The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-25
COME BACK HOME,
THE MODERN CRY
"Gwine Back to Dixie, Whar' de
Sweetest Blossoms Crow" Is
the Song.
NEW RAILWAYS BIG SCHEME.
outlanders to Come Home and
Bring Many Others Along
With Them.
NEW RAILWAYS BIG SCHEME
BY FRANK $. wooDsoN.

meeting of railway officials and
others interested in the scheme is to
be held at Altapass, ~ c. wherever
that Is, on the 10th OF January, and the
object OF the meeting is commendable
in that IT is proposed TO inaugurate
what the originator OF II, w. D. Rob-
erts, OF the Carolina, Clinchield and
Ohio Railway. is pleased to call "the
come back home plan"
1 had heard something Of this back
home scheme. but did not exactly
understand 1t. and so 1 wrote to Mr..
Roberts about 1t, I might write
month and L could explain-ft any
better than does his letter. Here Is
what he says:
The Carolina, Clinchfeld and Ohio
Railways back home plan of immi-
grafton is an effort to induce some of
the thousands who have gone into the
Northwest and Canada to return to
their former homes in the Southern
States. This has also led us TO employ
all possible means to discourage fur
Their outgo of people from our terri
tory. While our participation in the
revenues derived by the railroads from
the travel of people going West is COM
paratively small. 1t is something. and
If we were successful in stopping the
movement entirely eve hope to do
this), the direct loss would be con-
siderable in the course of year, but
from the standpoint of freight tonnage
we consider the loss of these people as
producers is many times greater than
their passenger fares to the West
amount to on any Southern railroad.
Many Advantages.
Looking at it from the standpoint
of our people, we take the position that
the combination of cheap and produc-
tive lands, favorable climate and near
ness to populous cities and Industrial
porturities which cannot be found any
where in the West or Canada.
Therefore, both for those who
should come back home and for VIC
tins OF the Western fever we are con-
WINGED that the South to-day is the
very best possible country for them to
live in. Many who have gone West are
writing us 10 this effect, and others
who have already come back home con-
firm this conviction. The primary es-
sential to profitable farming is a good
market and a quick delivery of pro-
ducts In the West the cities and in
dustrial districts are very distant from
the cheap farming lands, which fac,
consumes the profits by freight charges.
Big Markets at Your Door.
But even in farming country COM
paratively close to the cities and to the
mining and numbering sections in the
West the mass OF land is so extensive
that these markets are quickly over
supplied and the farmer is compelled
to find an outlet for his surplus at dis
tant points or lose his labor entirely
And when he sends his products to
these points the profits are practically
absorbed by the railroads and commits
sion men. Here all is different, Cities
and towns are close together, and an
immense consuming population is in
the mining districts of the Nirgfnlas
and Eastern Kentucky in the cotton
mills of the Carolinas. in the lumber
Ing regions, and the great cities of the
Atlantic States-Baltimore Philadel-
phia, New York and Boston--with their
teeming millions are within few
hours haul, In the matter of distance
alone the fruit and live stock producer
on our cheap mountain lands has as
great an advantage over the Westerner
as an absolutely prohibitive tariff wall
could give him. He can take and hold
these Southern and Eastern markets if
every acre in d+1G-~Northwes We're
given to settlers free of charge and
irrigation thrown in
Getting Together.
Railway arrangements In the South
have been dividing their efforts in this
matter of immigration Through their
industrial departments they have spent
a great deal OF money to induce set
tiers to take up lands and supply the
nearby markets, but their passenger
departments have been just as alert
to aid the Western railroads in draw
ing, our native stock OF people away
from us. Certainly they cannot re-
fuse to carry people who want to so
West, but 1t woul be better for them
and the country they serve TO use all
possible methods in persuading young
opportunities now at hand"