The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-10

have to leave her own door to supply the raw material to keep them busy. She needs active, willing hands to turn the raw material Into finished product, and to till her millions of acres of productive farm lands.
 'Tn the matter of farm products, you can raise nearly everything that is grown elsewhere, and variety of things that cannot be grown in cold climate. Be- sides you can raise more than one crop year. Crops of oats, corn, peas and peanuts have been raised on the same land in one season.
 "The south can raise cattle, sheep, hogs, poultry and fruit in greatest abundance. She can have many of these things on the northern market while the frost is yet too deep there to admit of the earth being plowed.
 "The south has something better than all these; she has men and women who welcome the stranger within her gates and extend helping hand to him. Twen- ty-one years ago I travelled through the south, spent a whole winter there, and several times since I have gone to vari- ous parts of 1t. I talked with every one who would talk to me of the condition of the land and people. I inquired of all who would give information, and then wrote a series of letters on the south for the Scranton Truth In one of these published March +, 1885, I said:
 Will Welcome t.ne Stranger.
 The south does not lack for energy or push, she has these in plenty What she needs is money and more hands to work her raw material, to be found in rich abundance, into finished product. Her people are among the best on earth. Their doors are unlocked at night. but their frt,% f4 al who visit them. You have to know but one thing to get along in the south, and that Is to keep faith, act square and just so long as you do, the southerner is your friend It has been said that "the south is in the saddle and she Is, but only with the intention of riding side by side with the north in the march of our country toward future greatness and prosperity.
 q wrote that twenty-one years ago. and since then have seen nothing to weaken my impressions, and many things to strengthen them.
 Vegetation Grows Rapidly.
 'One great advantage possessed by the south is the ease and rapdity with which trees may be grown in that section. One does not have to wait a lifetime for shade In 1891 I planted birch tree at my home in Scranton, Pa. In 1899, eight years later. I set out a tree of the same variety, age and size. purchased from the same nursery, here in Washington. On the first of June I visited Scranton and saw that tree. and on coming back. compared the dimensions with those of the one set out here. Of the two the Washington tree is the taller while in circumference it has the advantage by four inches Not only that, but the foliage is denser. and there is a larger growth of limb on the southern tree. That is but one illustration I know. but it is a living, practical one, and tells its own story. In discussing the matter with men from all over the south I find that tree culture is easy, rapid satisfactory and profitable. particularly in nut-bearing species and varieties. While every tree grown in the north may be grown south there are many that wont grow out of the south, or where zero and the ther- mometer are too friendly
 Others Are Telling the Story.
 "In the past all who spoke for the south were southern men and their argu- ments did not carry the weight they were entitled because of that fact. If in the future men of the north and of the south cooperate in setting forth just the plain truth about the south I am certain that the fairest most delightful part of our country will become better known and a large element of eastern and north ern people will seek their future homes in a bountiful. hospitable land.
 About a year ago I read an interview given to a Georgia paper by MT Thomp- son. the general agent of the Southern Railway, on the subject of Italian im- migration for the south. have mislald the paper, but I remember that he out lined practical way to secure the set tlement of that class in the south. at least that is my recollection. The Italians who bring their families along are good people and soon become accustomed 10 our ways. I know where Italian com munities flourish and this country mas no cause to regret their presence. But there js no reason why the Scandinavian peo- pple should not come, in large numbers to the south. They will come, too. If the proper steps are taken to make them acouainted with the advantages of the south Now Is just the time to SOW the seed in Norway and Sweden and if 1t is nronerlv soyn the harvest will pay for the labor and expense. I am told by Swedes and Norwegians that the agricul- t,,ral people of these countries are so heavily taxed that they are disheartened. Many of them are anxious to sell their holdings and emigrate.g Twenty-Five per cent of their eranings go for taxes of one kind or another and to such industri- ous. hard working people the south would be haven of refuge.
 Americans Themselves May Come.
 Tt should not be forgotten that while the best among immigrants is desireA