Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-31
FOR I'M EMIGRATION
The Southern Congress Organized In
Due Form.
CITY OF AUGUST A.
What u Was In Ancient Times and What
1t IL To-Day--WeIcoming Adj
dresses Responses

- ~ = - ~ 'AsNFf sAaF nc sFVNhil'ii ~
Immigration Congress opened suspicious
ly In Augusta to-day II was called to
order at noon b t,e Grand Opera-House
by President Bryan, Of Nashville, who
introduced Mayor J. II. Alexander, of
Augusta, who welcomed the congress On
the part OF the city.
Mayor AleXander's speech was full OF
interesting history about Augusta. II Is
the oldest inland city in the South At
lantic States, and was the second estab-
lished by OglethOrpe. This city, before
the day Of railroads b2irs the farthest
sea south OF Virginia, was the point Of
communication with the outer world Of
all that territory embraced in Alabama,
East Tennessee, North Georgia, and South
Carolina. Here all this vast section came
In wagons TO trade
Il have been told by old citizens, who
saw with their own eyes" said Mayor
Alexander. that in the fall and winter
II was not uncommon to see our capa-
cious Broad street 80 closely packed with
wagons that one might step from one 10
another for o mile or more.
This city Is mentioned in cOntempora-
neous history I'm l7i0. five years after the
settlement was planted as already In a
state Of great prosperity, well equipped
for trade. and conducting an extensive
traffic throughout the vast and fruitful
tributary country
1T was here that Eli whitney con-
Quoted his experimental works, ana IN
~ -, fstrt NF 90
most famous industrial inventions OF tn"
world, which Immediately reyolutionized
the agricultural industry Of this section
from tobacco and indigo 10 cotton as its
staple crop. In 1900. seven years after
Whitncys gin appeared, Georgia alone
exported over 1900 bales.
1--WE have here the Oldest public journal
I'm the South, the Augusta Chronicle. cs-
tablished in l7S5. and published continu-
ously since that date We have the Oldest
INCORPORATED educational institution in
the South in the Richmond Academy.
established by act Of Legislature in ltNt
We have the second Oldest completed
railroad in the Countrywide South Caro-
lima Understanding from Charleston -
Augusta, and preceded only by the Cam
den and Amboy railroad, in New Jersey.
THE AUGUSTA OF TO-DAY.
Following Mayor Alexander, Hon.
Joseph r. Lamar, president Of the Young
Mems Business League Of Augusta, which
secured the congress for this city, wei
coined the convention, and followed with
more valuable facts concerning the Au-
gusta OF to-day Taking simply the Off
Clal census figures for 1897 he showed that
Augusta had increased in the number Of
manufacturing establishments In the past
decade G33 per cent. i'm capital employed,
27j per cent: I'm labor employed, 20 per
cent. and In wages paid, $50 per cent;
that II had spent more money for public
Improvements than any other city in tn
South, and had the lowest death rate IN
the South.
Governor Northcn welcomed the con
gress on the part Of Georgia. and gave
a glowing picture Of her progress and
thrift. lie declared the readiness OF Geor-
gia TO welcome Industrious immigrants
who come to cast their lot here.
Senator Patrick Walsh welcomed the
congress, and extended TO them the priv
legeS Of the Commercial club, Of which
h. is president. lie said the assembling
Of thirteen Southern States reminded him
of that first convention Of the thirteen
original States to declare their indepen-
deuce. The present movement Is TO for
mulate plans 10y 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 address Of welcome
We're made by Governor 3lcCorkle, Gov
ernor Carr and Governor Tnman.
NEED FOR IAIMIGRATION.
At the conclusion Of the addresses Of
welcome and the responses, President
Bryan addressed the convention lie cX-
planned the need for immigration I'm the
Southern States by contrasting the popu-
latiOn per square mile Of some OF III
other States, as follows: Massachusetta
49, Kentucky, which is the most densely
populated Of the Southern States, A..
Rhode Island 2Gi; Texas, s
lie showed the material advance which
has taken place In the South, and called
attention to the fact that educational adj
were keeping pace the increased
progress being 100 per cent. I'm the past
decade, and the appropriations in South
a'n states for this purpose last year b.
ug over $G,0O0OD. The total value Of
school property in the South is $4,000. Coz
the number Of teachers, $1,000: whit.
pupils. 10000, negro pupils, 1876, 600
pupils in private schools, 10000; in paro-
ma 'AltOtiNf fN,N'u. lie lItNknl TIE time
was ripe for an immigration movement
In the South, and believed that by "a
.riotic ana united efforts on the part o.
the intelligent men composing the con
Sress' some wise and practical plan would
be adopted.
At the afternoon session a permanent
organization was affected by the re-elec-
lion Of President NJ. T. Bryan. of Tennes-
zee, and Secretary b. f. Elliott, of Flori-
Ia. 1t was decided that each State rep
resented should vote according to It's vote
n the electoral college. and that each
Territory have one vote
REPRESENTATIONS
The Credentials Committee reported rep
resented in the congress the following
States and Territories: Alabama,
Arkansas, Arizona, District OF
Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Ken
lucky, Maryland, Missouri. Mssis-
'ippi, North Carolina. South Carolina,
tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and
Texas; also, the leading railway systems
If the South.
All the details Of organization and
he order Of business having been gotten
through to-day, the Congress will begin
IN its practical work tomorrow. Just
what line OF action will be taken nobody
eems yet TO know. There appears TO be
10 preconceived scheme 10 be carried out
Everybody seems TO be at the point where
le believes the time is ripe for a concerted
movement in the interest OF southern i'm
migration, and TO believe that il is a
rood thing 10 undertake; but just how II
= to be done is yet to be determined by
he convention.
Governor Tllman, OF South Carolina,
probably expressed the sentiment Of a
majority Of the delegates when he de- |
Jared he had no plan Of his own, but had |
ONE 10 the convention TO put his |
houlder TO any wheel that started in the |
light direction, and to do all IN his power |
o check any that he saw starting wrong
lie has no pet schem Of his own, but is |
eady 10 cooperate with any that pro- |