Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-12-19
THE SUBJECT OF IMMIGRATION.
To the Editor Of the Esgle.

To the Editor Of the Esgle.
The correspondence in the EAGLE OF
the 18th in regard to immigration con
tains very good suggestions and ideas
This matter should be acted on, if at all
promptly and with thought and discre
ton. The first thing to do is to learn il
the people of the east for there is where
we must look to for our immigrants
want our advertising literature. The
next thing to know is what kind of in.
formation do they want and what use dc
they want to make of it. By this I mean
do they want to know where they can
buy corner lot that will double in value
in FIVE minutes, or where they can find a
tract of land on which they can make a
home become producer and one who
will improve and subdue the soil. The
next thing to decide on is how to
furnish this information in a
way that will secure best results.
The state of Kansas Off our city is sam
pie of what was done the state over has
in the past two years spent tens of thous-
ands of dollars that was worse than
wasted in advertising in the east. And
there is no doubt but our city is only a
fair sample of the rest.
The reason for this was and is that
people had stopped coming to Kansas. or
going to any other place for that matter,
with now and then an excep-
tiOnal temporarily favored section, such
as Oklahoma and few mineral sections.
The reason for this was and is at pres
ent the general tendency toward econ
omy to tide over to place where they
VIII have more money, at which time
the people of Kansas may expect to have
another influx of population. Before
then the probabilities are that advertis-
ing will pay. But it will not yield i'm
mediate returns such as some may have
in view. Kansas has suffered financial
depression for the past two years, but
we can say as the old woman did when
her fax crop failed, THANK God we are
not alone" for there has been a general
depression the union over for some
period of time. Hence as limited above
we have had no immigration. But l
wish to be understood as favoring the
plan suggested in the correspondence.
If such plan is adopted it must to be
successful be fairly and honorably car
ried out, and the weaker sections of the
state given fair deal, which it is fair to
suppose is the present intention. But in
times past, such to my notion has not
always been the facts.
In Kansan's article he suggests that
city councils and county commissioners
furnish the means to defray the expenses
of such an enterprise. This do not
understand they are by law authorized
to do. His. idea as expressed in his Sec
ond item of suggestions as to sectional
ism is correct. But the suggestion of
two names from Wichita, one from
Winfield, one from Wellington, one from
Kingman and one from Pratt as an exc
cutive committee although all those
named may be perfectly competent and
worthy sounds sectional and would seem
like the old, old story referred to If the
step is take, and, is taken as a state en-
terprise, let it be such in fact as well as
in name and all will be equally and
fairly benefited. A state with such
possibilities as Kansas should be able to
let the world know what they are.
W. A. RAUDABAUGH,
Ness City, Kan.