The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-12-13
GOVERNOR RETURNS
WILL CALL STATE IMMIGRATION
 CONFERENCE IMMEDIATELY.
Chief Executive Enthused With Result of New York Meeting and VIII Call on Railroads for
 Aaefstunce.

Governor Jelks returned yesterday from New York where he attended the Immigration Conference held under the auspices of the National Civic Fedora tion last week. The Governor is hope- full that much good will result from the gathering at which there were many men of prominence and knowledge pres' ent.
 After attending this Conference the Governor said yesterday he is stili nrm in his belief that the State of Alabama should have an agent on EIils Island and a commission abroad. He had some time ago expressed himself in Ia vor of this plan of securing desiraole immigrants for this State.
 The effectiveness of this method was well discussed at one of the confer encAs which had to do with the subject of Distribution of Immigrants" Over this Conference Governor Jelks had the honor to preside. R. A. Mitchell. Pres fdent of the Dwight Cotton Mill, Ala bama City, addressed this conference, and according to the Governor made good impression. Representatives or nearly all the States present dealt with the subject in interesting fashion.
 The Governor said that he Is now so persuaded as to the necessity for State agent to be put on Ellis Island that he will endeavor to procure a fund for the purpose. It is likely that very soon he will call conference of the railroad and industrial men Of Alabama or those having interests in the State. He will then lay the proposition before them.
 Will Hold Conference.
 'I have made arrangements with MT. Ross c. Smith, Commissioner of the Alabama Immigration Association. said the Governor yesterday on his return. "to meet some of the managers of the larger industrial concerns and also or the railroads to procure a fund by means of which the State may have ana maintain anFagent on Ellis Island and possibly a commission abroad If 1t is found that the fund can be raised, an agent will be put in the field
 Some time ago I expressed wil- lingness to devote part of the contlng- ent fund to the work, But afterwards the quarantine funds became exhausted and the needs for money for this pur- pose became so pressing that gave all the fund then at my disposal to the Health Board. The State. under the law, can advance no part of the fund to a fiscal agent either in this country or abroad. But it does appear possible that the railroads and the industrial con ccrns can advance a moderate sum for the purpose.
 Meanwhile the State of Alabama and other parts of the South are getting some attention from the world as re- gards immigration, and we will get some immigrants now and then in the next twelve months"
 It has been time and again prophesied that the railroads and the industrial in- terests will readily respond to the idea of making an immigration agency fund for the State. It is very probable, as the Governor hinted yesterday, that the foreign commission will also be provided for. The present United States jaws limiting immigration do not allow labor contracting or labor soliciting abroad except when done by represent atives of States. This, of course, would