indeed turn our attention toward the agricultural industry as a much neglected field. The cry of "back to the land" will not go unheeded by immigrants who have come from farms in their mother country if any reasonable amount of effort is put forth to "assist them to find themselves."

Review of Reviews. 49: 342-5. March, 1914

Our Recent Immigrants as Farmers. Lajos Steiner

Most of our recent immigrants were tillers of the soil in their native countries. They are good farmers. The soil which they farmed in Europe has been under cultivation for over a thousand years and is still fertile and productive. These new residents are land-hungry, and save all that can be saved out of their wages for the purpose of purchasing land. The ambition of our peasant immigrants is to save enough by industrial wage-earning to enable them to buy land. They consider the status of the owner of a farm-even of a very small farm-far above that of the industrial employee. The social and financial status of a farm-owner is deemed to be the most desirable one, excepting probably that of the owner of a saloon. All their present hardships are forgotten for this cause, all their energies are expended for this end, all their visions of happiness in old age are pictures of the yearned-for farm.

Besides the "immigrant bankers," who stimulate the exportation of the immigrant's savings and the re-migration of the immigrant himself, the agents of certain foreign governments, financial institutions, agricultural concerns, and a large number of other parties cooperate in keeping our peasant immigrants in ignorance of American opportunities. This very ignorance is the source of the income of many employment offices, unscrupulous lawyers, politicians, notaries public, large numbers of foreign-language newspapers, certain town-lot sharks, speculators in land and foodstuffs, and an army of other auxiliaries. They all live on the inexperienced and credulous immigrant. The masses of peasant immigrants are, practically, kept from learning about American institutions, methods, and ideals. Agricultural opportunities in the United States of which these types of settlers might avail themselves are secrets for them, sealed with seven seals. They desire' to discontinue industrial employment as soon

as possible and reengage in agriculture on land of their own. Knowing nothing of farming in this country, they are easily influenced by the exploiters, and are induced to re-migrate to Europe when they have saved enough money to buy a little land. In a great many instances total and irreparable ruin is the result of such re-migration.

Great numbers of re-migrants lose all, or the greater part, of their savings in their native lands, and they find themselves farther away from the yearned-for farm than ever. The lot of such people is exceedingly distressing. Is there relief in sight? Up to the present time our peasant immigrants have had no choice; their exploitation gave immense profits to the exploiters. The latter are numerous, omnipresent, influential; they have political "pull" and connections, and are unmolested in their practices. About 40 per cent of our peasant immigrants remigrate; they export perhaps $300,000,000 each normal year. During industrial depressions or panics these figures become larger. Re-migration and the influx of the savings have made bad conditions only worse in the respective European countries. Available land is insufficient over there and prices are driven up to yet more unreasonable heights. Lands which were sold abroad some twenty years ago for about $40 an acre are now purchased by re-migrants for $500 an acre, and even more.

It seems to be urgently necessary to inaugurate a comprehensive economic policy for the utilization of our idle agricultural land. During six years 6,230,257 immigrants arrived, and 2,652,250 departed. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1913, the Bureau of Immigration reports a total of 611,924 departed. This is over 40 per cent of all arrivals, the number of the latter being 1,427,227. The thrifty among our peasant immigrants remigrate to Europe, although farm land is more abundant and cheaper here. They, unfortunately, do not know this to be so. If we kept them, they would materially aid in producing foodstuffs and therewith reduce our high cost of living. What a change for the better it would be if these land-hungry, useful people would invest their savings in our farming, make our millions of idle acres bear and grow farm produce, create wealth, and contribute to public resources! On farms the Americanization of this sturdy, healthy people would follow as a matter of course, their descendants would become as patriotic and loyal citizens of the United States as the descendants of the

earlier arrivals. None of our other industries would be harmed, -only those would leave industrial occupations who do so at the present time. The change for the better would be called forth by having the funds now exported, and their departing owners, engage in farming in this country. These new agricultural settlements would furnish opportunities to tradesmen, merchants, banks, hotels, druggists, physicians, and a multitude of others to thrive by living and transacting business amongst them.

The beauties of farm life need not be preached to the peasant immigrant. He does not have to be urged. He has not to be taught farming. He does not need financial aid. From the first day he landed he has been saving with the sole view of becoming a farm owner. Our resident peasant immigrants have the desire, the ability, and the cash funds. All they need is a friendly hand to guide them aright. Unfortunately, while there are many influences at work to make them export their savings and to have them re-migrate, not enough is being done to counteract these influences.

