The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-11-28
PENSACOLA FLORIDA MORNING NOVEMBER 2S 1906

and S. E. Higgins. OF the Jackson
Lumber Co, of Bockhart, Ala.
As to the verdict itself, the Record
has no comment to make. But there
Is lesson it conveys which ought to
fall with great weight and be seriously
considered by those who are engaged
in any of the Industries in the south
where considerable number Of labor
ers are employed.
The camp of the Jackson Lumber
Company at LOckhart has always been
considered a model one. 1t has been
declared to be such by special cor
respondents who have investigated the
matter and by no less an authority
than the German vice-consul at Birm-
ingham. Ala. The gentlemen who
have been found guilty of the charge
OF conspiracy to commit peonage are
victims Of a reckless lot Of immigra-
ton agents in the north. 1t has been
repeatedly shown by the occurrences
OF the past few months that those
who trust their chances and their
money to that class of labor recruit
ers are taking a long shot at an UNI
certain target. There has not been
case where those who have risked
their money with these northern agen-
cies have secured that which they
were after. Far from it. they have
been sent the riff.raff, and after pay
Ing their fare and so much per head,
have found that after the men have
arrived here, they are worthless, shift
less, dishonest and entirely unsatis-
factorily
In the first place it is taking a long
chance to bring foreigners to the
south until they have been inspected.
selected and the bad ones weeded out
from among the number. there are
good laborers arriving at Hoffman's
island from Europe almost daily. But
as rule they are sent to the west.
The reason for this is easily to be ac-
counted for The west has agents in
Europe, who are either paid by their
states or by the great Transportation
companies, who have done so much
toward the building up of that part
or the United States. These agents
move among the people of Europe,
know the localities where the best
class of immigrants are to be secured.
and know to what work they are best
fitted. These agents pick the best
class, send them over here and push
them right through to their desuna.
ton in the west before they can get
into the hands of sharks, who class
themselves as immigration or employ.
ment agents.
Until the southern states take some
action OF this kind, the naval stores
operators and the sawmill men had
better let the foreigners alone, I'M
less some of them pool their issues
and send man to europe to select
them. In this matter the south has
been exceedingly slow. 1t has done
practically nothing while the west has
reaped the advantages of a desirable
class of settlers, men and women who
have entered into the spirit of prog
ress of that great section and who
have made IL what it is. The south
can get just as good immigrants as
the west, but il will never do so while
our officials are backward in making
the necessary appropriations. or
spending the money of the people in
such fake schemes as the attempt to
drain the everglades.
There have been thousands of dol
lars lost by naval stores men and saw
mill men in bringing foreigners to
this section. Few of them have re-
manned long enough to pay half their
railroad. and practically none of them
have proved satisfactory. Is it not
time that this effort to bring foreign
ers TO this section without proper ad.
vance knowledge was discontinued?