The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1889-01-15
THE SOUTHERN INTERSTATE
IMMIGRATION CONVENTION.

~ NNO
no extended account of the late meet
ing of the Southern Inter State ImmI-
grafton Convention held at Montgom-
cry, Ala, on the 18th inst, | beg to
give in a few words an epitome of
what was done, as immigration is a
matter of the deepest interest to the
country, and especially to those of the
South.
In the first place, it will crafty her
State pride to know that this 10
ment had its origin in a suggestion
from one of our State officers. To
Capt Patrick, our Commissioner of
immigration, is to be ascribed the
credit of this suggestion; and his sue
cessful efforts in behalf of getting i'm
migrants into his own State, and his
practical views on such matters were
so we'll known by the convention that
his name was suggested as chairman
of the Southern Interstate Immigra-
ton Bureau, the Executive Committee
of the organization, but this important
Office he declined, and it was conferred
upon the Commissioner of Immigra-
ton of the State of Texas, Col. B. F
Chiffon, though Capt. Patrick is Sec
ond on said committee. 1t may as
we'll be mentioned here that the
movement resulting in the Southern
Interstate Convention of Farmers
that met at Atlanta in August, 1887,
was also the suggestion of a North
Carolinian-yourself.
These facts show that in all matters
relating to the welfare and progress of
the agricultural interests of the South,
North Carolina for years has been
taking a leading part, and always is
fully represented at such conventions
by her patriotic and progressive citi-
zens.
At this immigration Convention,
only the States of Alabama, Florida
and Texas exceeded North Carolina in
the number of delegates present;
whereas, the States of Maryland, Vir-
ginia, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee,
Arkansas, Louisiana, Georgia, Missis-
sippi and New Mexico were behind
her. South Carolina was not repre-
sented. Why it was not explained.
1t was soon apparent that the railroads
interested in the traffic of the Missis-
sippi Valley and those traversing the
States west of that river, viz: Mis-
sour, Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana and
New Mexico, were having a controlling
voice in the convention. Those roads
are chiefly concerned to get settlers
upon their vacant lands, and offer the
most liberal terms to immigrants in
the way of free transportation, a nom
inal price for their land to the first
occupants, special rates of freight, &C.;
and therefore, when the resolution
calling for the holding of a Southern
Interstate Exposition in some one of
the cities of Boston, New York, Phila-
delphia, ST. Louis, Kansas City or
Chicago, vas considered by the Com
mittee on Resolutions. This commit
tee, of which these railroad interests
had a majority, decided to refer the
matter to the permanent Committee
on Convention, which will probably
be the last of it, unless these most
Northern of the Southern States
should take the matter in hand and
determine to hold such an Exposition
by as many as will unite in the move
ment. AS illustrative of the interest
such an Exposition to be held in some
Northern or Western city would ex-
cite, | received a telegram the day
following the introduction of the reso-
luton, from the editor of a Kansas
City newspaper enquiring the action
of the Convention on the resolution,
saying, Kansas City would like to
have the Exposition held in her limits
and would interest herself to get the
decision in her favor.
The most animated discussion of
the Convention took place upon the
motion to appoint a committee on
railroads, excursion rates and immi-
grafton transportation. Certain dele
gates wished two committees to be
appointed, n having jurisdiction of
matters east of the Mississippi River,
and the other of those west. It was
developed during the discussion that
the railroads west of the Mississippi
River are more liberal in their rates
than those east. This was attributed
to the fact that the former roads have
large tracts of government lands
which they must get settled up before
their roads can pay. One gentleman
stated his road had built a track 400
miles through a country where there
was not a single settler. Also the
State of Texas, and particularly that