SLAVS ON SOUTHERN FARMS. 17 



not have expressed the views to which he gave utterance regarding the character 

 of these people had he obtained first the opinions of our business men regarding their 

 character and general desirability as citizens. 



It would be impossible to find a better class of people to bring into America from 

 Europe than the Bohemians. Almost without exception they are hardworking, 

 honest, thrifty, and fine farmers. They have made sections of Prince George to 

 blossom like the rose. The farm of the average Bohemian in Prince George, where 

 the majority of them are located, is a model of neatness, productiveness, and thrift. 



One of the best-known business men of Petersburg told this writer recently that 

 he had sold many thousands of dollars' worth of goods to Bohemians in Prince George, 

 Dinwiddie, and Chesterfield and never had lost a dollar on a single purchase. A year 

 or two ago a Bohemian sold his Prince George farm and went to Chicago to live. When 

 the news came to the merchant mentioned he made up his mind to charge to the 

 profit and loss account the $60 which this debtor owed him. But inside of three 

 months he sent him $30 and inside of six months remitted the remaining $30 of the 

 debt. 



Business men of Petersburg will not resent, in the sense of becoming angry, the 

 slurs cast upon our "Bohemians" by this speaker, but will regret that he failed to 

 inform himself more accurately before expressing his opinion. 



Action was also immediately taken in the matter by the Chamber 

 of Commerce of Petersburg which has resulted in a satisfactory 

 explanation from the incautious visiting speaker. A most hearty 

 public indorsement of the Slavs has been expressed, and all classes 

 of citizens have united in voicing then approval of them as agri- 

 cultural settlers for the south-side Virginia counties. 



SLAVS AS WE KNOW THEM. 



This high recognition which the Slavs have won for themselves as 

 desirable agricultural settlers in the South, awakens an interest in 

 them as a people. 



Americans are more or less informed about Russia, the great " Slav 

 Empiie," and readily understand, in a general way, some tiling of 

 the Russians. Many do not know, however, that there are almost a» 

 many different kinds of Russians as there are Slavs, if we attempt to 

 disregard the national unit and divide the Russian people according 

 to their respective races. For instance, within the term "Russians," 

 as commonly used in the United States, are included several Slavish 

 races. They are the Lithuanians out of the great race of the Letts; 

 the Poles living in the territory annexed by Russia upon the parti- 

 tion of the ancient Polish Empire by Austria, Germany, and Russia 

 in the past century; and the Russians proper, who include the Great 

 Russians, the White Russians, and the Ruthenians or "Little" 

 Russians. 



All American students of European history also know the story 

 of the ancient glory and the final fall of the Polish Empire. They 

 know too of the exploits of Count Casimir Pulaski, the exiled Polish 

 soldier and famous general of the American Revolution; and many 

 Americans are sufficiently informed to look back with pride to the 

 services rendered America in the Revolution by Thaddeus Kosciusko, 

 the great Polish patriot. Thus, as a people, the Poles are not un- 

 known to us in America. 



The recent Balkan wars have also stimulated American interest in 

 the Bulgarians and the Servians, and have resulted n a wider and 

 deeper understanding of these two branches of the great Slavish race. 

 Not so much is known, however, of the Croatians and the Slovenians, 



