Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1908-06-06
IMMIGRATION
Effort win BE Made To Have Them
Follow the Pursuit OF Aorl-

washington, May zs.-freslden
Roosevelt, backed by the whole power
OF the administration, has started =
movement to turn the tide OF emigra,
ton, as we'll as migration. to agricul-
tural pursuits in America. The pres.
ident regards the movement as quite
as important as that looking to the
conservation OF the natural resources
of the country, and even more impor-
tant from a purely sociological view
point.
Recently he has discussed the sub
ject at length with some of the best
thinkers of the country, and in prac'
tical way has taken the matter UP
with Secretly Wilson, of the depart
ment of agriculture 1t is his desire
to induce people to get back to first
principles and cultivate the soil of the
country. He regards 1t is fraught with
danger to the integrity of he nation
that so many people, not from other
countries, but from our own country,
should seek life in the large cities.
Statistics show that thousands--even
tens of thousand of young men and
young women are leaving the farms
of America and taking up life in the
cities. The certainty Is that many Of
them barely will exc out an existence
in towns or cities, yet apparently the
attractions of city life are too much
for them to resist.
1t Is the idea of the president that
national movement be started not
merely to prevent young people in
America from leaving the farms, bu,
also to divert as large percentage
as possible of the alien immigration
from the cities to the country. To this
end, he hopes that the attractions OF
rural life may be presented to the peo
pie in a way that will appeal to them
He has in mind the delivery of some
addresses on the subject before be
shall retire from the presidency and
he hopes that, in a year from this
time. the movement will be we'll start
ed.
Secretary Wilson is cooperating
with President Roosevelt enthusiast
cally. His department has done much
toward the establishment and mainte
nance of agricultural high schools III
the various states and the work has
been Of immense value. Secretary
Wilson has evolved scheme for the
publication Of national agricultural
newspaper in this city which shall
press vigorously the movement insti
tuted by the president The scheme i
only tentative now, but the secretar,
hopes that it will come to fruition.
Secretary Straus, of the department
of commerce and labor, both through
the bureau of immigration and the di
vision Of information, Is doing all he
can to remote the presidents policy
Every effort Is being made by the i'm
migration officials to induce immi
grants to seek homes in the rural dis
tricts of the country instead OF locat
ing in the large cities. which already
are greatly congested.
The officials of the department Of
agriculture present figures to show
that the farms in the Middle West av
erage about 100 acres. 1t is asserted
that farms of considerably less acre
age, properly titled, would be far more
profitable. The idea is that the
American farmer should till the sol
less extensively and more intensively;
in other words. that he should mix
brains with his Drawn and thus gel
better results for his work
While most OF the good farming
Land OF the country is expensive, the
work of irrigation and reclamation 81
swamp lands on which the government
has entered, will enable many people
to acquire lands at reasonable prices
On their own lands they will have
much better chances to become happy
and Independent than they would II
they should locate in some larger city
and mentally. morally and physically
they would be better men and women