Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1882-03-03
1)ortG obQrco Glmes
PORT TOBACCO O:
Friday Morning, March 8, 1882.
The Immigration Movement.

The committee appointed by the immi-
grafton society to fix upon plan to be
pursued in asking the aid of the State to
the measure held a meeting on Saturday
last, and have determined to ask the en-
actment of law similar to the act of 1872
extending subsidies to county agricultu-
raj societies. The act will provide that,
whenever an immigration society shall be
organized and incorporated in any county
and shall have adopted constitution and
bylaws for its government, and elected
its officers, and raised annually by the vol
untary contributions of its members any
sum of money which shall have been &C
tually paid into the treasury for the pur-
poses of the society, the said society shall
upon proper proofof said facts be entitled
to receive annually like sum, not to ex-
coed $1,000, from the State treasurer. The
committee will also urge upon the Gener-
al Assembly the Importance of appointing
a central immigration bureau for the State
at large, which shall have the general su-
perintendance of the county societies, and
which shall have State immigration a
gent who shall 60 to Europe and solicit
immigration to our State. Similar meas
ures have been adopted in nearly all the
former slave holding States, some OF them
making a most liberal appropriation for
the purpose. The Legislature of Missis-
sippi has very recently passed bill ap-
propriating $4,000 for the encourage
ment of immigration and the New York
Senate only last week appropriated S4o,-
600 for the same purpose.
Many of these States have now IN immi-
grafton agent in Europe recruiting their
agricultural population, and this accounts
for tho fact that nearly all the immense
mass of agricultural settlers, that are now
arriving on our shores by every European
steamer, have already settled upon their
future homes and secured tickets to their
destination
Great good would, doubtless, be accom-
plished by the encouragement of county
immigration societies alone; but the sys-
tenn will be by no means complete or effec'
tive without an immigration bureau for
the State at large, capable OF operating in
Europe and securing emigrants from the
European countries who would sail di-
rectly for this State. When the immigrants
thus obtained should have arrived in Bal
timore, then the county immigration
societies could be allowed fair competi-
ton 10 inducing them to settle in their
respective counties; and the immigrats be
left to their own option in that regard.
1t is to be earnestly hoped that the Gen.
eral Assembly will have sufficient appre-
citation of the true interest of the State,
and such considerate recognition Of the
vast internal Improvement which will
most certainly result from this measure,
as to vote liberal aid to the movement.
Let them consider the $4,000 the Legis-
lature of Mississippi and the $4,000 the
Legislature of New York has just appro-
priated to the measure, and reflect that
the need of immigration is not one whit
more keenly felt in that State than in
Maryland and then determine upon what
action should be taken by wise and public
- ifitG6 1D0n In t111u N 6neFsi Assembly.