Amador ledger., 1906-06-29
Aliens for the South.

II tHo sOltu WdHCS lumlSIantS Sne
will have to raise wages to the level
that prevails in the north and west -
i; This was the blunt advice given to
the southern states immigration com
mission by Robert Watchorn, commits
sioner of immigration. lie welcomed
some thirty members of the new or
ganization to Ellis island the other
day, showed them the workings of the
place and told them what they would
have to expect in the attempt to de-
! fleet immigration toward the south,
says the New York Times.
"You may think that immigrants
come to this country without knowing
where they are going," said commits
sioner Watchorn, land that you can
get them as they land from The boats.
1t is not so. Out OF every 400 that
come here 399 know exactly where
tn ey are going. lfyou try to make
them change their minds by telling
them how superior the south is they
are apt to think you are confidence
men. Ii you don't believe it just
come downstairs and see how many
you can persuade to alter their
course. -
The commissioner and the visitors
trooped into the railroad room, :"
where dozens of swarthy Europeans
we're waiting to be shipped off. The
Louisiana representative approached
staring Italian, and the other
southerners crowded around to listen.
'What" is your business? asked the
Louisiana man through the inter
prefer.
''Bricklayer, " answered the Italian.
Then the southerner began to tell of
the manifold advantages of living in
Louisiana. how an immigrant could
get ten acres of land, house, farm
ing implements and many other
things.
The Italian listened stolidly. When
he had heard the tale to the end he
said:
'Farming-it is not my business. -
That was ali he had to say. The
| man from Louisiana said he hadn't
had fair chance. He was looking for
farmer. Commissioner Watchorn
found five Greek farmers all in a row.
70 one of them, who said he was
bound west to meet cousin, was told
the manifold advantages OF Louisiana.
The interpreter told him about the
pigs and the COWS and the green grass
and the kind treatment he would get.
Looking the stout man from Louis
lana, the Greek asked abruptly:
"Who are you? Whom do you rep
resent?"
The answer did not make the for
eigner enthusiastic.
"t'll go to my cousin," he an
nonuced.
''That's the way it is with 399 out
of 400,'' said Watchorn. ''The best
chance you have Is to get them alter
they reach their destination-if they
are disiIlusionlzed. -
Several immigrants who had been
excluded by the board of special in
quiry we're brought in to the COM
misioner's office on appeal, so that the
visitors could see how the system
worked. Three little Swedes, a boy
of fourteen and twins of eleven, we're
the first comers. Their brother wanted
them in Minnesota, but his affidavit
had not satisfied the board. When
they filed in a big Georgian said:
"l'Il take 'em right now"
'I'il give 'em home and take care
of EN-" volunteered a Tennesseean.
their offers were not in order,
though, and the commissioner pro-
ceeded to question the children. FL
nally he decided to overrule the
boards decision, and let them go to
Minnesota. That pleased the audi
ence, and everybody applauded. The
immigrants who followed the Swedes,
though, were evidently unfit, and the
boards decisions were upheld.
Luncheon was served on the Ellis
island roof garden, which is the cool
est anywhere round New York city.
Then the commissioner told the SOU
thren states immigration commission
that he would always aid them in
their work, aud he invited them to
visit Ellis island whenever they could.
They left vowing thatRobertWatc
was unsurpassed both as an official
and host Globe.