The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-05-31
TO BUILDUP THE SOUTH
Opening Of the Interstate Immi-
grafton Congress,
THIRTEEN STATES REPRESENTED.
Addresses of Welcome by Governor Nor.
then, Senator Walsh and Othsrs-The
Necessity for United Action In Develop.

AUGUSTA, Ga, May 3l.-The southern
Interstate immigration congress opened
anspiciously in Augusta yesterday. II
was called to order at noon in the Grand
Opera house by President Bryan, of Nash.
vile, who introduced Mayor j. II. Alex.
andcr, of Augusta The latter welcomed
the congress on the part OF the city. Mayor
Alexander's speech was full of interesting
history about Augusta.
FollowinglMayor Alexander Hon. Joseph
X. Lamar, president of the Young Mems
Business league, of Augusta, which Sc
cured the convention for this city, vel.
coined the congress, and followed with
more valuable facts concerning the Au-
gusta Of today, Taking simply the official
census figures for 1890 he showed that
Augusta had increased in the number of
manufacturing establishments in the past
decade $50 per cent; in capital employed,
$50 per cent; in labor employed, $50 per
cent; in wages paid, $50 per cent; that
it had spent more money for public i'm
proyements than any city in the south,
and had the lowest death rate in the
south.
Governor Northen welcomed the con
gress on the part of Georgia, and gave a
glowing picture of her progress and thrift.
He declared the readiness of Georgia to
welcome industrious immigrants who
came to cast their LOT here.
Senator Patrick Walsh, whose home is
here. also welcomed the congress. He
said the assembling of thirteen southern
states reminded him of that first conven-
ton OF the thirteen original states to de
clare their independence. The present
movement is to formulate plans by which
this most favored section could enlarge
its citizenship and work out its material
independence lie thought the occasion
most suspicious and the outlook very
bright for the success of the congress-
responses to the addresses of welcome
were made by Governor McCorllle of
West Virginia, GovornOr Carr of North
Carolina and Governor Tillman of South
Carolina. The latter declared ii was well
enough to invite people and capital from
the outside, and all that came would be
welcome, but for every dollar of out
side capital the sout hern people must ex-
pend ten of their own, if they were in ear.
nest about desiring to build up the south
The future of this section depends, he
said, on the efforts of our own people. and
what southern farmers need most is nm
immigration Of ideas and intelligent agri-
cultural methods.
At the conclusion Of the addresses Of
welcome and the responses President
Bryan addressed the convention. He ex-
planned the need for immigration in the
southern states by contrasting the popu-
lation per square mile of some of the
states.
At the afternoon session permanent or
ganzation was effected by the reelection
of President NJ. 7. Bryan, of Tennessee,
and Secretary b. +, Elliott, of Florida
Just what line of action will be taken
nolndy seems yet 10 know. There APP
pears to be no preconccved scheme to
carry out. Everybody seems to be at the
point whore he believes the time Is rine for
concerted movement in the interest of
southern immigration, and to believe that
it is good thing to undertake But lust
how it is to he done is yet to be determined
by the convention.