Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-10-04
lMMIGRA TlON TO THE SOUTH.

trai system, has been for years en-
gagged in the settlement and exploita-
tion Of southern territory. He is one
Of the best posted men living on the
immigration conditions of the south
and the outlook for the future. In
reply to a request from the New Or
leans Times Democrat, Capt. Merry
sent the following interesting state
ment regarding the general immigra-
tion situation in Louisiana and Miss
issippi:
Notwithstanding the unfavorable
agricultural conditions throughout the
state of Louisiana and Mississippi,
owing to the early. continued and
incessant rains. yet it has been, from
an immigration standpoint, by far the
best season for many years. People
from the north no longer hesitate to
invest or to locate in the south. They
understand that the climate of Louis
lana and Mississippi is milder than
that of Illinois and Iowa. and the
long accepted theory that white
man could not work in the field under
the rays of Southern sun has been
tested and contradicted by so manv
northern men that farmers from Wis
consin and Indiana now purchase
farms and locate upon them in the
two southern states above mentioned
with the same assurance of pleasant
climatic conditions as if located in any
of the more northern states.
ss 1n NJ
ment to keep a correct account of the
number OF northern families which
cross the Ohio river and permanently
locate in the south. nor ia it possible
to give an intelligent approximate of
the number of acres Of land purchased
in the south by northern investors and
.hOmeseekers. We believe. however.
that 1. 900, 600 acres would he a con-
servative estimate Of the lands that
have been transferred in the states of
Louisiana and Mississippi to northern
buvers since January L. 1905. all of
which are located on or contiguous to
the Illinois Central and Yazoo & Miss
issippi Valley railroads. What sur
prises many who are familiar with
land conditions in the south is dlat
the lands sold during the year 1905
have been at prices ranging from o.
to $5 per acre advance over the prices
of 1904.
''In the matter of foreign immi-
grafton, our Italian population on the
plantations and truck farms Of Louis
lana and Mississippi has nearly
doubled, and their success as farmers
astonishes everyone. The writer re-
Gently visited Italian colonies located
at Dunkirk, Fredonia, Buffalo and
Conastoga, New York. and in every
instance il was the universal opinion
that no nationality is more Industrious
or more successful in tilling the soil
than Italians. and the testimony Of
the business men Of the state Of New
York as to the Italian is fully COR
roborate, stV business men of Louis
lana and Mississippi who know some
thing of the settlements at kenner
and Independence. Louisiana. and at
Greenville. Rosedale and Shelby.
Mississippi.
THE Hungarians are also learning
of the opportunities afforded by the
state of Louisiana for securing homes.
Not less than 100 families of Hun
zarians have been located in Tangipaho
parish the past wear, and nOtwith-
standing the unfavorable conditions
have done fairly well, and are paving
for their little homes and are a con-
tented and happy people.
1.-THE management of the Illinois
Central and Yazoo & Mississippi
Valley railroads has shown its con-
fidence and faith in the future of the
south by establishing an immigration
which devotes all its
energies and agencies to the develop
ment of the south. Their literature,
hitherto published only in English. is
now printed in English. German
and Italian. and is being
mailed everywhere in response to in
quiries that are daily received, not
only from every state In the Union
but from nearly everv country in the
world. The south is now forging
ahead commercially, industriallv and
as never before. and
the price of cotton and the unpre-
cedented demand for southern agri-
cultural products. together with other
Inducements, variants the statement
that the year 1906 will be the banner
year for immigration to the states Of
Mississippi and Louisiana. -
When it was announced that rural
mail boxes we're to be numbered and
mail could be delivered by number
a vigorous protest was made by the
smaller merchants throughout the
country. because this would enable
the big mail order houses to food
the country with their catalogues
and circulars whenever they choose by
by number only. The kick
was so plainly justifable that the
part Of the order permitting mail ad-
dressed to box numbers only to be de-
livered has been rescindad by the de-
partment. and mail must be addressed
to the party foi whom 1t is intended
a. heretofore.
At sunset Friday evening was the
beginning Of the Jewish New Year
6666. Two days. or forty-eight hours,
commencing on Friday evening and
ON Sunday evening at
sunset are observed in religious
f0stiyitioa bv Hebrews the world over.