The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1915-02-04
State Coming to the 'front.'
Legislative News From the
Capitol.

Bismarck, N. D., Jan. 21.-More than
hundred members of the legislature
attended a meeting at the Commercial
clug assembly room to listen to ideas
and suggestions along the line Of pro
noting immigration to North Dakota
This meeting was suggested by the
chairman OF the imlnigrations commit
tees of the house and senate and they
worked out the details in conjunction
with Commissioner of Agriculture and
Labor r. F. Flint. There was meet
ing held in the morning at which Sen
ators Hyland made the opening re-
marks and asked that Mr. Flint, com
missioner of agriculture and labor, to
explain the present immigration laws
of the state. He called attention to the
fact that the law as it now operates
has been on the books only two years,
but showed something of what had
been done under it. Mr. Hyland then
suggested that Capt. |. P. Baker, Of
Bismarck, act as chairman and after
explaining that the object of the meet
ing was to seek suggestions that would
result in the drawing of good immi-
grafton bill, one that would be fair to
every part of the state and one that
would result in ne cutting out of sec
tional jealousy, which he claims has
exisce,; 'c1 some time III The past.
Capt Baker stated that the state OF
North Dakoa is now in better con-
dition to go out and tell the people
what We have than at any time in the
rat He stated E!Aa- it was only nee
essary to get peoy.c in from the out
side, but that m lycmcnt also should
be started 70 KEEP those people We
new have He called attention to the
fact that Canada has had $4,000 peo-
pie from Great Britain in a certain
period and that during the same time
10000 have moved there from the
United States. He states that most of
the people moving to Canada from tn,
United States have to 60 through
North Dakota and that there should
be something done to attract their at
tention to this state
The presiding officer then introduced
Immigration Commissioner Bricker, of
the Northern Pacific railroad. Mr..
Bricker started out by saying that his
company was as much interested in
the development of North Dakota IS
they were in any other state traversel
by their railroad. He wished that Tic
people of the state could realize low
much the railroads have been doing to
induce immigration and also claims
that early high prices was one of the
reasons why the movement to this
part of the country stopped for the
time being but that at the present
time he prices in other states have
USSu, dlScu uuIll 1NO1 Ill bdhOIc ID on
good land buy as can be obtained
anywhere. Referring to the method Of
securing settlers, he said there is
only one way to get settlers, and that
is to 90 out after them" North Da-
keta, he claimed, is coming to the
front about as fast as conditions war
rant at the present time. One OF the
methods of securing settlers put for
ward by Mr.. Bricker was that of hay
ing each county send one of its sue
cessful farmers to some certain com.
munity for a couple of months in the
winter, preferably January and Febr'.-
airy, and let him preach the good o.
the state to old neighbors. He sug-
gested that this agent get men inter
ested and then the prospect be sent
copies of the weekly papers in thu;
county in which it is desired that -
settle and claimed that in this way ii