The Donaldsonville chief., 1914-08-22

lie flS1t KIND of farming immi igrant
: Ihen again, this kind of advertis
t Ing is sure to attract the class Q
immigration we stand most in nee
oi, VIZ, the farmer-stockman, who i
ANXIOUS to get away from the rigor
oI hortnern winters and locate in
more safubrlous climate, with it
greater agricultural possibilities. An
i'ot only SO, but it will create
, much greater and more lasting i'm
. pfesslon upon the minds of the pros
pectlVe immigrant, when comm:
from people of his own section of tn
country, than any amount Of adver
| using literature emanating from tn,
state itself, no matter how truthful
and inviting.
In my judgment, this editors tril
mas really broken the ice in the
real immigration movement to Lou
lsiana. They have come; they have
seen for themselves what Louisi
ana really offers the Immigrant; anG
they have not told it to the people
! who are looking southwark for farm
homes-the class the state needs tc
help develope her wonderful latent
resources.
The point at issue seems to be,
then, how is a section like this
going to get what it needs of the
deslrab bic = class OF this prospective
| immigration?
In previously discussing this i'm
| migration problem, on another occa-
sion, l made the statement that
persuaGlng the immigrant and get
ting him here would not be so diff
! flcu1t, perhaps, as knowing just what
to do to make him feel settled and
SATISFIED after he gets here. And
this part Of the problem will re-
quirc considerable care and tact.
Since giving the present phase of
the problem little thought. it has
occurred to me tilat an organization
such as this would do well to fol-
low up the good work that has been
commenced by the representatives
OF the western agricultural press,
by arranging to so into those west
ern states and get in personal touch
with the people who have now heard
of Louisiana in direct way through
their own people, and tell them at
first hand what there is for them
down here, and what they may ex-
pect when they come. This would
sugga est, however, some previous
preparation by tae association as
to all necessary "details eoncerning
the character of soil, crops that may
be grown, live stock that may be
raised, the size of holdings that may
be obtained, either through purchase
Or renting, accessibility to markets
and facilities for marketing, and
every other detail thought essenti-
al in order to inform those people |
IN every particular.
With your houses put in order at |
home, it might then be well to Sc
lect one section of the northern or
western country, in which the state
mas received publicity through it's
agricultural press, and bring down a |
party to visit and see for them
selves the wonderfully rich lands
of tAis section. This might be re
oeated from time to time as con-
d1tions prompted.
The majority of this class of peo-
pie will, probably, be most familiar
with general Or mixed farming. Their
IDEAS will no doubt run to one or
more staple crops, and to feed crops
with live stock to market them, and
IN this way build up and maintain
the fertility Of their soils.
The size of the holdings desired
viii no doubt Vary-some small;
others larger; and still others of
area, depending large
y upon what they may have been
accustomed to. and the length of
heir purses.
70 be able to realize that they are
1eallng with a class of men such as
compose this association, will be a
splendid asset in itself in the furth-
erance OF this local immigration
problem.
Extravagant claims do not pay in
he immigration business. - Feasting
Ind furbelows are but ephemeral
Methods of trying to "catch'' the
and do the cause much
more harm than good if the claims
,an not be established after the i'm
Migrant has been caught. This,
however, does not, of course, apply
O the personnel Of this organization.
One Of the chief aims should be ;;
0 see that the pioneer lot of I'M =
Migrants. at least, have every rea- Z,
On to feel settled and satisfied. =
hey should be made to feel at home !
mong friends and the association
hould take a special interest In
hem, which, am afraid, is not al
Ways the case with newcomers to
he state I
In taking advantage of the adver-
Using Louisiana has had through the
Testern agricultural press, 1t might a
e a good idea for this ASSOCIATION
0 secure the names of the Journals I
hat were represented on the recent
ditors tour and make judicious use I
+ their pages in the matter OF adVer-
sing, especially in those states from
,hich immigration might be most I
esired, No doubt this would have
S effect after the splendid Write-ups
'hich Louisiana has been given by
lose papers.
Once the tide of this class OF I'M
ligration has turned this way, It 6
ill be extremely difficult to stay It. =
think there can be little question ION
lat immigration authorities IN the =
orth and west have fully real1zed al il'E
lis, and it has been their aim 70
opulate their own sections peIore : :
le truth about this state and the ! !
outh generally became known The g g
Iisstatements concerning this see-l =
on Of the country have been appali
lg, and are even to he found IN :
~ bocI~nT how, 1r,aau io1d used in p