The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1899-02-03
MIR. VAN DERHOOGT'S TOUR.

MIR. IlttletOn /. Dryden, superintendent
of the state bureau of immigration, has
received communication from Mr.. Come
lius w. Van der Hoogt, secretary of the
bureau, who is on visit to Holland for
the purpose Of securing Dutch settlers for
Maryland.
Mr. Van der Hoogt writes from Nrics,
Province of Drente, Netherlands. Speak
| ing of his visit to his old home in Kan
pen, he writes: This is one of the Oldest
of the historical towns of the Netherlands.
| The city hall was erected in 1900 and
many relics of the old times are to be seen.
Many documents written by William the
| Silent and other princes of the house of
| Orange are there The town is beautifully
situated on the river Ysel, has a popula
| ton of about 10000, and is the centre of
| the farming districts and the home market
! for butter. Kampen butter finds its way
! through all Europe.
Everything seems to have changed.
| Many of the old wealthy farmers have be-
come poor. The land is too dear, the
markets down in plice, the necessities of
| life greater and taxes and expenses too
high in comparison with the profits. Many
| farmers have to pay as high as 5000
guildcrs Isl 200 rent per annum for about
eighty acres of land. They only have meat
once a week, on Sunday, and often have
| to sell some of their cattle to meet the de
| mands of the 'pachtheer, or landlord,
! who has no mercy. The position of labor
ers on the farms is worse still. Hundreds
of men are idle during the winter and
| these poor fellows are willing to work all
| day for a sum equal to ten cents in Amer
lean money. They never get meat and do
| not know the taste of it.
II had an opportunity to start at once
| to speak of Maryland as Tuesday, Deem
Der 81, was market day in kampen. On
| such day all the farmers come to town
| to sell their butter and to do shopping.
Many had heard that the American gen
tleman,' as they call me, had arrived, and
they came to see me, and they were anN.
ious to know something about the pros
poets of settlement in Maryland. l adj
vised many of them, who are steadily los
| ing money, to sell out and settle in our
State, where they can buy cheaper than
| rent here. l distributed our pamphlets
and expect good results.
ut is interesting to visit the weekly
| wooden shoe market. You can find all
kinds and sizes of wooden shoes, plain
and fancy, rough and polished, white and
painted. The prices are: For children,
from to 12 cents; for adults, from Is to
90 cents, American money, pair. Fancy
| and painted wooden shoes cost ) cents
more. Everybody in the country wears
| wooden shoes, even the children of we'll
TODD people. Everything in connection
with unskilled labor is very cheap. For
instance, you can get shave for ten cents,
American money, and get six pretty fair
cigars with it. Necessities of life are more
expensive. Butter and meat are very dear.
Travel by rail is much cheaper than in
America, but by carriage more expensive,
adding the many tolls to it. When you
leave hotel everybody, from the head
waiter to the lowest servant, is waiting at
the door for little tip. This is the same
in the cafes and restaurants. Printed
matter and books are twice as high in
price as in America. Clothing, shoes and
hats are not cheaper in Amsterdam than
in Baltimore.
"wednesday, December %, l left for
Amsterdam to meet some gentlemen and
editors of newspapers in connection with
my lecturing trip. 1 have already fifty in
vitations to speak. All urge me to come
and speak about Maryland. Interest in
our State increases from day to day, but
the fact that DR.. Kuyper was favorably
impressed with Maryland as the State es-
pecially adapted for Hollanders is a great
help to me.
After every meeting announce Febru-
airy % as the date of my return to Amer
lea, so as to give an opportunity to those
who intend to move to Maryland to leave
with me. Some have already declared
their intention to do so, but the majority
are unable to be ready at that time. On
the first of November of every year they
make contracts with their landlords for a
years rent, and if l had come before that
time, l would have had greater success,
as they are looking out for a new open
ing"