The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1911-09-19
IMMIGRATION LAND FUND
IS URGED BY BARsTOW
President of Irrigation Congress Dis
cusses a Plan for Taking Care
OF Foreign Immigrants.

Chicago, Ill, Sept 19.-One Of
| the most important subjects before
the United States today is placing
| the money-poor people in homes on
| the land according to the belief Of
Geo. f. Barstow, former president
of the National Irrigation congress,
which holds its nineteenth meeting
in Chicago, Dec to 8 Mr.. Barstow
says:
My understanding. as discussed
in my address before the National
Irrigation Congress that convened at
Spokane, is that the national govern
ment has already passed law pro-
| viding for the establishment of Il
bureau of immigration. the purpose
of which is TO aid in assisting the i'm
migrants coming to our shores to
right understanding as to where
they can best locate upon lands for
home building. This bureau is also
to work in conjunction with similar
bureaus created by the several
states, the better to accomplish that
much to be desired end The import
ance of this step is realized when
we consider that over seventy-tive
per cent of all the people coming
from other countries to our shores
have been cultivating the soil in
their native lands.
But should not the national gov
eminent, if not the state, go step
further? A large percentage of immi-
grants land at our great ports OF
entry with insufficient money to en-
! able them to push out west or to the
| southwest Shall |, who have always
/ been broadly conservative, be re-
| garded as preaching paternalism, or
as socialistic in my purpose, wnen
suggesting that the duty of the ma
tional government may be found IN
providing, under proper safeguard
fund which may be used to make
loans of suitable amounts to enable
this thrifty and frugal class OF PEG
pie to locate their homes under the
government irrigation plants?
Does the duty of the state lie II
, the care of her INDECENT and needy
, Does her duty lie in the enlightmen
. of her ignorant? Is her duty found il
T the proper protection of her people
T by creating such laws as to protec
= her citizens in the pursuit or lie
liberty and happiness? Then, ! in
quire, does not the states duty liz
along the lines of making suct
wholesome provision for that part o
her true, though moneypoor people
> as to obtain homes on the land
nreby creating truer and noble
: citizenship and whereby we shall re
, quire less almshouses and jail lut
I prisons?
II believe this to be one Of thu
, most important subjects that can oc
cupy the serious attention of the PEG
pie of the United States a large, anC
, by their state legislatures and thu
national congress at Washington
Now, as | have said, we have thu
immigration bureau whose duty 1t II
, to point out the land for the land
, less man. But, we should supply b
, national legislation the missing linn
: in this vital economic chain by pro
viding for these worthy Immigrant
I farmers the money on reasonable
time and at a low rate of interest
payment to be secured upon theil
purchases Of the public domain, o.
} irrigated or dry farming lands, al
the farmer may prefer.
ITO this end | advocate that th'