Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-02-04
Sattling the South.
NelO York Evening Post.

Not even the savage winds of q severe
winter fail to blow good to somebody.
They may not please the ice vendors, but
they charm the sellers of coal. The fur
rier exults over the cold that wrlngs
many groan from the pinched lips of
the outdoor laborer In like manner,
while the North grumbles, the South
may in a sense rejoice. For immigra-
ton. if checked in the inclement season,
still in q considerable tide rolls on; and
1t is to be expected that larger share of
the new corners who arrive to find the
mercury at the freezing point should
turn their steps southwark than are in
clined to do so at ordinary times.
Most European climates are gentle
even at the worst of seasons as compared
with our Northern winters; and the biz
terness of the present one must chill the
hearts of immigrants now landing on our
shores. The chief consideration among
those of the working class which deters
them from going South is the fear of
meeting the competition of colored labor
There are, however, places where this
disadvantage is but slight, if it exists in
practical shape at all.
To hardy Scotchmen or Scandinavians
the Southern States of America may be
less inviting, but to those who come of
the Latin races, and indeed for English
men who have left the gracious air of
Devonshire or other southern counties of
Britain, tracts such as we have described
present undoubted advantages.
The recent amazing increase of the
Southwest seems, like Aladdin's palace,
almost to have sprung up in night. 1t
is hardly to be expected that the really
desirable Southern lands, the pick of the
cotton States in health, fertility and ease
of access, should long be purchasable
for song; and those whose eyes there
fore are turned with earnestness in that
direction will be discreet to let their feet
follow as soon as may be.
This applies not to immigrants alone.
There are many native Americans of the
Northern and Middle States who, for the
sake of lettering their worldly condition
and for that of a more genial climate,
have long thought of settling in the
South, but for various reasons have hest
tated. Some have dreaded bad treat
ment, others have feared that, like Mar
tin ChuZzlewit, they might chance on
another eden, while still more perhaps
have shrunk from exiting themselves
from their familiar churches and schools.
But we are assured that, at least in some
quarters, the first Of these drawbacks is
not to be apprehended; the second risk
can always be obviated by that thorough
ness of previous inquiry and examina
ton which would have been fatal TO the
intended humors end warnings OF Dick
ems story; and of the third objection it
may be said that if people enough go to
given locality, the objection will
speedily be disposed of.
A leaven of native Americans is al
ways desirable in the formation in this
country of fresh colonists, and this is
now especially to be wished in the plant
ing of new colonies at the South. Such
lesven, besides being Of use by way of
guiding or encouraging the utter stran-
gers, will, it may be hoped, tend to draw
together and weld in friendly concord
lately alienated feelings and interests.
while lending a needed impulse to local
development and prosperity.