The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-10-22
Concerning immigration.

That sensible southern magazine,
Dixie says that the south needs a
large number of immigrants, and than
1t discussed the difficulties in the way,
and makes the following points:
That there are serious difficulties in
tho way of inducing immigrati ton is a
fact not SO generally acknowledged, be-
cause the conditions have not always
been fairly and fearlessly discussed. WE
might as we'll be frank about it. There
are definite and well founded objections
entertained by foreigners against a
settlement in the south. James Brice.
author of 1.-THE American Common
wealth." and, perhaps, the ablest phiio-
sophboal thinker and observer OF the
English speaking race. tells us distinctly
the nature OF this objection. He de-
elares that among the moulders of opin-
ion in Europe the race problem in the
south is regarded as the transcenldsnt
problem of our civilization, and that Its
shadow and threat build a barrier on
our border over which the tides of i'm
migration do not care to pass. 1t is also
true in part, if not altogether true, that
partisan representatives in the diplo-
matte service of the government have rot
taken pains to remove misapprehensions
on this line from the minds of the for
eign people to whom they have been ac-
,,
real CIR imaginary, grows naturally out of
this central difficulty. The unsettled
condition of society, the unattractive as
sociations of labor in the mineral re-
glons; misapprehensions on the score of
health and personal safety: discrimina-
lions against laborers social ostracism.
etc., conspire to prejudice the minds of
Foreigners against the south These are
practical and pertinent objections which
are urged against US. 1t is just as well
TO understand them thoroughly and to
meet them inteSigently ard vigorously,
1t is simply absurd to fall back upon the
loud and boastful blazon of "our unpar-
alleled advantages" ami do nothing
more. Sound VIII not win in the great
struggle fer the establishment of a thrift
ty and intelligent population. Immigra-
tion is with us a business matter ard
must be prosecuted with the care ard
aggressive vigor with which we admin
lister individual affairs.
The editor Of Dixie" Thinks that the
best plan would be for southern capital
lists and land owners to cooperate on a
large scale and settls colonies of homo
genous immigrants ON segregated tracts
In convenient and suitable localities.
1t is the opinion of those who have
studied the subject that we do not need
to invite immigrants from Europe.
There are mifIions of well-to-do and en-
terprising people in New England, the
middle states and the great west who
are sick and tired of the billiards and
droughts of those regions and they would
gladly seek homes in the south. These
Americans would come to an understand
ing eff our race problem In very short
time, and they would fall in line with
the southern whites. With rare excep-
tions. all northern and western immi-
grants have dore this.
The south should go to work to draw
American immigrants from the section
north of the Ohio. This would be better
than the sudden influx of large numbers
of people from Europe who would add to
our problems instead of solving those
which now give us trouble.