The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-06-26


Various immigration conventions,
congresses, parliaments, or confer
ences have been called from time to
time, in most instances by "dreamers"
with the hope of solving this question
1t is about time fer BUSINESS people of
the south to take hold OF tbs question
and get in some good work in place
Of the "hot-air' talk of which the
country has had a surfeit. In the
minds Of serious, thoughtful, business
people these conventions or parlia-
ments have caused the south to look
ed upon az a land full of "hot-air
theorists" and "hot-air orators in
stead of a country deeply in earnest
about the immigration question. The
general southern immigration Ques-
ton is in itself. The immigration that
Texas wants may be entirely Diff
ferent from that required in North
Carolina or Virginia, and the legisla-
ture and business interests of each
state must take care of that for itself.
A great deal Of time and money has
been wasted in the past trying to
induce a class of immigration not
suited to the section.
Living in the states north and west
of us are thousands of citizens thor
oughly American in all their ideas
and customs in life. Some sections
Of these states are being rapidly over
run with an undesirable class of for
eign immigration and it is in these
sections that North Carolina may safe
ly put forth her efforts. II properly
informed as to the real conditions
and of North Carolina the
better or American class in these sec
tons would grasp the opportunity of
making a home in a climate and
among a people without superiors. In
this way the state will be able to Sc
cure the highest class Of immigration,
a class hat will rapidly and surely
develop its resources and make first
class citizens and hOme-builders. By
encouraging this class Of immigration
only can We hope to preserve the true
spirit of our American institutions.
The fact that our citizens is kept
free from these influences will be a
factor inducing this class of people to
come among us.
Ny personal observation after ten
= >"iN Ala ~ - W L
that this is the one class of immigra-
ton that North Carolina should strive
to secure. Up to this time a large
majority of the immigration hat has
come to the south has been of this par
ticular class and with properly direct
ed efforts thousands of additional
hOme-seekers can be moved from those
sections of the north and west which
have been Overrun with the undesira-
Bile class. The immigration from those
sections to Canada has greatly in
creased in the past few years. and by
properly advertising the resources of
our state to these pOple it is posi-
BILE to turn the tide this way. The
tide of foreign immigration has been
so great to some of the communities
of the north and west that in some of
these the English language is scarce
ly spoken. The real American citizen
living in a community of this kind
could easily be induced to move to a
section of the country hat will afford
them a desirable climate and a com
Portable living and a home in a section
where all the American institutions
and traditions are preserved and where
the milk Of human kindness yet glad
dens the heart and brightens the eye.
Let us hope that only that class of
immigration will find its way here thus
preserving intact the spirits Of the
constitution and the traditions of u
fathers. To attempt to bring into
our state any considerable number of
ignorant or vicious immigrants would
still further burden US with educa-
tional problems of which we already
have our full share.
One of the great benefits to be de-
rived from an intelligent class of i'm
migration is the Introduction of new
ideas and the interchanges of views
and modes of thought which tends to
broaden our people as we'll as those
who come among us. fhe state of
North Carolina has been making con
siderable progress along these lines
in securing the class Of immigration
heretofore referred to-. This has been
notably the case in Buncombe, Moore
and Columbus counties. The immigra-
ton to these counties has been al
most entirely by people who have
come from the states north and west
vi 10. lnC IdACu values III liz
ship of Columbus county in which the
majority Of these settlers have located
have increased 120 per cent in the last
taxed values in the entire country
have increased 120 per cen in thelast
five years. The taxable values of bank
stock have increased $50 per cent. De
| pOsits have increased 1000 per cent.
The commerce Of the country has in
creased 1000 per cent. These should
be interesting figures and while this
rapid increase has lot been due en-
tirely to immigration. it has been the
principal factor. [ am sorry haven't
he figures showing the increase in val
ues in the other counties, but | an
satisfied they are as great if not great
er than the figures given.
This great increase has been largel!
due 20 the importation Of new BLOOD
and the introduction of new ideas. Nc
! higher class of citizenship can be founC