Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-05-24
THE DIRECTION OF lmHraRArros.

mat the mere possession of great natural
advantages will not bring immigration to
State. While California has been trust
ing to the magni6cence of her resources
many less favored States have been secur.
ing the lions share of the immigration.
They have done this by applying business
methods to the work. They have recog-
nized the Importance of settlement to the
State, and they have been wise enough to
perceive that the revenues of the common
wealth cannot be more wisely and pru.
IDENTIFY invested than in bringing labor and |
capital within its taxing jurisdiction.
Several States have made appropriations
for the encouragement of immigration, and
all that have done SO have found their re.
ward in it. This kind of advertising,
however, is now carried on SO theoretically
and upon SO extensive a scale that mere
fitful endeavor at it is likely to be of very
little value. As the States come into
closer competition with one another they
find it necessary to push their immigration
systems further toward the sources of the
stream. They establish agencies in Europe.
They cause descriptions of their advantages
and resources to be translated into many
foreign languages. And the States which
show tie greatest enterprise aud ingenuity
in these methods reap the largest returns.
Kansas has literally been built up by her
sagacity and foresight in the systematic
encouragement of immigration. Nebraska,
Minnesota, Missouri and South Carolina
have followed suit. The latter has gone
into The work with considerable spirit and
encouraging results, and has made it plain
that the Southern States have it in their
power to increase their prosperity enor.
mously if they will shake off sluggishness
and adopt modern methods.
Missouri has of late been exerting her.
self greatly in procuring settlers, and some
Of her devices may be commended to our
own Immigrant Aid Society, which is al.
ready exhibiting good deal of spirit. In
Missouri they have not only State organ
ization, but large proportion of the coun-
ties have also branch associations. The
advantage of this latter arrangement is
manifest. Through it the people Of every
county are enabled to present their local
resources in the most favorable light, and
above all they can point out the best loca-
tions for settlers, specify the lands which
are open to purchase, and give great deal
of information which it would be almost
impossible for the central organization to
collect. The Missouri Legislature has ex-
tended financial assistance to the Immigra
ton Society, and this fund has been en-
ployed to translate and circulate all kinds
of documents such as the intending emf.
grant in Europe desires to have placed in
his hands. The last report of the Society
estimates the immigration induced by these
means in 1881 at not less than 90, 600, and
this was the first year of the Society s
work. A "Hand. Book of Missouri, trans
lated into German, has been given very
wide circulation in that country, and with
the most substantial results, while similar
efforts are to be made in Sweden and Nor
way and England.
When we consider that immigrants are
now arriving in New York at the rate of
more than 1000 day, it is apparent that
nothing is needed but energetic and intel
ligent action to secure for California fair
percentage of the great food of settlers
that is pouring into the country. The I'M
migrant Aid Society has, we understand,
already taken some steps to have the
necessary kind of information translated
into German, and this work should be
FASTENED as much as possible. If the
principle of county organizations were
adopted we have no doubt that it would
produce good effects, and it might be well
to try it at once. We are of opinion, how
ever, that the encouragement of immigration
ought to be provided for by the State, and
not be left altogether to private effort. It
is unquestionably of the deepest conse-
quence to the State that the population
and productive capacity of it should be in.
creased, and every taxpayer must realize
the advantage to himself OF measures
which are calculated to tighten the burden
of taxation by adding more property to the
assessment roll.
The prosperity and progress of Califor-
mia were hampered for years by the parsi-
mony Of the Legislature in this connection,
and the folly of a portion of the press
which appeared resolved to brighten all
the world away from this region by dis
seminatipg the most gloomy reports as to
land monopoly and all kinds of imaginary
evils and expressions. 1t was sedulously
circulated everywhere that no man could
hope to find a piece of good farming land
in this State, and the natural result was
that thousands were deferred from coming
here. Now, however, that sincere desire
has been shown to get at the actual facts,
it turns out that we have somewhere about
twenty millions of acres of available land,
and that nearly all of this is as susceptible
of profitable cultivation as the lands of
other Western States. The result is that
the European emigrant is encouraged once
; more to look this way, and now is the
time when this change of opinion can be
, taken advantage of best. When the next
Legislature meets it ought to provide for
the assistance and extension of the ma
chinery which is now being principally
erected by private capital. This is the
more necessary because all private enter
prises of the kind are liable to be suspected
of being devised to assist private specula-
ton, whereas the guarantee of the State
for the general accuracy of the representa-.
tions made by the immigration Agents
would do away with all doubts. We be-
lieve that by judicious management it is
possible to add at least $50, 600 immigrants
year to our population, and this would
Insure the rapid growth of the Common.
wealth in all that constitutes well-being.
NOT MUCH OF MYSTERY