Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-10-18

Commissioner Of Agricvlture)
ern farmers. truckers, orchardists. stock.
and dairy-men want 10 come South, and
are daily inQuiring Of tho department for
information, facts and statistics relative
10 Virginia There are many obstruc-
tions-transportation bad roads, and poor
railroad facilities or accommodations. I'M
saual assessment OF lands, and an as
sessed value greatly below prices asked
in some sections A proper plan OF i'm
migration would just now give Virginia
chance 20 select a desirable class Of
citizens for her surplus lands. Wise,
careful, and thorough legislation Is re-
CURED on this subject. At present there
Is no State immigration movement-no
law authorizing II. The work OF the
State Board of Agriculture. as its presi-
dents have repeatedly reported is simply
giving effect TO a bare suggestion in the
agricultural bill Of 1883. / believe a proper
immigration plan, enacted into law, with
very moderate appropriation, would Sc
euro the best families moving South from
tho North and Northwest, and would Sc
cure many OF the desirable classes Of
England. Scotland, and Germany.
Tho above IS a copy Of what l said in
my last annual report. and now, after
Twelve months careful Investigation
carefully noting all correspondence
received from parties living outside Of
the State giving an account Of their con-
diuon and means, and setting forth their
reasons for desiring TO change their
homes repeat all then said. with en-
phasis and make this addition:
ONLY INDIRECTLY CONNECTED.
THE subject OF immigration and the Sc
curing Of a suitable and desirable class Of
people TO occupy the surplus Of land now
uncultivated I'm Virginia, and a burden
10 its owners, has not been either i'm the
original act creating the Department OF
Agriculture. nor IN the act creating the
State Board OF Agriculture, declared to be
"a DUTY OF the Commissioner Of Agricul-
ture. nor otherwise given in charge OF
the State Board OF Agriculture. Indi-
rectly u IS connected with the work OF
the department. and is evidently so con-
nected with the other work OF the board
that much has been done by the board
in his direction. and some good has re-
suited One OF the duties OF the Com
missioner Is 20 prepare a handbook OF
Virginia. and the language OF the section
clearly indicates that the object was TO
draw the attention Of the outside world
10 the agricultural and mineral resources
Of every county IN the State. and the
mineral exhibit required TO be collected
and kept for public inspection, was
another indirect move 20 attract capital
as wen as population My experience for
seven years IN the department, carrying
on a large correspondence with citizens OF
other States and foreign countries. nota-
bly, English-sDeaking people, satisfies me
that there has been no abatement OF the
feeling that has attracted the northern
sd hun 60. lon 70 h
It's climate. productions. and the cheap
ness Of It's lands, have. whers known. pro-
duced a profound impression, and the cor
respondence OF the past year satisfies me
that Virginia IS still unknown to many
who are changing their location In the
cold Northwest and Canada.
CUT Up THE LARGE TRACTS.
81 am satisfied from statistics IN my
possession that the cutting OF the larger
tracts Of land. OF which the great body OF
uncultivated land forms part, would OF
itself. without Increasing the assessed
value, which Is irregular and unjust TO
the state produce FIVE times the revenue
now gotten from the tax on lands outside
the cities and towns. There are notable
examples OF this in Tidewater and Middle
Virginia a board Of equalization would
rive some relief 10 sections. and TO the
state. but nothing but sales TO immi-
efints with means 20 buy will erect
now buildings. and Improvement 10 in
crease each and every tax bin without
Increasing the assessed value OF the soil.
Instances o. lands assessed al less than
$50 have had $500 assessed for new
buildings. without complaint from the
owner
The State Board had prepared by the
Commissioner in 1923 a Hand OF
Virginia, which was officially endorsed by
Governor Mckinney st the meeting or
the Governors OF the Southern States In
Richmond and the demand for II In ard
outside Of the State has required the reis-
sue of several thousand copies in addition
10 the 1890 copies first issued. n Is called
for daily now hy men In the North ana
Northwest. wto have Just heard OF Il.
states south OF Virginia have pIohted by
The personal circulation Of thelr hand
books. accompanied by lists OF lands for
sale by agents sent out TO distribute them
IN the Northwcot Nov and then the
most valuable and now fertile AMI pro-
ductive estates are hcing unavoldably sold
for less than one-ff;1s their value before
The war. and great. below what "a re-
rarded by the businessmen OF the section
as their intrinsic value.