The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-02-02
THE PRICE OF COTTON AND IMMI-
GRAFTON,


What effect will the high price of
cotton have on immigration to the
South? That is a question that is just
now receiving some attention. In an
interview in the Morning News yester-
day Gen. w. w. Gordon. in regard to
this question, said: Il am inclined to
the belief that the high price of cotton
will induce a better and more intelli-
gent class of labor to immigrate here,
and the negro will have to come up to
the standard set by the newcomer or
seek some other vocation"
There are reasons for taking this
view of the question is correct. The
price of cotton is drawing attention TO
the South, not only of those of this
country, but also foreign immigrants.
Almost every day we see it stated in
Southern papers that Western farm
ers are coming South this winter in
greater numbers than ever before, and
that all of them are seeking homes
There are more Western farmers in
this state this winter than has been
the case for many previous winters,
and reports from Louisiana and Mis-
sissippi are to the effect that immi-
grants of this class are there all the
time. We have no doubt that Texas
is getting large addition to her pop
ulation from the West. Western farm
ers are progressive and they make
their influence felt in the communities
in which they settle.
The South is just now the most
talked of section of the country. In
the East and the West the high price
of cotton has drawn attention to the
Southern States. The Northern news
papers are saying that the South is
developing rapidly and that in natural
resources it is richer than either the
West or the East.
All the countries of Europe are
greatly stirred up by the high price of
cotton. European cotton mills are run
ming on short time and some of them
have closed down, because cotton cam
not be obtained at a price that permits
of a profit in cotton goods. Naturally
there are inquiries in all of the locali-
ties in Europe respecting the part of
the United States in which cotton is
grown. One inquiry leads to another,
and in this way a great deal of infor-
nation respecting the South is being
disseminated in those sections of Eu-
rope from which immigrants come. 1t
is probable, therefore, that the South
will soon begin to get good class of
immigrants from Europe. a class that
knows something about farming. OF
course they know nothing about cult
waiting cotton, but they would soon
learn if they were to give their atten-
ton to it.
1t wouldn't be at all surprising,
therefore, if the high price of cotton
were to benefit the South in more
ways than one. If besides making the
farmers prosperous it should start i'm
migration in this direction it would not
be long before there would be a very
active demand for Southern lands that
are now unoccupied. 1t is we'll known
that the pine lands which few years
ago We're thought to be practically
worthless are now producing the bulk
Of what is known as sea island cotton.
If some OF the money which is spent
in advertising the resources of this
state were used in sending a compe-
tent agent to the farming sections of
Europe from which immigrants come,
for the purpose directing immigrants
to this part of the United States, the
probabilities are that in the course of
a very few years the movement of the
better class of foreign immigrants
would be to the South instead of the
West.