The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1889-12-10
DOES OUR ORDER NEED AN I'M
MIGRATION BUREAUa
BIZ OLD FOGY.

@16b WC wv
Living as | have for a quarter of a
century in the North and West, and
having been in every Safe and terri
tory in the Union (save Alaska), l
have had opportuni les for learning
the causes that have led immigration
westward, and also of the Waits OF
the immigrant.
Every intelligent man when he
thinks of leaving his birthplace, if he
has a family, will ask the following
questions:
Firs, Can | do better for family
and self elsewhere /? The average
American is constituted so that he is
unhappy where his financial condition
is not bettered.
Second, Is the proposed location a
healthy one?
There are very few, indeed, that
would be willing to change their place
of abode and nov with their family
to an unhealthy country.
And lastly, What kind of society
will l have in the country to which [
think of going2
To discuss the healthfulness of the
elevated parts of the South, or the
hospitableness, or society IN the South
seems to me, after years spent IN the
different Southern States, to be idle.
No better nor more generous people or
nobler hearted people have existance
anywhere.
But when it comes to the advan-
tages offered ina migrants from a fnan-
cial standpoint, grave doubts arises in
the minds of the Northern and West,
ern man.
| shall endeavor to show in this pa
per that there are advantages IN
known to both Northern and South
ern men, in our fair Southland.
[ assert without fear of successful
contradiction that its area as well as
its capabilities are unknown. In
proof of this I offer the following
facts compiled from the u. s. census:
Total area of the States known as
Southern is $1,000 square miles.
Total number of acres, ST., 600, 600,
and of this there are $50, 900, 900
acres included in farms, and actually
cultivated, Toe, 600, 900 acres.
The States that particularly wish
immigrants are Virginia, West Vir-
ginia, North Carolina, South Carolina,
Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louis
lana, Texas, Arkansas, Florida and
Tennessee. And for purposes of COM
parison of areas and capabilities / will
leave out Maryland, Kentucky and
Missouri. The II States named above
have an acreage amounting to $780,
900, 900 acres. Enclosed in farms are
225, O00,O 600 acres; actually farmed,
$4,000, 900 acres, and the value Of the
lands, 1886, O0e, 600 dollars.
In order to understand what these
figures mean / resort to comparisons.
The total acreage in the States of
Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont,
Massachusetts,, Rhode Island, Connec-
ticut, New York, New Jersey, Penn
sylvania and Delaware, included in
farms, amount to only $500, 900
acreres, and only 81, OOO, 600 when
waste lands, ~Unoccupied mountain
lands and lands included in highways,
streams, bays, etc., are included.
But to better understand the area,
I will take all the Northern States
cas- of the Mississippi river, and the
area included in farms amounts to
only It's, 600, eco acres, still 5O,OOO,-
600. acres less than the area enclosed
in farms in the II Southern States
named.
But a more surprising fact remains
to be developed. Add to the farm
areas of all the Northern States east
Of the Mississippi river all the lands
included as farms in Minnesota,
Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, the two d.
kotas, Idaho, Montana, Colorado,
Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Washing
ton, Oregon and California and you
have a grand total of 275, 900, 900
acres, an area no greater than half
the acres in the South if you follow
directly eastward from Tennessee's
northern line.
Remember that the actual number
of acres of land in actual use III the
United States is only 800, 600, 900,
while the Southern States used in
comparison have an actual acreage of
5oo,ooo,ooo.
The total area of Germany, Austria,
Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, Neither
lands, Denmark and Greece is less
thon that of the Southern States,
while the land in actual use in the
foreign nations named with Norway
added is less than half the amount of
available lands in the South.
These comparisons will give you an
idea of the magnitude of the South
land.
Can you question the necessity of
an Emigration Bureau after studying
these fgures2 The only parts of the
United States that will do to compare
with the Southern States are the