Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1889-08-09
Regarding Immigration.

hnhoPoiis idsI Wlnter seems 10 nave been
considerably, discussed at the farmers
meeting at Fair Haven on the 4th of July
and the Necessity of taking steps to secure
the passage of a similar measure at the
next session discussed. This has since
been subject of an interested discussion
among the substantial farmers of Calvert
county, which led to the recent publica,
tion by the Gazette of that county of the
full text of the bill with its editorial en-.
dorsement.
But there is a Mr.. CAN'T over in Cal
vert, who devotes laborious column in
the last issue of the Journal in an effort
to invest this purely economic measure
with a partisan character. He insists tina:
the effect of the bill would be to "areak
up, cheaper up and supplsnt our worthy
colored citizens Ivy the introduction dis.
tribution and location of these foreign
paupers." He undertakes to "analyse'
the bill to show tn at it is directed to the
Importation of paupcr labor alone for the
purpose of ''cheapening up" our worthy
colored citizens; and, strangely enough
he confirms his "ana ysis" to the section
of the bill which was directed to the
very purpose of negativing the construc.
tion he tries to put upon it. He says:
'ln the seventh section the commissioner
Is directed to have a due regard to the
character, circumstances and drsirability
OF the immigrant solicited or contract
ed with, mark the expression contracted
with. Now to get the class of labor &c >
and Others wanted in order to break up
cheap-up and drive out what we now
have, is it not reasonable to suppose he
would consider the half starved, unpaid
pauper of Europe just the right kind of
immigrant to fill the bill q Just the class
or character of immigrant required ?"
Of Mr.. Gantt's analysis" it must be
admitted that it is very remarkable. As
suming gratuitously that the object of the
bill is to 'cheapen up and supplant our
worthy colored citizens" he insists that
this injunction of the bill was intended
to direct the commissioner to select pua-
pers alone. Truly it may be said of this
disputant in the Language of Bu'ler:
''He is IN logic great critick,
Profoundly skilled in an ,lv,ick;
He can distinguish and divide
hair twixt south and southwest side;
On either which he will dispute,
Contute, change hands, and still confute. -
But in justice to The Southern Mary
lnnd Republicans in the last Legislature,
it must be said that none of them saw
amy such objection to the operation OF
the bill and al of them, with single ex.
ception, recorded their votes in its favor.
The question of the importation of pau
per labor was raised in The discussion of
the bill at the instance of the knights
of Labor" by Western Maryland represen-
tatives; but all agreed that it was effec-
lively negatived by the language of the
sth section which has been quoted. Mr..
Griffi h, who ably represented the Calve rt
Republicans, was among the active sup
porters of the bill and made an effective
speech in its favor.
This bill, as its whole context through.
out clearly evinces, was aimed at the pur-
pose or procuring the Immigration to
Maryland OF practical farmers from the
old world and from other American
S ates, who possessed capital enough to
buy small farm and the skill and ener-
gy to improve and cultivate it. The
commissioner, who must have oeen a m an
of character and bonded officer, was to
he aided and counseled, and controlled if
necessary, by two public spirited associ-
ates serving without salary. He was frst
to equip himself with full information as
to the agricultural advantages and re-
sources of every county Of the State, that
saw fit to avail itself of his bureau, and
the quantities and character OF land for
sale in each with the price of same. All
these data were TO be properly tabulatsd
and illustrated for the information of
people wishing to purchase homes in
Maryland.
Equipped in this way, be was required
to 60 abroad and solicit immigration
The whole theory of the measure is based
upon the fact, we'll known to observing
people that have been abroad, that there
are large class of thrifty farmers in Eug
land, Germany and and other European
counties, who would emigrate to this coun-
try,i they had sstifactory assurance before
hand of the surroundings and character
of their new home and what it would
cost them to e-establish themselves on
this side. The intelligent and duly CON
missioned agent of the State Of Maryland
equipped with complete agricultural
map of our State and resources, the price
of lands in every section and the quanti-
ty for sale, is supposed to be specially
qualified to deal with this class of peo-
pie, who would not otherwise incur the risk
of selling out and seeking new home
Many of this class of people, especially
the Germans, like to settle in colonies oil
several families, Sd as to be assured Of
congenial associations in their new homes
Our commissioner would be in situation
to contract with such and engage to sci
them so much land of given character
in designated locality at a certain price
These farmers, though not paupers, com.
ing to. q country whose language and
customs they did not understand, would
need some one to receive and guide them
TO their destination, and the bill, in con-
formity with immigration bills of other
States, so provided but this was not to
be done at the expense of the Safe.
Those thrifty European farmers, who
have been bred to skillful and economical
culture.of the soil, are the very people We