Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-03-06
Immigration.

The people OF America are gfauuall!
and quietly dividing on this subject, those
opposed to it being much more numerous
than is generally supposed, though sltu-
ated somewhat like the Union men of the
South during the deafening cries OF seces-
sion-unwiIling to approve and afraid 10
oppose. lest they should be deemed hos
tile TO the true interests of the country.
In this apparently doubtful state OF mind,
the Union men were dragged along and
precipitated into the war by the superior
holiness and dash of the secessionists,
afterward becoming the most staunch
supporters of the rebellion. So the OPP
ponents of foreign immigration, having
tried the metal of its advocates in the
days of Know Nothingism, and I'M
able to deny the benefits which
have accrued TO the country from its en-
couragement, acquiesced in the policy,
and even warmly advocated for present
advantage what they regarded as future
evil. A debate on this subject occurred
the other day in the Missouri Legislature,
in which it was argued on one side that
the State did not need immigrants, but
would not oppose their coming; that the
lands have San innate value measured by
what can be raised on them, and doubling
the population would not add to that
value" 1t was further contended
that the State was doing well
enough and the people con-
tented. and that sit would be an i'm
proper proclamation of a necessitous
condition to entreat immigrants to come
to Missouri"
On the other side it was maintained, of
course, that the rapid progress and pres
ent greatness of the country were largely
due to immigration; that the high prices
of lands had been created by immigra-
ton increasing their productive capacity;
by the building of new roads, bridges,
school houses, churches, ETC., through
the great increase of population. Taking
up this side of the question, the st. Louis
Republican remarks as follows:
''The immigration brought to Missouri
by the employment of special agencies in
the last five years, has brought with it
many benefits of a positive character
Any one who travels over the State and
contrasts its condition now with what 1t
was five years ago, will see better houses,
better stock, more carefully cultivated
farms, improved implements, more fire.
quent school houses, creameries here
and there, and a general interest in
the subject of improved roads-and our
country exchanges tell us that this is
largely the result of increased population.
In one word, immigration, particularly
the immigration which has come to Mis-
souri, in the hast five years, and is still
coming, means civilization, wealth, COM
fort and all the adjuncts and elements OF
power and prosperity-and we can we'll
afford to make special efforts to maintain
it for few years longer"
Our contemporary but expresses what
is visible all over the land where thrifty,
industrious immigrants have settled up
the territory, and whole States may be
pointed out as having sprung, Aladdin
like. from this magical source. True, this
does not affect the merits of the question,
properly presented, on the other side;
but America has not yet arrived at
that point in density of population
which will begin to burden the public
mind with apprehensions about future sub
sistence. That period is possibly twenty
five years ahead yet, and hence our con-
temporary can close its remarks by say
ing that we can we'll afford to make spe-
cial efforts to maintain immigration ''f0r
a fear yearS longer" 1t will be but few
years longer, and then the weight Of pub
lie opinion will change, and cut off, or
greatly modify, the stream now flowing
into the country. 1t is useless now to
argue whether this will be right or wrong
nations seldom make inquiries in
this direction, when self-preservation is
the impelling force. From our present
standpoint, surrounded by vacant lands,
incipient industries and eXpectant sud-
den fortune, we are ready to silence all
opposing voices, to vote down all Oppo-
sitiOn and ''build up the country" This
seems right-but in the future, the coun-
try will have been built up, the vacant
lands occupied and the infant industries.
grey with age and overflOwing with poorly
paid ''pauper labor''-there is danger
that it will not be thought right.
We say to all, therefore, whether foreign
or s'to the manor bOrn," look to the future
as well as to the present-prOcure homes
while you may at low prices, for you will
have no more such favorable OppOrtuni-
ties. There are thousands of valuable
homes within a radius of fifty miles of
this city that may be purchased now for
pittance; but these will remain but a
very few years at low rates. The
Southern people, unused to
the floods of immigration,
which overlooked the North, seem to have
very little idea of the rapidity with which
the lands are taken up, and are therefore
not at all uneasy about obtaining perma-
nent homes; but the observer of the times
may even now note the steady influx of
intelligent strangers looking for forests to
cut down, soil for cultivation or locality
for manufacturing purposes.
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