The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1913-11-15
BY RALPH W. TYLER.

ago was the pet hobby oil Dr. Booker L.
Washington. has now become a veri-
table slogan with the whites Of this
country. Quite recently prominent
white men, members Of boards Of
trade and chambers OF commerce In
the large cities Of the south. appeared
In Washington as committee and pc
titiOned the commissioner of immigra-
tion to turn the tide Of foreign immi-
grafton arriving daily in New York
form the great west to the southeast
ern states.
This indicates that the whites want
the vast area of unimproyed farm
lands in that section developed and
they welcome the Italian. the Greek,
Russian Jew. Slav, Pole or Hungart
an Immigrant to the south for that
purpose. Once the tide Of foreign i'm
migration Is diverted to the fertile
southeast II will continue until all Of
the more than 100000 acres Of IN
improved farm lands in that section
are taken up and made to enrich the
dIlers and to supply the country with
farm products. the insuficiency OF
which at present contributes to the
high cost Of living.
What are termed the southeastern
states include Alabama, Florida, Ken
lucky, Mississippi. North and South
Carolina, Georgia. Tennessee and Vir-
Rinia, states whose colored population
at present is 6.5O0OOO. nearly two
thirds Of the entire colored population
of the country. OF this 100000 IN
the southeastern states fully one-half
Is crowded into congested quarters OF
the large cities, where they must bat
tie fercely amid Insanitary surround
ings and prejudiced labor unions for
an existence which promises no rose
ate future.
Back to the farm is no longer the
exclusive propaganda Of DR.. Washing
ton. Every state in the Union Is en-
phasizing it by maintaining one or
more splendidly equipped agricultural
colleges, in which scientific farming is
taught the young white men and wom-
en-. II is emphasized by big white
Gyndicates buying up farm acreage for
speculation. in anticipation OF the real
iEation Of this assured back to the
farm" movement Alabama has H.
Osa.731 acres of unimproved farm
lands, Florida 3,44s, 130 acres, Georgia
1A,655.896 acres. Kentucky 7.S34,596
acres, Mississippi 1,T02-3T3 acres,
North Carolina 13,626.0T3 acres. South
Carolina 7.414,O29 acres, Tennessee
e,151,17S acres and Virginia 9,62a67S
acres.
There Il now a splendid opportunity
for q cooperative movement among
our people which viii have for its pur-
pose the purchasing OF much Of these
more than 100000 acres Of unim-
proved farm lands In the southeast and
20 convert them into productive fields
Of truck crops. waving grain. stock
ranches or rice and cotton plantations
Mississippi's soil viii yield 121 bushels
Of corn to the acre. and South Caro-
Iina's soil has yielded over 200 bushels
Of this much demanded grain TO the
acre. Wheat long considered the mo-
nopoly Of the north and west, has been
grown In Georgia and North Carolina
with q yield Of 6fty bushels to the
acre. and in the southeast oats. anoth
e. crop long considered exclusively in
digenous to the plains Of the north
and west. have yielded sixty bushels
and more to the acre.
A false notion, too long holding him
In letters, has caused the Negro to re-
gard thu farm as the rightful sphere Of
the untutored and the crowded city the
proper haven for those who have Sc
cured a smattering Of the dead Ian
Ruages and a faint understanding OF
the PythagOrean theorem. The result
has been that into the crowded cities
Negroes have rushed only to hnd In
most instances they can hardly have
elbow room: that race prejudice in
creases in proportion as their numbers
Increase. and that the dreamed Of fu-
ture OF wealth and ease Is. after all.
but a mirage which leads on to
maelstrom In which many ultimately
founder.
The opportunity OF a lifetime for CO
operative purchase Of much Of these
more than 100000 acres Of unim-
proved fertile farm lands Of the south
eastern states knocks loudly at the
door Of the race. II remains to be seen
whether it VIII throw wide the door
and admit this golden opportunity or
IethargicaIly dream on only to awake
after the untutOred but industrious
hordes from sunny Italy. the bleak
plains Of Russia or the congested areas
Of Germany have pre-empted these mil
lions OF acres Cnless the Negro
awakes 10 and selzes the opportunity
before him be may he tnrred-that b.
the great majority Of them-to repeat
sadly:
clson hath . million Got psnny .