and some German farmers pushing
right through Louisiana, Mississippi and
Tennessee for Texas; and the question
comes up very naturally, why do they not
stop with US? Texas is known abroad, in
territory, as an immense empire, where
millions of acres of a rich, level. virgin
soil have never yet been touched by the
plowshare, where the forests have never yet
echoed the sound of the woOdman's axe
where the cereals grow in great perfection,
where the rich plains of nutritive grass in-
vite the profits of pastoral life; mors than
all, they know that 10 this broad territory
of diversified soil and climate, lands are
cheap, and instead of tenants, they can be-
come proprietors of the soil. These are the
reasons why these sturdy sons of toll seek
homes in the rich plains of Texas, rather
than in our midst.
1t will hardly be doubted By any intelli-
gent reader, that to get nome of his own,
is the leading idea OF any ceYer-minded for
eigner shat comes to our shores; aud he
| thinks that he can accomplish that precious
object on better terms, and with more hope
! fnl results in Texas, than any other State in
this Union. How far he is right, is not my
! purpose to discuss.
II Southern people expect white immi-
grants to come here and cultivate their
lands as mere hireiings, they had as we'll
abandon the delusiOn. Are we ready to cut
up our large landed estates into small farms
suitable to their means and habits OF life,
| if they would come? This is an important
question, and upon its proper solution de-
! bends largely the future interests of the
South. No man acquainted with the civil
| Iization of the present or past ages, will
contend, that immense landed estates in the
hands of a few, contribute most TO the
greatness or happiness of a State or nation.
| Look at the map of Europe to-day, and see
| those countries where citizenship and pro-
prietorship of soil, no matter how small the
area, 90 hand in hand, and you will find
contented, thriving people; and on the other,
where the feudal inheritances of large landed
dominion still remain, and the people will
| be found passive and inert as to progress
or, wrangling and dissatisfied as to the gov
| ernment that tolerates the vicious system
! of large entailed estates. See France. with
! her teeming millions Of people, settled on
small farms, annually deposltIng millions OF
money in the saving banks, and Ireland,
convulsed with excitemeDts, growing out OF
| the oppressive aristocracy of proprietorship
| in The soil. These two cases will go far to
establish. on general principles, the truth OF
nv proposition. If now, the farmers or
landed proprietors of our State, really ex-
pect foreigners to come amongst us, their
| estates must be reduced, 50 to place them
within the means of small purchasers.
Then, am told, that this would necessi-
tate a great loss, as much of the land on
any large estate, is poor, and by ltself,
| would be unsaleable,s 80 that all must go to-
eather-in other words, sell all or none This
Is lust exactly what is the matter IN much
of Grenada county, as well as in other parts
of our State; and Just so long as this policy
is in the ascendant, just SO long may we ex=
pect to see foreigners 60 round us. re-
peat emphatically, that as blret'ngs, no Eu-
rOuean race will ever come here IN num-
hers. If we are dissatisfied with the negro
race and wish to get rid of them by cheap
or labor. China. is the market from which
they can be procured at the cheapest rates,
and in greatest numbers. 1t Is well known
that they can work for 80 cents a day, and
Law I'D money, as they live upon less than
any work people en- the face OF the earth
Rnt with these ''children Of the howery
kingdom" we must take their habits and
customs of national peculiarity, their Joss
houses, their opium dens, etc. They assim-
ilate with no people or race, but remain IN
acountry only long enough to accumulate
} a few dollars, and then return to their ma
? tive land, with almost every dollar OF their
earnings in past seasons, to set an lnae-
pandence equal to all the demands OF social
E and business necessity. ! take 1t Tor gran :
n ed. then, that we do not want these almond
. leved people of Asia to cultivate In gangs,
the cotton fields of the South but If they
are wanted, their name is legion and they
n would come by thousands if invited, pro-
% vided no treaty stipulations forbid. tndl'
vidually, would be opposed to their intro
duction in great numbers.
: Where are we to get our Immigration
from, is very proper question To ask
First, reply, that 50 far as corn and cot
: ton are concerned, we need but little, if any
IS more labor than we have. There is no peo
# nIe under the sun, so well adapted to GU
| semi-tropical sun as the negro race, and they
are not only here, but have been here 10
centuries, and will continue here tor. ages &
Is come and for the general work OF Southern
70 farm life, are better calculated than an.
that we could import. Has 1t occurred u
g, anv of our statesmen, that, if some of th'
n- liberal provisions which are ready 70 y
1t offered foreigners were extended to thes'
people. that they might be STIMULATED q
greater efforts of industry and closer haeit
re 0f economy? If they had the sam
:. chances of a small homestead, with liberia
Il terms in which to pay for it, does 1t not seen
: natural. that they would rejoice at the pros
h meet of material advancement, and Wor
IN with quickened enegy to pay for 1t Unies
they are differently constituted from an
other human beings on the globe, think
III would- as a rule, infuse new life and ne'
III hopes into every one working for Httl
W home of own, wherein he could wofsn'l
10 God under his own vine and ng Tree.
:. Now / will mention fact, that goes
strengthen my views in the matter anu y :,
that eyery bona fde owner of a home OF tn
ofl colored race that know, is a man of IL
=. dustFy, with constantly increasing prlae
= character. This is but the natural result
I'd proprietorship in the soil, the world owe
ed and can but think, that if majority
ST the colored race were the lawful owners OF
little home, their pride would be elevated
their industry would be quiekened, and the
n citizenship would be more highly prize'
n But are we to have no immigrants irol
any quarter Yes. From any part OF %
globe from which they VIII come "
'ai should welcome them, when they reall
. come. and treat them kindly, no matter ho
IA. Improbable it may turn out IN the end. !
nv opinion, the immigration that IS
US change our sluggish civilization, is to con
en from the New England, Middle and WesteI
mt states. These people know us, and are u
he sort of men that We need, not so much
cultivate cotton as to show US how to RAJ
al the grasses, calves, colts and pigs, al
ul- Jemonstrate the advantages of maehlner
who're we now use hand labor, turn rich D
nnnroductiye wet places, into warm, ar
us. rrodnctive ones. When these people con
las here. thew will become owners OF the 8
red mon mon which they live, and we will see she
- ranebes stock farms, with all the various
loi nantsges .arta growing out of diversified h'
the handry. These people will not only COZ
ion - cnltivators of the soil, but the artlza
and mechanics viii come with the imp
ments nnS - Of their trade, and here and there;
ort WAGON v,so,1 shop, and then shoe shop ana "a
has : "@et cheese factory and 90 on will spring
ual and from these humble beginnings We =
@ see factories arise, humble their origin p.
1u .,sts,,tlv increasing in eonsed 4ence "