The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-07-26
nlsEIGRANT DISTRIBUTION.
81 Problem That is Receiving ssscrcas-
ing Atseution.

How to effect a proper and equitable
distri button OF the million or more
aliens who reach these shores annually
problem that IS receiving a great
deal of attention not o1ly ffcm cur
government but from European coun-
Srias. Sigaor Mayor des flanciles the
Z Ifalian anahas sador las recently re-
turned from an eSteded tonf Of the
Santh Whera he vent TO msk- an IN
yestieation into labor conditiuts with
view to diperting Italian immigrants
from the sslaas of New Yors, Chicago
and other laTge cities to COTTON fields
and sparsely inhabited territory in the
sonthern States. He is nov engaged
! in preparing the report he will make
Ia MS Governments. There is reason
to believe that be will strongly urge
that meaurss be taken at the Italian
ports of debarkatloE to induce his
counbrymen wao come to America to
90 to the agricultural sections to seek
employment where labor is not plenti
full. Living conditions in the South
and Vest are much higher than In the
city slums. where SO many Italians
congest on arrival there.
;s ". Wilcox special agent Of the
census Office. aud formerly Chief sta
5issician, was questioned today by
syour correspondent on the migratory
movement of native whites and blacks,
and aliens In this country. He vas
asked: 8 What is the number and IN
crease of foreign born whites In the
South? ?''
q Leaving Oklahoma and Indian
Territoy out of consideration, he
replied, there we're in the South in
1890, SIG, 0O foriegn-born whites, and
In 1890, $1,000, showing an increase OF
only 5 per cent among the immigrants
In shs South, while In the whole
ceuntry rhe foreign born were 8, 100, :
COO in 1890. and l0.200, 900 In 1900, an
increase of about /. loo, 600, or IL per
cent. These feures show that neither
IN number nor in rate Of increase is
the South getting its share OF the
foreign born INN: grants.
g What is the number and increase
of Northern whites in the South ?!'
ss In 1890 there were 582, 600 white
natives of the North Atlantic, North
Central and Western States living IN
the South, again excluding Oklahoma
and Indian Territory. In 1870 there
were 725.o0O, showing that the South
.ern States at the present time contain
1S3, coo more white natives OF the
North and West than they do white
Immigrants is from abroad.
is the South gaining more popuia-
tion from the North and West than 1T
IS from abroaas
Il naus5 he remembered that
many Southernels, by birth, migrate
to the North and West, while almost
none move o1t Of the country. In
1890 there we're 1, OBS, 600 natiVes Of the
South living outside Of the South. Ia
1900 fae number had risen to j, ll6, 600.
This shows that the South suffers a
net loss from the ra1grations OF native
whites, but it shows also that the less
israpidiy decreasing InslS93 the net
loss Of the South by the
migration on the part OF native whites
was 45e. .ooo Ia19o0 it Mas only
sS9l, 900.
What are The facts regarding thu
migration OF negroes
80 Of course tie number OF negroes
born in the Northern and Western
States is very small The net loss OF
Southern negroes by migration to
other parts OF the country in 1909 was
Ms,O00, and in 1900 323, 900. These
ignres show that the two races Of tie
South are changing in opposite dlrec-
hons. The net lozs Of Southern
Whites during the decade decreased
5. coo, aud the net loss of the Southern
negroes increased 1o5. o0o-
Franz Sargent, commissioner gene.
raj of immigration, has called meet
irgs of railroad men at his Office IN an
attempt so devise some plan, working
in cooperation with the transporta-
tion lines, to withdraw the aliens from
tho cities to the country, The failure
to provide for widespread distrlbu-
tion of the new comers, taken with the
exertiors of foreign countries to send
their surplus popuiaGlon over seas,
combines to maintain alien colonies IN
the cities. Mr.. Sargent, after making
personal investigation and talking
with the heads Of the municipal char
tiles in New York, Boston and other
principal ports Of entry, holds that
such colonies are open to objection not
merely on political grounds, but in a
far greater degree for social and sanl-
tary reasons.
The tremendous expenditures in our
large cities for the support of INDECENT
foreigners; the records OF the lesser
criminals and Police Courts; the roster
of the public hospitals, jails, asylums
and refornatory Institutions; the
Sorged habitsrions OF aliens IN the
cities. have impressed deeply on all
who have studied the problem the
imperative necessity of diHuslng
through many outlets the ever inflow
ing tide. Those charged, with the
supervision of the enterprise are no
nearer conclusion than when they
began. Grating that some method
could be devised to effect a proper
distribution, the next step would be
TO induce the newcomers to follow
the paths that had been laid oct cor
them.
The theory has been that. if num-
Der of families coming from toe same
neighborhood abroad could be induced
to leayo the haatan path and settle