The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1894-06-23
WHITE IHMIGRafIoS.

The Commercial Herald Is in receipt
OF letter from an esteemed eorre-
spondent, Mr.. Leop Giffroy, giving
an interesting account Of a meeting
held last Sunday in the city of Chica-
20, IN the Interest Of Southern immi-
grafton. Mr.. Giffroy is Belgian gen.
tleman, a resident of Brussels, who
came to the United States as an envoy
OF ali emigration association Of which
he is member aud has passed many
months in seeing the country and
familiarizlng himself with its climatic
conditions, etc.
Mr.. Giffroy was the principal speak
er-though Mr.. Pratt, of the Illinois
Central land department, made brief
address, calling attention to the IN
ducements offered settlers by the rail-
road. MIR. Giffroy referred to the fer
tility of the soil and dwelt especially
upon the kindly hospitality OF the res
ident population. lie told his audi
ence that be had travelled all over the
Dominion Of Canada aud the North
ern States, toward which the great
immigration movement Is directed,
aud that In comparison with these
over-pralsed countries he had found
In the lower Mississippi Valley all
earthly paradise.
The meeting, by unanimous vote.
appointed Messrs. Aug. Dewaele aud
i. Van WallegheIm to accompany Mr..
Gifiroy through the Delta aud to share
with hun the task Of selecting a loca-
tion for Belgian colony, TO be started
at once. This committee expects to
leave Chicago next Saturday aud will
arrive in Memphis Sunday morning.
Its members win spend several days
in the Delta and will visit VIcksburg
In the course of the week, probably
Oh Tuesday or Wednesday, though
this Is subject to further advices. Tho
committee will make Its report to its
principals at meeting to be held in
Chicago on the Oath inst.-Commor-
cial Herald.
Since the above Mr.. Gifl'roy and his
coadjutors have been IN Greenville
aud Washington county and met a
number of our fellow citizens. 1t is
much more than probable that one or
more colonies of their countrymen
will be located in the Delta during
the ensuing fall. On the success OF
the first comers great deal, perhaps
the future destiny of the Delta, de-
pends. Hence II Is we'll that there
should be the utmost care, forethought
aud investigation exercised, before
locations are decided upon. Where
the first, the experimental location Is
made, is not a matter of primary con-
sideratlon. For If 1t is success 9th.
ers will quickly follow. And II 1t Is q
failure 1t will soon vanish. All the
same it is gratifying to note that Mr.
Giffroy's preconceptlons point to Deer
4 Creek; naturally the finest body oi
alluvial land of equal area IN The
, Valley,
Mr.. Giffroy has, we learn, come tc
one wise conclusion He will advise
the purchase of improved land. Mo-
only is this best from sanitary reasons
but Il Is far more economical in The
long run.
That the agitation OF this question
f of attracting white c0lonists TO the
, agricultural regions of the South Il
taking practical shape, Is evidenced
, by the following from the Sioux City
, Journal:
: Il Is well to understand that thu
Northwest, Notwithstanding its snpe
rlor advantages, it's vast amount o
cheap, rich land, and its other oppor
1 tuniilcs, will not have the field entirely
to itself. You may say what yoi
please of the relative advantages whicl
the Northwest and the South have t
j offer. That is not conclusive. Th,
8 direction of emigration is, after all
+ largely matter Of judicious advertis
: ing-nothing more so. The marvel
Gus movement OF emigration from th
. East to Kansas during the decade fol
!. lowing 1875, largely caused by th
: great financial disturbance of 1879
!. wss controlled by advertising, and 4
!, A considerable extent by the grea
land grant railroad company know
. as the Santa Fe system. There are Il
I. the Southern States immense amount
r of land to be had for almost nomins
y price. aud there are railroad and othe
: large companies which have a pre-
l. found interest in securing settler
o from the East. Whether these South
l. ern lands are really cheap in compar
r son with Northwestern lands, a
things considered, there can DO n
doubt that the South will be able |
y persuade multitudes unless the Nortt
r. west be equally active and efficient |
s. advertising and in pressing home !
!, the attention of those who will chang
their location The advantages which
p really possesses. It will not do 10
The Northwest to rest on lis oars.