The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-11-08
ELIOT LORD TALKS ABOUT IMMIGRANTS Is Secretary of Italian-Ameri- can Agricultural Society ITALIANS IN THE SOUTH Says That the Tide of Immigration May Be Turned Into the South
 ern States. The Ci-
 mate Is Suitable.
ITALIANS IN HE SOUTH

Eliot Lord. secretary of the recently organized 1talian-American Agricultural association, with headquarters in New York stopped in Birmingham yesterday on his way to attend the sessions of the Chattanooga convention this week.
 MT. Lord said that he was desirous that the aims and method of his associa- tion should be exactly understood. The president of the association is Bonaven- ture F. Broderick one of the youngest bishops of the Catholic church, who dis tinguished himself upon his elevation to the episcopacy four years ago by success fully adjusting the strained relations of church and state in Cuba. He accomplish ed this mission, 1t is reported to the en- tire satisfaction, not only of the Vatican, but of the United States government and the Cuban people.
 Mr. Lord said:
 He is a man of the type of Archbishop 1 Ireland. energetic. devoted to his work of bettering the condition of Italian im- migrants to this country, and advancing his undertaking on broadly humane and prdCtlcdi lines, slep by StSp' III d way that has assured the cooperation of all truly interested in advancing our immi- grants to prosperous living and fitness for American citizenship.
 Non-Sectarlan.
 This association Is strictly non-secta- rian, non-speculative and benevolent in character. It has no capital stock and | ite ments simply as the guardian and agent of the immigrants who make the con l tracts to purchase and develop. The chief aim of the association is to acquire in this way tracts suited to varied agrieul- ture, not larger than a square mile, at the outset where the settlement when securely established, under constant ex- pert oversight. will expand and flourish as certainly as a properly planted tree under favorable conditions.
 "A model settlement of picked colonsts is now about to be located at Helena, near Wilmington. N. G.. a name given In commemoration of the present queen of Italy. The heads of the twenty families there are expert farmers and the women and children are versed in varied home industries, such as spinning and weav- ing, now taught in the widespread indus trial schools of Italy.
 "The first vice president of the associa- ton is Antonio Zucco. president of the Italian chamber of commerce of New York city. The second vice president is Charles L. Borzilleri. president of the Italian-American league of western New Va, ,.lr g.I. Buffalo and expertly acquainted with the methods that have produced the thriving Italian n-American agricultural settlements at Canastota. Fredonia, Dunkirk and other points in western New York The third vice president and general manager of the association Is Benjamin F. Buck, a business man of high standing in New York, and practically acquainted with the 1 handling of immigration settlement in our northwestern states.
 Colonies Desirable.
 "The colonies established under the direc- ton of this association will be highly desirable additions to the south, as there is conclusive evidence that picked Italian American settlers. carefully guarded and 1 guided, are so thrifty and progressive that l crime among them IS practically unknown, l and the advance to good citizenship is 1 certain. Moreover, such colonies have l invariably raised the market value of the adjoining lands very greatly, and these lands will be eagerly taken up by Italian relatives and friends of the first settlers
 T take no stock in what l believe to be a conjured up bugbear of the existence of any scheme for dumping undesirable immigrants on the south There is far more reason to apprehend an existing diff ficulty in directing a portion of the flow of desirable immigration into channels as yet comparatively untried. The asso- cation has offered to place in western New York all the colonists that 1t can handle for a year to come, and the only reason that the association prefers the south is the relative cheapness of the lands and desirability of the climate.
 Italian Valuable.
 Under proper instructions the good, willing, industrious Italian is certain to become of value to this or any other country, and his children are among the brightest in the public schools and are | of the plastic character which is most swiftly Americanized. The south can well afford to guard and guide the immi- 1 grant unfamiliar with the language and ways in view of his certain contribution of working capital for the national devel- opment."
 MT. Lord, the secretary of the associa- tion. Is the leading author of recently published work, '"The Italian in America; and former special agent of the United States census for social statistics In the preparation of this work MT. Lord visited nearly every Italian settlement in this country.