Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1886-03-12
Encourage Immigration.

ton 10 Maryland has been in recent years
to some small extent agitated in the State
press and has also received good deaf Of
attention among farmers in the less pnpu-
lous sections of the State. THc ate con-
vention Of farmers which assembled in
Baltimore city last year, adopt Il resolu
tio@s strongly urging upon the Legislature
til. necessity Of adopting some efficient
measures for the encouragement; Of immi
grafton to the S.a and appointed com
mit'ee to present the same to tie Legis a
ture and urge the enactment of some pro-
per law to that end.
This convention was highly represen-
tative body of the agricultural interests
of the whole State and its recommend
ton ought to have great weight with the
General Assembly, bur we have not seen
that any movement whatever has been
made in that direction at the pressnt ses-
sion, save the customary appojn meat of
a committee on immigration. This mac
ton may be, and probably is due to the
fact that the general sentiment among the
agricultural interests of the State tavara-
BILE to this measure and their willingness
to be reasonably taxed in thai behalf, as
evidenced by the resolution we have re
ferred to, has not been properly brought
to the attention of the Legislature While
we know that some of tie individual
members of this committee have teen ex-
erting themselves to persuade Individual
members of the Legislature to take the
proper action We do not believe that the
committee as a whole has ever taken aay
concerted action toward discharge to
the important du'y with which they were
chsrged and which they accepted and
assumed.
In This state Of Affairs we Reg to make
suggestion to tue committee. Would it
not be well to make an appointment with
the committee on immigration Of the
House Of Delegates At soGe early day and
meet before them with some carefully
drawn bill aud urge its adoPtionl This
is the only plan that gives any promise Of
prompt and practical results upon this
most Important measure. There is no
doubt hat IN appoin meut could be made
vith the House COMMITTEES in almost any
day next week and il ia of the highest
Importance that it should not bs post
pened beyond that time. The session is
already tar advanced and unless action
be promptly taken the opportunity will
be lost.
There was formerly provision in tie
laws of Maryland for Commissioner OF
Inmigratinn' and "Immigration Agent
whose duties were in some measure lie
fined; and these duties were by the CON
sitation Of 1867. tevolged upon the Sup
erinte dent of Labor and Agriculture.
appointed by that instrument, with a pro-
viso that the office should expire at the
General Assembly. Owing to the fact that
this Office, as then regulated, did not show
any adequate or satisfactory results, il
was allowed by the General Assembly to
expire at the end Of four years and by /.
mos: culpable derclicticn no other better
regulated measure was enacted in its place
but the who'e service was allowed to far
into, and has since rem,in-d in an uude-
served desuetude
/ The necessity of rerivins and vigorous
ly executing branch of the publ service
looking to the population and improve
ment Of the vacant and waste lands of the
State, as a means of increasing her rener-
al wealth and prospect =, has OF late been
made thoroughly apparent TO tn. calm
Judging people of Maryland. The former
insufficient laws which existed viii furn-
ish no proper precedent for the new legis-
lstion which is desired by the agriculru
RAJ interests OF the State, except in far
as their fllurs to accomplish results may
+ demonstra' tbs propriety Of departing
essentially from their ans and model in
framing new and practical law. The
FARMERS committee S0nalu rather look 10
the statute regulations Of this service in
! The Western and Southwestern States.
many of which have vel devised laws
making liberal appropriations for this
important service.
The State of Texas is said to possess 2
very efficient bureau Of immigration, which
accomplishes very decided and practical
results 1t might he we'll for the commit
tee to look at these laws and make them
msdel for the bill they will present TO
the consideration Of our Legislature. We
hope to hear ia the near future that some
definite and pr cticai action has been
taken in this regard.