The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-11-15
TO BRING BELG|ANS
To VIRGINIA FARMS
MADE FOR DIVERT
ING FLOW OF IMMIGRATIONs
TO THIS STATE.
Mr.. LABAUME'S PLANS
BELGIANS ARE INTENSIVE FAR
MERS, MANY LIVING ON SMALL
FARMS AND GETTING
LARGE PRODUCTION.

/ That the European war would great
IS augment the emigration of Con-
tinental peoples to the United States
hes eeen recognized from the bAgin-
ming. and now that Belgium is over
run with hostile armies, her cities de-
stroyed, her fields laid waste and her
factories laid low or closed. the flow
OF immigrants to this country is about
to begin.
I Several suggestions have been made
by various people as to the best means
of diyerting portion OF the i'm
migrants to Virginia. and number
have written to Governor stuart on
the subject.
! c. o. Alley, of the Richmond Trans
fer Company. was one OF those VINO
called on the governor about the mat
ter this morning Mr.. Alley had no
plan to offer. merely calling TO give
information as to rates fs told the
governor that immigrants could be
brought from Rotterdam. Holland.
where most OF the Belgian refugees
now are. for $50 each, including the
Federal immigra MT tax of four dollars.
1t was suggested that it might be well
TO make efforts to have the Federal
tax removed for the present.
For Desirable Immigrants.
One organization to take up the
work of getting Belgian immigrants for
the Southern States Is the Southern
Settlement and Development Associa-
ton which has for its purpose the set
Element of immigrants OF a desirable
nature in the South. This association
has sent representatives abroad for
the purpose of bringing over some or
the destitute Belgian families who
have fed to Holland 1t has been sug-
gested that the state of Virginia work
In cooperation with this association
to get some Of these families hero. or
to send representatives of its own, II
that be possible.
/ suffolk, Virginia, is planning to take
steps to secure Belgian immigrants for
Nansemond and surrounding counties,
acting on the suggestion of +. n.
LaBaume, industrial agent OF the Nor
folk and Western Railway, and II is
possible that the Richmond Chamh
OF Commerce may take similar action.
meeting OF the citizens of Suffolk has
been called for an early date TO discuss
the matter.
/ Mr. LaBaume's Plan.
/ In his letter to w. K. Withers. OF
Suffolk, Mr.. LaBaume points out the
value of this class OF immigrants to
farming communities. calling attention
to the reputation OF the Belgians as
intensive farmers. The average farm
in Belgium, he says, Is less tnAn
three acres and the average farm land
value is $500 per acre, although
( their land originally was not as fertile
! as our our Southern lands
! Mr.. LaBaume suggests that COM
munities in Virginia could afford to
advance funds to bring these families
I to Virginia, turn farm land. subdivided
into small farms, over to them. and
give them time in which to pay for
them. financing them for a year or
two until they can get some revenue
| from their crops.
1 The expense, he believes, will not be
exorbitant and the community will be
amply paid In the end. the principal In
money and the interest In the acquisi-
ition of a desira BILE class OF immigrants
who will improve the value of farm
lands in the State.
Other suggestions have been made
! and it is likely that organized efforts
will be made by more than one city or
community to take advantage OF the
opportunity many see looming ahead.
at the same time rendering the most
practical BILE possible assistance to the
destitute families OF ravished Belgium.