A national organization is needed. It should be formed by public-spirited men and women. The cooperation of our federal and state governments should be secured, and of those social, educational, and religious factors in the environment which are in a position to cooperate. The objects of this organization should be the encouragement, assistance, and direction of qualified residents to purchase and cultivate farms in the United States, instead of emigrating to foreign countries to engage there in agriculture.

The scope of work of this organization should include the preparation of a survey of available farm lands, data of the precise location, climate, quality of soil, size of farm, price, terms, title, improvements, building material, transportation facilities, roads, crops, markets, churches, schools, etc.

This information should be published in various languages and disseminated among the people who would be benefited by it. Local committees should be formed to look after the welfare of the new settlers, to prevent their exploitation and to make it possible for them to thrive. Instructors should visit and advise the new settlers of the methods of production so that they may succeed on American soil with American methods. Each county should maintain a demonstration farm and teach scientific farming and the use of farm machinery. On the other

hand, settlers with their European training would furnish objectlessons in the rotation of crops, in intensive farming methods, the preservation of the fertility of the soil, and such other procedure as may prove worthy of adoption.

Propaganda for farming in the United States should be made. Meetings and lectures should be arranged for prospective settlers. Trustworthy and detailed information of available agricultural opportunities should be disseminated in the respective languages by pamphlets, circulars, views, maps, pocket geographies, histories, and articles in those newspapers which are read by the immigrants.

This organization should assist in the selection of the locality and the farm, in the arrangement of the terms of purchase, in securing clear title, in obtaining seed, stock, and implements. The new settlers should be located according to race in groups and with special care regarding their agricultural training. The marketing of their crops, the establishment of creameries, cooperative laundries, agricultural credit systems, farmers' associations, and the improvement of rural life in general should be facilitated.

The example of the successful pioneers would attract followers in ever-increasing numbers and counteract the influence of the immigrant bankers and the other exploiters.

At the time of our high cost of living, of the tide from the farms to the cities, of social unrest, and agricultural decadence, so valuable an asset as our qualified farmer residents should not be wastefully squandered away to our irreparable loss. Peasant proprietors, unlike tenants, take interest in preserving the fertility of the soil and improving the farm. As owners and taxpayers they are interested in lasting progress and welfare. The proper colonization of our qualified immigrants on farms in the United States would certainly result in better conditions, in the increase of food supplies, in the augmentation of the general welfare, and the lasting prosperity of the United States.

Nation. 82: 398-9. May 17, 1906

Immigration and the South.

When we remember that the entire peninsula of Italy, excluding the Alps and the Apennines, is but little larger than the State of Georgia, and that it supports, chiefly by agriculture, a population of 36,000,000 we can see why newcomers from the south of Europe, trained to methods of careful and intensive cultivation, should get ahead in a region where the farming methods are among the loosest and most wasteful in the world. Many instances could be given of the achievements of adventurous immigrants who have disregarded all warnings, and have found comfortable homes, hospitable friends, and a freedom which they could not have hoped for in the over-crowded cities. A colony at Ladson, South Carolina, has found silk-raising profitable. Prosperous Italian and Bohemian truck farmers are now living along the seaboard from Norfolk to Jacksonville. An experiment in Alabama, where a colony was set at work in the cotton fields, has been wholly successful, and has shown that the cultivation of cotton can be performed by white labor as well as by black. In the South more than one "model" farm, demonstrating the effect of intensive methods and hard work, is in the hands of men who, though industrious and intelligent, have been in this country hardly long enough to make themselves understood. These examples of adaptability, as they become more widely known among immigrants, cannot but have the effect of turning attention to the South.

The importance of immigration to the South can hardly be overestimated. The population in many districts is very sparse, and the opportunities for development of agricultural and mineral resources are boundless. For this work there must be both men and money; but if the South can once turn the tide of immigration, the capital will be forthcoming in abundance. A question often raised is the effect of foreign labor upon the negro. If the South carries out its plan of drawing the best foreign labor, the effect upon the negro should be beneficial. If he is to hold his own in competition, he will be forced to improve himself, and he will be stimulated intellectually and morally. One reason why he is lazy and irresponsible is that he often regards himself as not a direct competitor of the white; and he measures himself