The Washington times., 1906-01-04
FOREIGN LABORERS
FOR OLD DOMINION
Great Colonization Project
ArOuSes Virginia Farmers.
WILL PROMOTE AGRICULTURE
Commissioner Koiner Will Petition
State Legislature for Neces-
sary Funds.

RICHMOND. Va, Jan. 4-The IegiS-
latuTe Of Virginia. when il assemblies Tor
its next session on January 10, viu be
asked TO appropriate from Sl0,VUl 10 so.
600 a fund with which to promote the
immigration of farm labOTeFs from Eng
land. Scotland. Germany, Sweden and
Ireland To this State. The project TO i'm
port farm Iaborers from the countries
mentioned originated with Hoa. George
". koiner, the State commissioner OF
agriculture. IL has attracted consider
able attention throughout the Common
wealth. and Mr.. KOiner has received as
surances from many sections OF the
State that his plan TO increase the Ia
boring forces of Virginia VIII be strongly
supported.
In connection with the carrying out of
his IDEAS. Mr. Koiner, about three
months ago, began corresponding with
the lord mayor of London. There are
many thousands OF idle iaborers in the
city of London alone, and the lord
mayor has shown active interest in
Mr.. koiner's proposition, which would
provide the means of permanent employ
ment for this vast army of workers.
Vice Consul Investigates.
The matter was referred 10 l.. S.
Brine. the British vice consul. stationed
at Richmond. who has been investiga-
ting the plan and its possibilities on
behalf of his government. Mr. Brine
has been the British vice consul here
for about fifteen years and is thoroughly
conversant with the agricultural condi-
tions OF the State. lie is working en-
Enthusiastically with Mr. Koiner in the
pushing forward of the plan 10 bring
his countrymen TO the farm districts of
Virginia.
In explaining his plan, Mr. Koiner
said this morning:
Il feel confident that the Legislature
Will make the appropriation which my
department is seeking. and in case II
does / expect 10 dispatch a man abroad
Immediately to work up the details of
the Immigration of Iaborers from that
end
Unless there should be some unex-
pected delay, / hope 10 have thousands
of farm laborers in this State from
England. Ireland. Scotland. Germany,
and Sweden in time 10 participate in
the work OF the summer crop"
Millions of Acres Idle.
Il would be dimcult 10 estimate what
this movement really means 10 The agri-
cultural future of Virginia Without
question II means the development Of
millions Of acres of splendid farm land
which today Is lying uncultivated and
practically useless as producing soil.
There are in Virginia at least ten
million acres Of land idle This land is
taxed in most cases on basis OF value
of from s. TO $40 per acre and it has
been demonstrated very recently that
under proper cultivation this same land
increases in value 10 $50 or $50 per acre.
In other words. il our efforts to bring
outside labor into the State are sue
cessful. these 100000 acres of land
would I'm the course OF things be culti-
waited. thus adding 500 600. 600 to the tax
able value of Virginia
Mr. Homer has arranged a system by
which farmers who desire help can
register their names with statement
of what they wish. The laborers, II
they come here. viii be cared for until
they can be located on farms. Either
the farmers can come TO Richmond or
other points that may be established
headquarters and employ the men OF
they can have the labOrers sent 10 them
on application.
Mr.. Koiner has been corresponding
with the town authorities Of Glasgow,
Scotland and other places In every
instance those 10 whom he has written
have expressed themselves as glad TO
know that there exists such an open
ing. lie has had many letters from in
dividual laborers. especially in Scotland
inclosing clippings from the Glasgow
neWspa pers and seeking further infOr-
nation on the subject
Irishmen Good Farmers.
MANY Of these peopIe." said AIr
Koiner. ARE Irishmen who have been
trained to Till the soil conscientiously
and with economy and they. like the
labOreTs from the other countries with
which I am negotiating. viii be pecuI-
al 4 nj cd IN h.v
reason that our principal crops are the
same as those that they have been
working all their lives.
The class of laborer that i am en-
deavoring to bring over is made up of
people who have spent practically their
whole lives in one place. They are not
wanderers. and if they come over here
with their families and are located
where they will receive fair treatment,
81 Will mean that they will identify
themselves with the locality in which
they live and viii remain there indefin-
ttelN. The Improvement TO the State
for this reason il for no other will
be substantial and permanent"
According TO Mr.. koineT, about TWEEN
ty-five hundred farmers emigrated
from the West, middle West. and North
10 Virginia last year, bringing with
them an actual Investment in the State
of more than eight million dollars
South Carolina and Maryland have both
been working along the same general
lines that Mr.. Koiner is following. and
last year about four thousand farm
State During the past year about
three hundred farms were bought by
outsiders ia Fairfax county, Va.
Project Will Benefit State.
Virginia is the only State in the Union
Mr.. KOiner says which exports cattle
direct from the pasture, the other States
having to use grain TO prepare their live
stock for the market Principal among
the other farm industries of the State
which viii be affected by the importa-
ton of foreign labor viii be the trucking
industry, which last year yielded Sl2-
000.000, and the fruit business. which has
in recent years grown immensely. Some
of the orchards in the State produce as
much as $50 to 500 per acre.
Mr. KOiner has held the Office of COM
missioner OF agriculture for six years He
was graduated from Roanoke College in
lAIe. and. after farming IA his home
county of Augusta, served three terms
in the Legislature. lie Is a practical
farmer, and Governor Tyler. In a mes