The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-09-12
IMMIGRATION Is NEEDED
THE OBsERVATIONs or 4 VIsITOR
10 THE SOUTH.
Tho Race Problem satisfactorily Solved.
Old story n White Man Giving HIS seat
In Car to a Negro Woman Rehashed'

my letter L promised 10 give my Nnp' es-
sions OF the social conditions as Cd
served them during my visit 10 lhe soulh'
1 know that II IS presumption 10 90 So
that il Is impossible for any one 10 disesI
such "a subject and 70 pronounce an oplh-
ion. But 1 insist that II Is no opinion /
venture to oner, but merely Impressions,
and that as such they must be taken Ioi
what they are worth
Washington, i fancy, may be caIleu
link between tho North and the SCUM
since It has neither the distinct feature
Of all Northern cities, viz-the lncessaht
rush OF every pedestrian In the street. nor
tho ,bloujtous negro Of the South. The
race OF Ham Is well represented IN the
capital. but they are not Of the kind, or
seem not Of the same kind as those south
Of the Potomac. There is an indescriba-
BILE something In the very air. after the
bridge over the Potomac Is crossed, that
tells YOU that you are In another ana
distinct part Of the Union.
/ remember distinctly the time Of the
emancipation. and the thoughts 1t gave
rise 10. What q problem it was for the
South 20 solvoi And how its difficulty
was increased when the privilege Of suI-
fraee was placed in the nesios hand.
Surely there can be no greater PROOF or
the Kindness OF the former owners OF the
bondsmen than the fact that this terrible
weapon was not turned against their late
masters.
SATISFACTORILY SOLVED.
II seems. indeed, that the problem has
been satisfactorily solved. The two races
dwell side by side in mutual peace ana
goodwill. Of don't think" said a gentle
woman who recOlected ante-bellum
times chat there Is one in hundred
who would be in favor Of seeing slavery
restored" AS 30 the negroes, j have never
seen people who retain so long the char
acteristics OF childhood. Happy, careless
OF what tomorrow may bring, they ape
pear to occuy a position IN accord win
their temperament 1 was witness or an
act OF kindness Of a native Vrginian-l
took pains 20 ascertain his native state
which 1 would not have believed possible.
IL was in the smoking-car of the Chesa-
peake and Ohio going TO washington
We had changed cars az GordonsVille'
and the smoker was crowded, while sew
eral huge colored women were making
their way in. Among these was a young
negro woman, evidently full-blooded, car
rying a young baby. She looked round
for "a seat, but there was none left. Ihe
gentleman referred TO, man OF vast
proportions, rose from his seat and SAID:
Here. woman with the baby, take my
seatw muttering as II deprecating his
kind act: Il don't have 10 90 far any
way" don't know of any place I'm the
North where such a thing could have
happened without attracting considerable
attention.
NEEDS IMMIGRATION.
or all the States in the Union that /
have seen, and those are very few which
I have not seen, there is not one that
1 prefer to Virginia. I don't say this for
the purpose Of fattery, for this same
letter will be published just as 1t IS In
other states. and am a better hand at
fault-dnding than at complimentary re-
marks. Not one Of the states which i
have seen q have never visited Maine,
New Hampshire or Vermont is as well
wooded and watered. From what have
noticed, there is one thing Virginia needs
and needs badly, viz.-immigration. Not
an indlscriminate influx Of every race
and every nation, such as arrives in New
York every day I'm the year, but farmers
or, better still. peasants, accustomed 10
make a good living, and 10 lay by con-
siderable savings from their own small
property Of five, or ten acres j impaired
my views to several gentlemen whom /
had the pleasure Of meeting, and 10 is
because they agreed with me that I ven
ture to allude TO this question. At first
I was Of the opinion that a number OF
Scandinavians settled in South Dakota.
Minnesota, and Nebraska might readily
be induced TO come. But on more mature
thought it struck me that the rude cli-
mate of those Northwestern States IS
more congenial 10 the hardy, thrifty sons
of the Norsemen. Besides. there is the
question Of assimilation, and / have SEE
rious doubts II the first or even the Sec
oud generation of these people would feel
al home in the genial climate Of the
Southern State. The hills, looking TO the
South. now hardly productive, save for
the timber or for the scanty patches OF
corn, interspersod at long intervals, could
and would be transformed in rich vine
yards If possessed boy the peasantry OF
the South or east OF France. who would
easily find themselves az home on the
slopes OF Virginia hills or If occupied by
the small vineyard owners of the German
bank of the Rhine or Neckar Wheat
fields and vegetable gardens would take
the place OF the woods If owned by the
peasantrv Of the South of the Neither
lands of the north Of Belgium.
INCREASE T1IB WHITES.
Virginia, If the latest census IS correct
has q population Of 1,G55,9S0, Of whom Co.,
l3S or more than IS per cent. belong TO
the colored race. Under these circum-
stances an increase of an assimilauve,
c0ngcnial, white population is not only
desirable but. il the present generation
has the welfare OF their children at heart,
it is, it seems TO me, absolutely necessary
TO c0unteract the natural and rapid in
crease OF the colored race.
10 is strange TO me that, Of the many
patriotic and enterprising gentlemen in
the State, no one has agtated this Ques-
ton, and 80 strikes me forcibly that this
is d good time TO place it before the pub
lie. Wh1e the crops have failed in most
parts Of the world, America is again at
tracing the attention of the most desir-
able class Of immigrants, Of the small
farmers, as a country of plenty and OF
never failing harvests. II is an old
truth as long as society hangs together,
that the welfare of the cities depends
upon the welfare Of the country. Every
railroad, I'm the more scanUly settled
parts Of this republic, is striving earn
estly 10 induce immigrants 10 establish
themselves along their lines. with an
eye 10 future prosperity. If, then. an as
ISOLATION of land owners or Of other pa
triotic gentlemen should be formed 10
take proper measures 20 inaugurate such
immigration, there is no doubt that the
earnest cooperation Of the great trans
portation corporations would be readily
secured.
IL may seem boldly have no doubt II
is, for stranger to express his opinion
as / have done in these lines. Less as an
apology than as an explanation, 1 refer
TO the opening remarks Of this letter
Let my lmnressLoma be tnLan for what