The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1905-03-10
ABOUT IMMIGRATION.

/ JdthSDHNillcB HdFIHB w 10 pUpNoN
1.-THE establishment Of an immigration
bureau" with headquarters in that
city, for the creation Of which a bill is
~ be introduced and carried through
the Legislature, if possible, at the APP
preaching session.
If by "the establishment Of an immi-
/ grafton bureau" at Jacksonville is
meant private institution, operated
locally, in aid Of immigration and the
sale and settlement Of now vacant and
unoccupicd lands, there can be no valid
or reasonable objection raised to the en-
tcrprisc. Indeed. it would be well if
every county in the State should or
ganize just such an institution. Too
much cannot be done, on rational and
practical lines, towards the accomplish
mert Of the purpose. And some Of the
details Of the jacksonville project, as
stated in the newspapers, are well
worthy Of the thoughtful consideration
Of all who may interest themselves in
this important subject.
But If it is intended, as a part Of the
plan, to create an organization which
shall constitute "A branch or bureau Of
the State government, fixing it's loca-
ton at Jacksonville, or at any other
point than the Capital Of the State, the
promoters will find themselves CON
fronted by constitutional ard legal OBJ
stacles which will be hard TO overcome.
The Constitution provides Art ",
Section rs, that "thc Commissioner of
Agriculture shall keep the bureau
Of immigration" The official residence
Of the Commissioner being at the Capt.
tai, he could not "kecp the bureau Of
immigration" elsewhere, or delegate %
any other person or official, or group
Of persons, anywhere but at the Capt.
tai, the duty imposed upon him by the
CoEst tuition. Such prccedcnt5 rs have
been established by statutory enact
mcnt contemplated the establishment"
Of such institutions at the Capital, di-
rcctly under the charge Of the Commits
sioncr, and aided in the performance of
bis duties by the Governor and other
State officers.
The requirements Of practical and ef-
roctivo work IN the interest Of immi-
grafton to Florida are many and varied.
Judcious and extensive advertisement
of the resources of thc State and the OPP
portuuilics afforded to newcomers,
stands FIRST in the list, Of course. SO
far as he has been able, without ade-
quatc means, 10 accomplish this primary
purpose, the Commissioner of Agricul-
ulre has labOrcd faithfully. What is
now needed (much more than any other
appliance or instrument or new organ
izaton), is a sufficiently adequate APP
preparation to enable him to distribute.
throughout this country and abroad, the
information concerning the State which
he has collected and has recently put
into convenient form for distribution
Thus far the worl; has been already
dorc; .ul that is needed is to place this
Information in the hands Of prospective
or possible immigrants, to the end that
they may intcliEontly consider the qucs-
ton OF removal TO Florida and select
tho location within the State best suited
10 their plans and imposes.
The tcIljgcut and adequate distribu-
,o1 OF the state handbook naturally
involves much more n an the sending of
copies To- these who may apply for
trom, llrEe as this particular branch of
tho work has grown to be, 1t should
include editions printed in one or more
foreign languages for distribution
abroad In an address before the At
lanta Chamber of Commerce short
time ago Mr.. j. X. Orr, the president
of that body, said that when he was in
Europe he noticed many maps of the
United States which had boon scattered
everywhere for the purpose Of advcr-
Using the West, particularly the lands
owned by the western railways. But
the feature of many of the maps that
attracted lis attention was this; The
southern States were represented 10y
a blank. across which were the words;
The Black Belt, Don't so There, or
"'Iho yellow Fcvcr Country, Avoid it,
"If We are to get immigrants, con-
tinued Mr.. Orr, eve must correct the
damaging impr, ss,un Of the South these
Western roads have scattered abroad.