Year: 1871

From the Maryland Farmer.


IMMIGRATION.


BY PATUxENT PLANTER.


At this time there is no question of
more vital importance for the considera-
tion of the people of Maryland and the
whole tier of border and Southern States
than that ofim migration. Our people are
apt to be too narrow-minded on great ques
tions. which seem to particularly concern
only one class Of people. On all subjects
connected with internal improvements and
enterprises Of a general character-public
institutions for charity, colleges, &c., they
are very liberal and heretofore have too
freely and lavishly expended the public
money and credit. The treasury has be-
come depleted, and the State involved in
a large debt. requiring heavy taxes to be-
imposed, hence. our people hesitate to
sanction any project which. requires the
money or credit Of the State to carry it
out This is particularly SO. when the
enterprise may be characterized by party
politicians las class legislation" In this
fact we find the opposition to the demand
for any aidSn the part Of the State toward
immigration.


To fully argue this subject would take
up too much space in your valuable col
umns at one time, yet to the farmer espe-
cially and to every body, it is matter Of
infinite importance, and therefore, feel
no apology is necessary, in concisely and
tersely Offering few suggestions, which
occurred to my mind after perusal of the
proceedings of the Immigrant and Labor
Convention. And here | would remark.
that such convention should be held Of
ten until the great work it has in hand is
either accomplished or abandoned. It
will leave its mark for good or evil upon
the destinies of the State. By this con-
vention being called often, it keeps up the
agitation of the question and new light is
thrown each time upon the matter by so
cial converse, public discussion and the
attrition of practical minds from ell parts
of the State and representing the views of
all classes.


First. the public are to be disabused of
the error that many labor under that it is
class only Of our people who will be
benefited by immigration. the land own
ers and such as want hired labor. The
farmer it is true will be primarily the party
most benefited, but it will to q CORES
ponding extent ultimately be aiding the
merchant, mechanic. manufacturer and
man of wealth and ever leisure. This is
too clear for argument to any one who will
give it serious reflection. A large immi
grafton would reduce taxes, strengthen
the State in her resources of every sort, as
we'll as in her pecuniary affairs, military
strength and political power. A liberal
aid on the part Of the State, under judi
cious system. managed by individuals and
not State officials. disrobed of all party
control, would, with private contributing.
bring to US in the next decade substantial
voters enough to entitle us to another re-
preventative in Congress, and add to our
monied capital in coin million, besides
the increase in the value Of property,
which would flow necessarily from such an
influx of population, much of which would
no doubt be either from their arrival or
soon after, purchasers of land or personal
property.


It is not common, ignorant, poverty
stricken labor we want, but intelligent.
honest. Industrious laborers; nor that class
alone, but thrity-farmers and artizans;
men with some means, to buy and stock
and build upon 10 to 100 acres of land
This can be done easily with fund sufi-
cient to pay good agents to set forth the
thousand advantages offered by the form
er slave border States over the north and
west. Our lands can be shown to be
cheaper than any lands now in the mar
kets of the great west; cheaper than gov
ernment lands, if cost of building. fenc-
ing, clearing. distance from market. mill,
school, church. medical attendance in case
of sickness, &C., be taken into considera-
tion. Those likely to come here are peo-
pie who have been crowded and hedged
in by their neighbors all their lives. They
would never prefer as their home. the viii
derness where they could not see the
smoke of the next neighbor's chimney, if
they were well satisfied from reliable
sources, that they could get as cheap land
two thousand miles nearer their father
land, and be in fertile region, where
they could hear their neighbours gander
cackle and his watch dogs bark. be near
the church of their persuasion convenient
to mill. store, post Office, school. shops
for repair of farming utensils, &C., and
close to q railroad or turnpike or water
navigation, by which to send their pro-
duce to market, with that market in easy
reach. not hundreds of miles away. All
these important facts should be pressed
upon the people of the old world in their
own language. To do this it will require
more than $40. 900 or $4,000 to make
such impression in the different countries