Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-03-02

:
These inquiries come from Amerlcan-born
citizens of the now frozen Northwest, men
with means and families seeking homes singly
and in companies. Being satisfied that
the vicissltudes of climate in the Northwest
will drive, and is driving, the better part of
the population of that section South. and that
this class of settlers is greatly needed in Vir-
einia, make this report that your body may
take any action you deem proper in the
premises.
THOMAS WHITEHEAD,
Commissioner of Agriculture.
This ought to attract the attention of
you farmers of Augusta, and Rockingham,
and Rockbridge. If it does, you must not
sit still and wait for the Legislature to do
something with it for your benefit, but do
something yourselves. There has always
been expressed by you desire for immi-
grafton. and we all recognize the bent fits
which will flow to US from sale and SET
Element of our waste lands-Or those over
and above what we can profitably Guilt
vate.
Where are we to look for this tide of
settlers We have been turning our eyes
to the East for long time, expecting
to see them come from thence. but have
not been gratiGed-for two reasons; those
who came from foreign parts, came as
rule with little means and therefore
sought the cheaper lands of the West,
and again, when they did come they
brought, except with few valuable ex-
ceptions, such crude notions OF farming
as very soon to run their vessels upon the
shoals of bankruptcy.
Now let us turn our gaze in the other
direction. The West is now teeming
with population whose energy is tireless,
whose nerve is wonderful and whose
discernment of its own interest not by any
means wanting. This population is not
satisfied IN the West for several reasons.
The climate is such that none but the
most robust of men or animals can wealth
or the winters, and that with such extra
ordinary arrangements of clothing, food
and shelter, and for 50 long time, as to
render it a matter of great doubt whether
for their advantages. Again, the West
ern country is liable in much larger
measure and area to droughts that kill
vegetation and injure the growth of stock
and the health of the population, than our
more favored country.
These two evils are every year becoming
more and more intensfied-by the cutting
down of the fore5ts-which are natures
bulwarks against the wind and her at
traction for the rain, and so year by year
we shall have more of bl;zzards, at 800 to
400 below zero. and drouths that burn up
the products of half a doZ9n States and
make them vast charnel houses of starved
stock, lit up at night by the lurid glare of
burning fields and houses fired by the
passing trains.
In many sections of the West. besides
all this, and especially in the stock pro-
ducing sections. the grasshopper has bsen
a burden, grievous to lie borne, and its
ravages have often caused the eyes OF the
emigrants to turn back to the land from
whence they came, and most editors and
postmasters will recall letters received fire. N
these oppressed people enquirlng tor green
or pastures nearer the rising sun. The
two great anchors which have held these
people fast upon these plains-bleak in
winter and often bare and burned in sum-
mer, fertile though they be-are the
cheapness of the lands and the cheapaess
of the freights.
The first of these is gradually losing its
hold for two reasons-the thickening pop
Hlation and the deterioration in its wheat
producing qualities; for all who have
studied this question we'll know that the
wheat area is gradually going West by
reason of tie failure Of the older lands to
produce as formerly.
The second-the cheapness of freigtts
over and above us-is now about to re.
ceive at the hands Of our legislature its
death blow, and then we will be able to say
to the Western man-disgusted with bliz
yards, cyclones. droughts and grasshoppers,
go East young man. We offer you land
thousand miles nearer market. which
will produce with little good farming as
much wheat as yours; sheltered by nature
from the cold storms that freeze the mar
row in your bones and cause you to feed
and shelter your cattle eight months in
the year; secure against those burning,
blstering, long continued droughts that
consume your substance and your pa
thence, by reason of our mountains whose
timber tops milk the clouds of heaven and
bring down blessings in showers upon us.
For these and other reasons that might
be named, we are of opinion that if the
matter we're properly handled large flow
% of population from the West would seek
our borders, and to this end we address
the suggestion to the farmers of the Valley
to meet and consult about what measures
shall be taken to advance a consnmma-
ton so devoutly to be wished. If, say ten
or twenty farmers. who wish to divide
their holdings, would have the land laid of
and plotted, giving location, proximity to
depotS, markets, creameries, churches
schools; how watered and timbered, char
acter OF soil improvements nd if not i'm.
proved, the probable cost thereof, and thus
form club and employ some good bust
ness man to 70 into the Western country,
paying his expenses and fair return, in
part conditioned upon. his sales-the
tide might be turned this way. The rail
roads would be interested in doing all
they legally could to foster such scheme
At any rate it is worth thought and dis
cussiOn.
~-
The Democratic National Committee
has fixed on June 5th as the time, and St
Louis as the place at which the next
Democratic President is to be nominated
This is In advance Of the Republican Ma.