The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-02-10
NEED OF IMMIGRANTS.
OF GREAT IMPORTANCE
TO THE STATE
Interesting Facts Set Forth by the
Secretary OF the Real Estate Deal
rs Observation-Disclosures of Re-
storing the Rural Population With
Desirable Residents.


To the Editor OF The Messenger:
/ have noticed with considerable in
terest the question Of immigration
which has come up before the represen-
tatives OF North Carolina now in ses-
sion at Raleigh. This being a question
of vital importance to the state from
many standpoints along oth agricul-
tural and industrial lines I desire to
place before the public some facts per-
tanning TO the needs of various sections
Of the state as viewed from a stand
point Of one practically engaged in the
location of good practical farmers and
farm hands in this state, being Secre-
tary and Treasurer of the North Car
olina Real Estate Dealers Association
which was organized less than one
ear ago.. The purpose of the organiza-
ton of this Association is to restore
cur rural population which has been
called into service by the phenomenal
growth of the factories of our state.
Not only should we restore this popula-
ton but it is our endeavor to induce
good farmers to come to our tate, and
to come in large numbers, and with
capital, to utilize our vast scope OF
waste lands for truck gardening, dairy
farms, and 81 diversifying our crops
that in the event of the failure of any
particular crop, or the Overproduction
of same our farmers will not be ma
terially injured, and to use our every
effort to secure good farm laborers to
aid in saving our crops men who are
practical farmers, and with sufficien;
reputation as to make them good citi-
zens.
This Association of real estate deal
ers is composed of members represent
ing thirty counties throughout the state,
and has, since it's organization, circu-
lated thousands of pamphlets through
out the north and west at their WI
expense. 1t is remarkable to note as a
result of his advertisement the great
interest manifested by farmers and
capitalists throughout the northern and
eastern states in southern Investments.
Some are in search of a mild healthy
climate, others are looking for a safe
field in which to invest their surplus
capital, while the greater number of
inquiries and prospective buyers who
are coming south are a class of practi-
cal German who located in the
western states twenty years ago, and
have saved considerable money, but
cannot afford to longer cultivate for
farming purposes lands valued at from
$500 to $125.OO per acre as is the case
~ oro ~ tho fo~ooir~ n civic of q
greater, portion of the west, when they
can secure lands which will yield as
great returns per acre in the south as
they can rent same for in the west.
If North Carolina were to make sorne
provision to aid this Association in car
rying on the work which has been so
vigorously and Systematically begun it
is hard to estimate the value and SER
vice this Association will render the
state in securing that class of immigra-
ton which will promote the agricultural
and industrial interests of the state,
maintain our present high social condi-
tons, and promote a higher citizenship
as we'll. A few years ago North Car
DINA made an appropriation for the
purpose of establishing an Immigra-
ton Bureau. This Bureau was in charge
OF Mr.. John w. Thompson, who was un-
firing in his efforts in the interests OF
immigration, but was obliged to give
UP the work largely ON account Of nav
ing no organization sufficiently inter-
ested in the work to cooperate with
him, as a result the question of bring
ing desirable immigrants into North
Carolina has for several years past re-
ceived little attention with the exCep-
ton OF a few real estate men, some Of
whom have spent several thousand dol
lars yearly in this work, while the for
mer money appropriated by the stale
has practically been unused for tie
purpose for which it was set aside.
There is no question Of more vital in
terest to the State OF North Carolina
today than the question Of immigration
and the proposition of who these immi-
grants shall be is just as important as
it is to secure them. With no Bureau
of immigration OF organization We may
at any time be flooded with the same
class of foreigners who are so unde-
sirable as citizens throughout the states
farther north where they have been
located, while with an organization sucn
as is afforded through the North Car
Dina Real Estate Dealers Association
or a Bureau of immigration which could
be established in that already ESTABLISH
ed in the Real Estate Dealers Associa-
ton, we solicit and locate only that
class of immigrants whom we choose
and who can serve the best interests OF
our state in aiding in the developing
of her from an agricultural,
industrial and social standpoint, and
eliminating such others as may be un-
desirable. Since beginning the work OF
interesting farmers and men with capt.
tai to- come to North Carolina, his AS
ISOLATION has received more tina two
thousand letters of inquiry, and has es-
tablished an Office at Boston. Mass,
Bradford, England, Peoria, H., all of
which are beginning to accomplish sat-
isfactory results and if sufficient means
were available nv this Association We