Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-04-22
THE DRAIN ON VIRGINIA.

THE DRAIN ON VIRGINIA.
Every week reading state exchanges
We are saddened by suggestions OF
| the vast numbers OF Virginia people
who are away from Virginia. The
vitality and the fecundity of this
state are enormous. Tracking back
along American history rs early u,
| 1900, we find where Virginia people
of various kinds and classes had 10.
gun to push out into new territory.
They have been among the foremost
of tho pioneers everywhere and from
| the very beginning. The newspapers
in the Valley OF Virginia publish con-
stantly communications from Virgil
mans scattered through the West. 1t
is the same way In Southwestern
Virginia. We find n statement from
Russell county that one neighborhood
there Is In danger OF being depopu-
lated by removals to New Mexico.
Considering the constant drain TO
which the whole state has been sub
jected through more than two centu-
ries. that her women have furnished
the sons ana daughters who have
populated dozen states. and rcmem.
herring her frightful losses of mon
In several wars. and especially the
great war of 1860 to 1863, II Is won
derful that she has shown steady
Increase In her population, white as
we'll as colOred.
II Is not only the farmers and the
working people. representing so much
OF the vitality and virllity. the man
hood and womanhood and life and en-
crgy of The state, WHO have been 70
Ing out. The intellectual element OF
the population has been drained even
moro heavily In proportion. Who's
WHO IN America" for 19OS-l90g has
the names of 429 Virginians. great.
or number than any Southern state
or than any state in the Union OF
approximately the same population.
or these 429 men and women who
have won distinction In their various
occupations and professions 200 al
most half. are living and working out.
Side OF Virginia. The United States
census returns for 1900 show tina;
$4,000 people of Virginia birth arc
living In other states. That Is third
OF our whole present population. 1t
would be tedious process to asccr-
tain from the various census returns
how many people Virginia has FUR.
nished 10 the country, but we think
II safe TO say that NJ least ten times
MS many white people us now 1.-Two
IN this state have gone from II to
other states OF this Union,
All the power OF our thought and
labor-cncrgy ana financial resources
shonld be concentrated ON the work
OF stopping this long drain and bring.
Ing In new people TO take the places
OF those who are gone. Virginia.
through the whole life of this coun-
try. hns been n reservoir of brains and
courage and vital force from which
the whole Western and Southern and
southwestern and Northwestern sec.
lions have drawn. 1t Is time for us
| 10 stop the outflow. We have natur-
al resources here TO employ all our
own talent and strength and to at.
tract from outside more than we can
produce. We have hundreds of thou
sands OF acres of idle land. great min,
ing territory. vast stretches of for
est. unlimited wealth in tho waters
along our COASTS and coming I'm into
the heart of the commonwealth. end
less opportunity for expanding trade
X.
Is worth our while TO study seriously
why people move away from Virginia
and why comparatively few people
come into Virginia.
In the view OF The LEWIS Leader.
the public roads and the public
schools are the first aud most Obvious
means by which to hold the people
we have, by making life attractive
and encouraging to them, and to bring
In new people. After these two sur
face essentials have been attained to-
variety of details will come. But
We should realize now that II is me-
cessary for us, though the next
ten or twenty years. to concentrate
our intelligence and effort on the
great work of keeping Virginia people
In Virginia and making the state n
recipient OF new population instead
of contributor to the whole world
to her own loss.--Rlchmond News
Leader.