The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-09-04
COLONIZING IMMIGRANTS.

Mr.. Bookwalter. of Ohio, has for some
time been advocating scheme for practical
application to the agricultural regions of the
West which may be found of equal advan-
tage TO the agricultural interests Of this State
The scheme to which We refer is discussed at
length by Mr. Bookwater in tho last num-
Der Of the Forum and is substantially as fol-
lows He proposes that the unsettled farming
lands of the West shall be divided into sec
tons of $50 farms, the division being carried
out on the line Of radii from one central point
At this central point there shall be erected
tie homes of the owners OF the $50 farms.
which would thus constitute village, which
would afford the farmers all those Advantages
of social. religious and intellectual inter
course of which they are now deprived by the
isolation of their present farm life.
MIR. Bookwalter claims that the dissatsfac-
ton of the farming classes would largely disap-
appear. at least in the West. if it were posi-
bic 10 make this arrangement general and IN
confirmation of the correctness of this view
he calls attention TO the contentment Of the
same classes in Germany and France, in
which countries the village system has long
been in operation.
Being the owner of enormous tracts of viz
gin prairie in Nebraska. Mr.. Bookwater has
determined to introduce this system in the
settlement Of his own property. and the re-
suit of the experiment will be looked forward
10 with interest. If this experiment shall
turn out successfully in Nebraska there does
not be repeated with eqnal success in very
large part of Virginia
Take Southside Virginia. for instance. the
section Of the State in which the soil is still,
held III very large tracts and where contig-
uous plantations which cover ye-y large area
can be purchased at very low rates by colo
nization associations 1t would not be Diff
cult for such an association TO buy thirty OF
forty thousand acres of land OF fair quality
in one body, and then in strict accordance
with Mr. Bookwalter's recommendation,
erect a village at a central point and intro
duce European colonists. each family of colo
nists purchasing a home and an equal proper
ton of the land In the fixed area.
Such an arrangement would certainly re-
move one of the most serious drawbacks u
the success of foreign and Northern immi-
grants who have bought Virginia lands in the
past namely. the encouragement that comes
from isolation and the lack OF cooperation
Each village would have it's own social. educa-
tional and religious organizations. and would
thus afford the fullest opportunity to the set
tiers 10 acquire the contentment that is
always derived from constant and intimate
association
The lands.of Virginia. even where they have
been exhausted by improper methods of cul-
tivation, are all capable of improvement.
Under no circumstances is this improvement
more likely TO be observed than where the
lands are owned by new settlers who work
with their own hands and do not want any
hired assistance. There seem t. be more
substantial reasons for anticipating the sue
cess of such settlers from this time on than
formerly, inasmuch a. the prospects Of the