Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-11
VIRGINIA WANTS LABORERS
OFFICIALS CORRESPONDING
WITH ENGLISH AUTHORITIES
Fertile Lands That Would support
an Army of Workmen-Perma-
nent Settlers Wanted.

One of the most important things con-
sidered today by the Virginia authorities
/ is the plan TO promote immigration of
| farm ls,borcrs from England, Scotland.
/ Ireland Germany and Sweden into the
! state This question Is not essentially
new inasmuch as it originated some
morths ago with George ". i ainer, state
! commissioner of agriculture, but the
! jamestown exposition and the good show
| ing Virginia is making has added mo-
mentum TO the project of increasing the
| Virginia laboring forces.
1t has Just come to light that the state
authorities have been corresponding with
the lord mayor of London in connection
with these ideas, and the latter has
shown decided interest in this plan, win CHI
might mean the redemption OF many
thousands OF idle laborers. The remedy
offered by the state would mean the per
manent employment of this vast army OF
workers The pros and cor5 OF the SUB
ject were considered also by the British
consular officers, who are enthusiastically
working with the state officials.
What It Means to Virginia.
TT would be difficult to estimate what
this movement really means to Virginia,
Virginia official recently. 1T seems but
just that after Virginia has been praised
by the most prominent visitors to the ex-
position II should enter into race OF
self DEVELOPMENT Other states are going
to do it, so why not ours? Without ques-
ton il means the development; of millions
of acres of splend farm land, which to-
day is lying uncutivated and practically
useless as producing soil.
nf
idle land. taxed In most cases on a basis
of value from IS to $40 an acre, and It has
been demonstrated very recently that I'M
der proper cultivation this same land in
creases in value to $50 or So an acre. In
other words, If our efforts to bring outside
labor into the state are successful, these
1o,9O.0OO acres of lard would in the
course of time be cultivated. thus adding
$500 100000 to the taxable value of Vir-
ginia.
Our plan includes the arrangement of
system whereby farmers who desire
help can register their names with a
statement of what they wish The Ia Dor
ers. II they come here, will be cared for
until they can be located on farms. Either
the formers can come to Richmond or
other points that may be established as
headquarters. or they can have the men
sent to them Oh Application.
Movement Welcomed Abroad.
IA idNt, peSiutS DdNlNS Deen In COrre-
spondence with the town authorities of
the large cities of England and Germany
and in every instance those to whom
We have written have EXPIRE ssed them
selves as glad that there exists such an
opening-we have had many letters from
individual laborerS, inclosing CLIPPINGS
from newspapers and seeking further in
formation on the ject.
Many OF these people are Irishmen,
ltrn.a. Il -
sc!entlously and with economy and they.
IKE the labt rers from other countries
with whom We are negotiating, will be
peculiarly adapted to conditions here for
the reason that our principal crops are
the same as those that they have been
working all their lives
The class of laborers we want is made
up of people who have spent practically
their entire 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 II means
that they will identify themselves with
the locality in which they live and will
remain there Indefinitely The improve
ment to the state, for this reason, If for
no other will be substantial and perma-
nent.''
The regulations on immigration are not
disturbing Virginia, it seems, for the Of
fetal said
The legality Of a state to advertise
what Inducements 1t can offer the pros
pectiEe emigrant las been favorably de-
c1ded, and the question. 30 far, is the ease
as to how We can direct the newcomers
to our fertile grounds. Unless there should
be some unforeseen delay, We expect to
nave several thousands of farm laborers
mere In time to participate In the work
for next summers CROP