The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-01-02
This Busy Age.

This Busy Age
This is busy age Progress is the
word, and enterprise and development are
urged on all sides and everywhere. If this
generation could accomplish it, every foot
ofland in this vast country would be brought
70 the highest state of cultivation, and every
pound of coal, iron, copper and lead would
be mined at once and every stick Of TIM
her would be cut. Manufactures would
be built everywhere. Ships would be mui-
tiplied, and railroads would reach in every
direction. The thought seems to be only
for the present. All are striving to be
rich, to enjoy an imaginary ease, comfort
and elegant leisure No concern is mani
tested for posterity. All are living for the
present
immigration is the demand Of every
community, and the call is as loud in Mary
land as elsewhere Taken as whole, this
state has nearly as much population to the
square mile as Pennsylvania. If Southern
MARYLAND were left out of the calculation,
the ratio would be as great, nearly, as IN
the thickly settled states of Massachusetts,
Rhode Island and Connecticut.
What Maryland most needs is not imml-
grafton, but distribution of population.
Every year young men reared on the farm
leave the Western part of the state and 20
West. If these could be diverted to South
ern MARYLAND, where the lands are cheap,
the climate mild and healthful, and markets
convenient. that section would soon rival in
productiveness the most favored sections
of the Union. The trend Westward was
begun half a century ago, and has contln-
ued. The young men 80 West because
they have relatives there. If a move were
once started to Southern Maryland, the
emigration would continue and increase
There is need of more enterprise and
development in Maryland, but We are not
in sympathy with that great haste that
would develop everything at once and leave
nothing for posterity. What are we to do
when this country becomes overcrowded
like Europe and parts of Asia? What Is
to become of our children and grand chill
dren? What are they to do? Where
will be the cheap lands for them to settle
upon, and where will be the openings for
them in commercial pursuits?
Immigration, We believe, should be re-
stricted. Thousands of American work
innmen and mechanics are today idle, and
the great army of tramps that roam the
country. and who are becoming, in Il meas
ure. outlaws. are the result of the encour-
agement to immigration by railroad and
steamship lines who keep agents abroad to
induce foreigners to come to this country,
in order to reap the benefit Of their trans
portation These people are crowding out
our own citizens, and many of the imml-
grants are beggars and trampS. There are
enough unemployed mechanics in this coun-
try to increase by one-third our manufac-
lures. If they could be employed at fair
wages they would make greater demand
for breadstuffs and all products of the farm.
And until they are employed, more immi-
grafton, to any considerable extent, is not
desirable.
This country is no longer in its infancy.
The need of foreign immigration that
once existed does not exist today. We are
the most powerful nation on the face of
the earth, and with the best resources.
Our cities rival the greatest of the old
world our railroad lines are the longest
and the best our colleges and universities
rival the best institutions abroad; in science,
literature and art the development has been
wonderful and in a few years more this
country will lead in ALL in certain lines of
manufactures we lead the world, and are
strong rivals in most others. Our devel-
opment has been wonderful, and we need
no help now from without. Let us en-
deavor to find remunerative employment
for the unemployed, and divert the surplus
population of highly developed agricultural
regions to those sections that need devel-
opment.