The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-09-12
AN UNPARALLELED OPPoRTUN-
ITY FOR THE SOUTH.

Disasters that are entirely
compromising features r rare. Every
calamity that befalls mankind carries
with it some element of adVanIaSe'
Thus the present business depfesSl1n
and distress in the West present W IN
South an opportunity for self advance
ment s71cb as has never been presented
before. We read daily OF the
of unemployed, the losses OF business
Doon the distress and dissatisfaction of
the farmers, the idleness Of the me-
chanics, in the West. Our first thought
is one of sympathy and pity; our Sec
ond should be of the relief that these
thousands could find in the South. In
this situation lies the great opportunity
for the South to help the unfortunate
and at the same time benefit beyond
measure every interest in the South.
There has been an infinite amount OF
talk, argument and theory about get
ting desirable immigrants for the
South. There is nov an opportunity
to accomplish this result in a simple
and certain manner.
We are not advancing a theory, but
stating facts that a be s~ubstantlated
when we say that a little expenditure of
money and we'll directed effort at this
time will start a movement Southwark
from the afflicted portions of the West
which will give to the South thousands
of settlers of the classes most desired.
There are thousands Of farmers in Iowa,
Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska and other
Western States who are dissatisfied
with their lot, with the climate, with
crops and prospects. They are ready
to go anywhere, if prospects of better
conditions be offered. They own their
farms or have sufficient money interest
in them to give them a small amount
of capital upon the Opposition of their
property in the West, and they can go
to the South with money, energy and
skill. They are ready and willing to
take any steps that promise to better
their conditions, and any section of the
country that car secur these people
will have a most valuable addition to
it's population and industry.
Here, then, is the tremendous OppOr
tunity of the South, a chance for prac
tical work that will be more productive
Of results than a perpetual convention
of Southern Governors in Richmond. If
the people of the South are in earnest
in their desire to increase the popula-
ton of their section by immigration Of
the most desirable character, here is a
chance to fulfill their wishes. The
stimulating of foreign emigration
Southwark is a big undertaking, re-
quiring time, money, work, and the
cooperation Of several important
forces, but the West offers an oppor
tunity for securing Immediate results
by the expenditure of a minimum of
energy and cash.
AS regards the practical features Of
the situation, we have only this sug.
gestion to make: Tell the people of
the West what the South offers them
cheap lands that will raise a wide range
of crops, a delightful climate that is
unsurpassed by any section on this CON
tinent, and a ready market for all that
is produced. Tell the Western people
these facts in specific terms, not mere
~generalities, but definite information
about what is now being done in the
South by the Northern and Western
people who have migrated thither.
There have been books and books about
the resources of the South and stats
tics beyond measure, but what the peo-
pie of the West now want to know is
what fruit lands are for sale in Geor,
gia, at what price, and what they will
yield in dollars and cents under aver
age conditions. They want to know
what opportunity there is for planting
rice in Louisiana and everything about
it that is needful for a beginner to
know. They want to know what an
orange grove in Florida will cost, and
what its crop is worth to the grower.
They want to know where in the South
cattle can be raised to best advantage,
what the pasturage costs and what the
cattle will bring. In short, the people
of the West, who now are dissatisfied
with their lot, want accurate, specific
and detailed information about South
ern opportunities, down to the exact
price and location of lands now for
sale.
Put these facts into the hands of the
Western farmers and mechanics by ad-
vertisement in Western papers, by
carefully prepared pamphlets, by per-
sonal missionary work in the West if