The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-12-30
Alabama Association Would
Create State Department
$4,000 FOR ITS EXPENSES
Meeting Held at Montgomery Yester-
day Was Enthusiastic In Favor of
Bill Drafted BY Hunts
Vile Man.

Montgomery, December 29.-(Special.)-
At the conference of Alabama men, called
by President F. NJ. Jackson of the Ala
bama immigration association, to discuss
immigration, held here today, it was de-
cided to urge upon the legislature the
adoption of a law establishing a separate
department of immigration, with an an
nual appropriation Of $4,000.
A bill was prepared to be presented to
the legislature. 1t provides for a commits
sioner at 5000 year, with $500 for
chief clerk, with other help to be provid-
ed as needed. Plans were made to put the
matter before the people.
Much credit is given F. j. Thompson,
president of the Huntsville Chamber OF
Commerce, for drawing up the bill and
working up interest in it. Out of eighty
members of the legislature approached on
II. only one said he would not support
the measure.
The following were among the men in
attendance: Frank V. Evans of Birming-
ham. deputy commissioner of immigration
for the railroads of Alabama; Frank j.
Thompson, president 70 the Chamber of
Commerce of Huntsville; w t. Hender-
son of Mobile, land and industrial agent
of the Mobile and Ohio railroad; j. r.
McMullen. secretary of the Commercial
club of Gadsden, and J. 7. Slater, sec
retary of the Commercial club of Selma;
Ross c. Smith, president of the immigra-
tion bureau of the state; Fred M. Jack
son of the Alabama immigration associa-
ton: ]. b. Babb, f. Lesser, F. Y. Ander-
son, Frank H Lathrop, E. H. Holder. c.
r, Stickney. Frank Deedmeyer, Birming-
ham; w. ]. Nesbitt. Decatur; H. D. Boyd,
Jr.. Elba; J. A. Edwards, ]. w. T. Thorn
ton, Talladega S. P. Rainer' Union
Springs; ]. F. Dugger, Auburn, ana w.
r. Brown, Ragland.
The conference was between members
or the Alabama Commercial and Indus
trial association and the Alabama lmmi-
grafton bureau with outside cities. Ihe
bill was prepared by F. J. Thompson,
chairman Of a special immigration COM
mittee of the Alabama Commercial and
A Industrial association.
The bill, as adopted by the meeting
today, follows:
Text of Bill.
An act to establish a department OF
fmnigration for the state of Alabama,
to provide for the appointment and COM
pensation of commissioner and to define
his duties and powers.
l.
Iature of the state of Alabama, that
state department of immigration Is here
by created and established for the state
of Alabama, which shall be under the
charge and control of the commissioner
of immigration.
Section Q That Immediately after the
approval of this act the governor, by and
with the approval of the senate, snail ap-
point for a term of four years, a COM
missioner of immigration, who shall have
x~1T.la Of n
Immigration; provided, the governor may
remove the commissioner for cause, neg
lect of duty, misfeasance, or malfeasance
in office at any time. and appoint
successor to appoint competent clerks for
carving on the work of the department.
Sec 8. That the compensation OF the
commissioner of immigration shiul be
$4,000 per annum, and that of thsi chlet
clerk $500 per annum and the compen-
sation of the additional clerks and agents
shall be determined by the commissioner
payable monthly by the state treasurer,
on the warrant of the state auditor.
Annual Appropriation.
Sec a. That the sum of $4,000 annually
be, and it is hereby appropriated for
the purposes of defraying the expenses
of the department. the publication from
time TO time of circulars, of information,
handbooks on the resources OF the state,
travelling expenses of the commissioner
be necessarily employed in the United
States and foreign countries, such ac-
counts to be itemized and presented to
the governor and on his approval the
auditor shall draw his warrant the
state treasurer, who is hereby directed
to pay the same
Sec. g. That the commissioner shall
make and submit to the governor on or
before the 10th day of January each year
report covering the departments work
of the preceding year, and the report
shall he printed and treated in the same
manner as other public documents, or as
shall otherwise be ordered.
Sec s. That the commissioner shall be
charged with all work looking to the pro-
motion of immigration into the state of
Alabama, with the collection and publi-
cation of information in English and such
foreign languages as the commissioner
NAV designate, In regard to localities.
climate. resources and advantages which
the state of Alabama has to offer to all
Immigrants.
Sec. T. That the commissioner shall be
empowered to make such arrangement
with oceanic and river steamship compa-
MES railroad companies, and immigration
agencies in this country and abroad as
may best serve the interests of success
full immigration, the necessary expend1-'
lures being made within the appropriation
for the general expenses of this depart
ment.
To Help Commission.
Sec. s. That in order to facilitate the
collection and collation. of the exact in
formation about the resources of the state
on all lines, the heads of the several de-
partments of the state government and
Of the state institutions are hereby re-
qured to furnish as far as practicable
such information as may be at their COM
mand, to the commissioner when called
upon for the same.
Sec. 8. That the department of immf-
grafton shall use all lawful means to pre-
vent the Induction into this state of i'm
migrants of an undesirable class. and
TO this end shall investigate the condi-
tion of the applicants for admission
through this department. as to disa
courage the coming in of persons of an
anarchistc tendency, of paupers, of per-
sons suffering with contagious COM
municative diseases, of cripples without
means and unable to perform mental or
physical service, of idiots. lunatics, per-
sons Of bad character, or of any persons