Speech #590091390

The view I have is that a large part of the immigrant fund will be necessary to carry out the requirements of the amendment proposed by the committee to the existing law. which I have just read. The best class of immigrants generally know when they leave home where they expect to locate when they arrive in the United States. But a large number of Immigrants who came to this Country last year did not know when they started where they would locate. One object of this amendment is to obtain information in a proper way and furnish it to them. Also to promote a beneficial distribution of aliens among the several States and Territories desiring immigrants. and disseminate useful information regarding the resources. products. and physical characteristics of each State and Territory. the kind of climate and soil. the price of land. the route of travel and cost of transportation. and the rate of wages. and provide for the display by State agents at immigrant stations of the resources and products of their respective States. The amendment Is of great importance to the Southern States. The last report of the CommissionerGeneral of Immigration shows that very few immigrants found their way to the Southern States. Last year 315.000 Immigrants located In New York and 210.000 in Pennsylvania. and only 684 located in Kentucky and a less number in each of the States of Georgia. Arkansas. North Carolina. and South Carolina. The Southern States need desirable immigrants. they want desirable immigrants. and the object of this amendment. which was reported unanimously from the Committee on Immigration. Is to lay before immigrants when they come to this country the attractions of the various States and Territories. so that they may not be collected in the .cities and in a few States. It is not proposed to send immigrants to States that do not want them. it is not proposed to use any undue influence with immigrants. it is only proposed to lay before them the attractions of the various Siates and Territories. to show them how they may get there. what it will cost to get there. and how they can nmake an honest living after they have arrived in the various States and Territories. When we look at the Congressional Directory and see the list of the names of the commissioners who are now engaged in assisting the CommissionerGeneral of Immigration at various points. we find that today there Is a commissioner of immigration at Ellis Island. New York. one at Boston. one at Philadelphia. one at Baltimore. one at San Francisco. and there is not one on the southern coast.a How do we propose to bring before the immigrants who come to this country the attractions. the desire for laborers. and the wages they may obtain unless we adopt the plan set forth in this amendment? Steamships that have been bringing immigrants to our country have been bringing them to the ports which I have named. and there seems to have been no effort to bring immigrants to the Southern States. The immigration law should be so broadened as to bring before the minds of immigrants when they come to this country the fact that there are other States besides New York. Pennsylvania. Massachusetts. and New Jersey. The time has come when there should be one commissioner of immigration. at least. in the Southern States. for. if the list in the Congressional Directory. is correct. there is not today a solitary commissioner of Immigration at any southern port. They are all at northern ports. I noticed a few days ago that a vessel arrived in New Orleans from Palermo with 630 Italian immigrants. who. after due inspection. took trains to various points in Louisiana. Alabama. Texas. and Mississippi. showing that there is beginning now among the better class of immigrants to be a desire to go to the Southern States. The South needs more labor and can give employment to a large number of worthy Immigrants. but to secure these organizatron is necessary and intelligent selection of immigrants who are adapted to the climate and the occupation will be required. In addition. the various States which have immigration " An amendment was offered by Mr. McCnnARY. authorizing the appointment of an Immigration commissioner. to be located at New Orleans. La.. which was agreed to. bureaus should cooperate. and the States which have no immigration bureaus or immigration agents should enact such legislation as may seem desirable and proper after this law is enacted. There has been a great change in the labor of the South in the last twenty years. especially in the production of cotton. Very few persons ar aware of the great change that has occurred in the cotton States so far as the production of cotton is concerned.