The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-10
SENTIMENT CROWS FUR IMMIGRATION Leslie |. Gilbert Outlines Ala
 bama Situation IN TEREST IS GEN RAJ Mills, Farms and Mines Are Suffering From the Scarcity of Labor-Meet-
 ing at Decatur on Sep
 tember 12.
INTERESTS GENERAL


 Never before in the history of Alabama has there existed among men of influence over the state such a united and earnest sentiment in favor of bringing to Ala bama high class nlmigra ton from foreign shores"
 Mir Leslie L. Gilbert spoke enthnsias- ticaly. He is the secretary of the Ala bama Commercial and Industrial Gssocia- tion, an organization composed of about twenty Commercial clubs of the loauing cities of Alabama, and in close touch with the sentiment of eaeh one.
 The people of Alabama have in the past treated the immigration question from a theoretical standpoint. Of late years it has become a practical one The industries and mines of north Alabama are sorely in need of additional laborers. The negro hands employed work q few days and earn enought ;o support them selves in fdleness tns balance of the week. A large employer of labor recently stat ed in Birmingham that the construction of an additional furnace by hls company had been postponed for lack Of sufficient labor to properly operate it.
  ricultural sections are also feeling the scarcity of labor. The steady employment and cash wages of the cities have at- tracted the negroes from the farm lands to such q degree that thousands of acres of fertile lands. large plantations in the agricultural sections of Alabama, are lying absolutely idle.
 Tn this manner the subject has foro eu tho -f ,fkf As a result there is a general stirring in the immigration forces all along the line.
 Organized Work.
 "rhe Alabama Commercial ard Indus trial association has a permanent com mittee of seventeen upon immigra tion. made up of an influential member of every club identified with the organiza- tion. The chairman is F. J. Thompson. e leading real estate agent and president of the Chamber of Commerce of liunts- vile.
 "rhe railroads entering Alabama have established an immigration industri Il bu- reau at Birmingham for the express pur- pose of fostering immigration to Alabama Recently a conference was called In Birmingham of men who were in crested in this subject and committed of fifteen was appointed to organize an Alabama Immigration association.
 There have been some differences in opinion as to the character of immigra tion to be invited. A sentiment existed in some quarters for while that Alabama could afford to let down the blrs and in vite anyone to come, paupers. iliterates, etc. just so they could work. The Ala bama Commercial and Industrial associa- ton has steadily maintained thet only the highest class of immigrants should be sought. those from the north of Europe preferably.
 Governor In Line.
 Tt was, therefore, gratifying to note that Governor Jelks is in hearty accord with this idea. Probably no man in the state has given the immigration question more intelligent consideration than the governor. He realizes the need of the state and has determined tp do some thing to relieve them in a practical way. "In recent conferences between officers of the Alabama Commercial and Indus- trial association and Governor Jelks. he has made 1t plain that when furnished with satisfactory lands for colonization purposes, he will send representatives north or to Europe to invite immigration to Alabama Some of these will doubt less want farm lands. some will start truck gardens, orchards, dairies. etc, while others will prefer direct employ
  state. There is ample room and need for all.
 'The governor states positively that whatever is expended in this way will not be turned over to any committee organ ization. but will be expended by the state itself. TIc is also determined that only the best clasp of immigrants shall be invited His views upon this subject have at tracted the attention and commendation af ct tfdo fc of 10 iu1p1i D a in other states.
 Prominent Speakers.
 '"The subject of immigration to Ala bama will occupy a prominent place on the programme for the eleventh annual meeting of the Commercial and Indus trial association at Decatur on Septem- Der l2. The South and the Immigration Problems will be the subject of an ad- dress by Robert Dec. Ward of Cambridge, Mass, who is coming to Alabama for this express purpose. MT. Ward has been for years a close student of immigration af- fairs and his address will attract wide spread attention. In a recent letter to the Alabama Commercial and Industrial association, he says:
 " I have read with interest the news paper notices of Governor Jelks' position on the immigration question. He seems to me to have sound. sane and reasonable views on immigration and I congratulate Alabama upon having so excellent a gov ernor.'
 Congressman Oscar W. Underwood will lead the ter-discussion at Decatur upon this subject Mir. Underwood has been actively identified with the Immigration question in Congress and in the session before the last succeeded in passing a bill through that body, applying an edu- cational test to immigrants, which would have decreased 65 per cent of the class coming from southern and eastern Eu- rope. but affected only per cent of those coming from northern Europe
 "Others vitally interested in this oues- ton will be on hand and valuable results will be secured. The state association Is in entire sympathy with the views of Gov ernor Jelks upon the immi ration oues- tion and will support hir l his efforts to carry them out in a .,.4cticaIy man. ner."
 Rural Carriers Appointed.
 Washington, August 9.-(SpeciaI )--Reuel
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