Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1908-08-16
NEW MEXICO IS
LEADING THE
SOUTHWEST
IMMIGRATION EXPERT
PREDICTS ROSY FUTURE
C. B, Schmidt, immigration
Commissioner for Rock Is
Iand-FriSco System Talks Of
Rush of the Land Hunters,

c. r. Schmidt, at present commis-
sioncr of immigration for the Rock
Island Frisco railroad system, former
ly the industrial commissioners of the
Santa Fe and one of the foremost ex-
perts upon immigration and colonial
tion in the world, left Albuquerque
yesterday evening for Chicago after Il
visit of two days here, his first visit
TO this valley for more thar ten years.
Mr. Schmidt had somewhat siren
uous experience while here. He ar
rived on Thursday evening and bright
and early Friday morning started out
with a party Of business associates to
look at some land near Bernalillo. The
party travelled in an automobile. When
returning from Bernalillo as night
came on the car broke down and the
entire party was left stranded until
well toward morning, when team
was secured.
Next time | travel over your val
ley roads," said Mr. Schmidt yester-
day, II shall trust to the faithful
horse. No more automobiles for
mine. In spite of this somewhat try
ing experience / have found my visit
here a very enjoyable one. The adj
vance which your immediate valley
has made within ten years is simply
tremendous and il is plain that your
development has just begun. Around
Bernalillo | found prosperous farms
and some most surprising results
point of production.
1T seems to me that, with this W.
ley surrounding you, with more per
feet irrigation system, and with your
lands in such condition that they can
be placed ON the market, you are
bound to have a great city here. Your
location is ideal, the farming district
is large enough to support fifty times
its present population and II seems to
me that its development is only a.
question now of a little time and some
effort along proper lines of promotion.
your development here win come,
however, even IL you do nothing toI
help or hasten it, 1t will come as a
part of the great westward movement
of the land-hungry, a movement which
is filling up the Panhandle of Texas
and eastern New Mexico with a rapid
ity which Is almost past belief
1T may sound astonishing, but |
have the records to prove that immi |
grafton to our lines during the past
year increased 1873 per cent over the
year before. BY this l do not mean !
prospcctors but actual immigration To-
Gated and established.
"Of this enormous increase New
Mexico has received very large pro-
portion. The rush of homeseekers to |
the government lands along our lines
in eastern and northeastern New Mex |
leo has been enormous and there is |
little abatement of It, although the |
season thus far has not been q good |
one for dry farming.
New MeXico's development, partic- |
ularly along the line of agriculture, Is |
astonishing and must be most grati- /
flying 1t has just begun and / pre-
diet, from a thorough knowledge of |
your resources, that the growth Of |
the coming two years will surpass
you have known before.
Il am a great believer in foreign
and in unrestricted inn
migration. To my mind It is neces-
sary for the successful carrying out
of the reclamation policy. If we wait
for our American farmers to take up
the small tracts allowed under the
reclamation act, we will walt for an
hundred years for any successful DEM
onstration of the policy. But your
Italian farmer, If he can be induced
to turn to the soil when he comes to
this country, will make more of al
forty-acre tract by intensive cultiva-
tion than the average American farm
er will make of 800 acres. have
already established several Italian
colonies along our lines. and they have
proved most successful We are be-
ginning to look to New Mexico for oui
next field. and | have already estab-
lished a small colony of Hungarians
near Santa Rosa Some two years ago
/ visited Italy to discuss with the gov
ernment authorities some of the prob
lens of Italian immigration. The
government sent four commissioners
to America with me and as a result
of their inspection and recommends
tions a corporation of Italian fnan- |
cieFs and statesmen with 100000 J
capital has been formed to promote !
immigration to the farming districts |
of the west What this movement |
means to the southwest II Is difficult |
to overestimate. The Italians are splen- |
did farmers and great developers. |
| am a firm believer In them 80 long |
as they can be brought to the land, |
and / expect 10 see the time when
they will play an important pgrt In
the development Of this territory"