The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1911-02-01
COOPERATION
OF RAILROADS.

the country. and some were
prosperous. They would be glad
if they came back home, "
bringing their wealth VITA
them. Most likely they would
have new ideas and methods
which would be useful in the
old home country. You will
admit, | think, that it was not
the rich, but the poorer people
who gave the extreme Western
States the great increase of over
II per cent. in population from
1900 to 1910, as against 1916 per
cent. Increase in these Southern
states IN the same period Nor
need you question that railroad
cooperation is mainly respon.
sible for the situation, the CO.
operation Of the Western rail.
roads. That among ourselves
has been directed towards
emigration. that is, so far as
the conduct of the passenger
departments of our lines is
concerned. While we have been
exploiting sections, the Western
roads have been Advertising a
whole country. Rich or poor,
educated or ignorant, and of
whatever nationality. they have
gone after" aud got people.
Gentlemen, let us 90 out of
the emigration business. We
want people in TINS country
rather than the passenger fares
OF West bound people in our
treasures. Let us go into IA
general Immigration campaign.
aud carry our people those the
Western railroads have left to
us-along with us. 1t is indeed
necessary that we have them in
our plans, for we must depend
on them to find homes for those
we BRING in; and, further. it is
IN their power To make or un
make all our work, according
TO how they receive and treat
the newcomer BY their co
operation, by making them feel
that they are measurably re.
sponsible for the success of the
work, the tendency 10 fleece"
the homcseeker will be checked;
and moreover, their efforts will
give the movement such pub
lefty as no amount of work on
our part could possibly obtain.
The press of the entire country
could not overlook the activities
of a whole people, especially
when they are turned upon IA
work SO out of the ordinary.
You have probably noted the
amount OF space already given
in this matter, and publicity il
what wc need for these South.
ern States.
Now let us see some Of the
things shown by the 1910 cen.
sus. We have here in these
States east of the Mississippi
and south of the Ohio aud
Potomac rivers an area of
lll,725 square miles, or 253 $40,
GOO acres of land, on which the
total population is 10, 554, $40. an
average of l7.2 acres for each
iuhahitaut Compared with
Ohio, which has only "a acres
for each person, we would re-
quirc an increase of 6S,4ll,20u
population 10 make the density
equal to that of Ohio. Looking
at the situation from another
standpoint; If our present pop
ulation were concentrated in
any part of our territory as
densely as that of Ohio, l47,
0l3,324 acres, or 23l,ll6 square
miles, would remain without q
single inhabitant.
You will understand (but the
public which will see these
figures will noD that the fact
that there is l7.2 acres for each
person in these Southern States
does not mean each parcel of
that size is occupied. On The
contrary, am well within the
facts when | say that over
100000 farms of 40 acres can
be obtained right now in the
States Of Virginia, North Caro-.
lima, South Carolina, Georgia,
Florida, Alabama, Mississippi,
Tennessee and Kentucky, which
can be made to yield comfort
able living for 10 900. 900 people.