The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-09
WHITE TALKS ON
 LABOR SITUATION Industrial Agent of Seaboard is
 in Birmingham IMMIGRATION CONDITIONS Says That colonles Should Be Estab- ished and Properly Managed In
 Order to Secure Foreign
 Labor for South.
IMMIGRATION CONDITIONS

E. r. Cost vice president and traffic | manager of the Seaboard and J. W. White general industrial agent, are In Birmingham. They will remain in the city for several days as they~have two or
 three important local matters under con-
 siderauon.
 It is stated that in the future MT. Cost will spend good part of his time in Bir- | mingham. It is also stated that the Sea- | board will commence campaign at once | to increase it's traffic, both freight and passenger, on the Birmingham division. | MT. White, who is considered one of the | best authorities in the south on indus trial conditions talked interestingly last
 night at the Hotel Hillman about the
 labor situation and the matter of securing
 immigrants. In part he said:
 "our progress is limited by labor only,
 and 1t seems impossible to turn the tide
 of immigration southward.
 While at Ellis Island recently I saw | landed hundreds of Germans who would
 be benefit to any community, Ninety
 five per cent of them were billed through
 to points in the west. Through the cour- tesy of Commissioner Watchorn we were permitted, as an experiment, to endeavor
 to direct them to the south, but in not
 one single instance were we successful. | We found that these people were destined
 to places at which they had either rea- | tlves or friends.
 This only demonstrates the belief be-
 were ever to receive the benefits of im- |
 defined lines must be observed.
 "The only practical method is to as- | semble similar class of foreigners in the
 same localities, because to scatter them
 means virtual isolation and consequent
 dissatisfaction.
 1 "Yes. this Is the colony idea. but in or der to carry 1t out successfully these | people must have advice and aid until | they acquire our customs and language. | These colonies of various nationalities To- cated throughout the south would form basis upon which to work, and would
 prove to be the same agencies which have
 developed the west.
 There have been several feeble attempts
 at this sort of work, but none backed
 by the proper spirit and enterprise. The
 history of colonies, with some few excep- tions, has been failure due to some en-
 terprsng grafter accomplishing his end
 and allowing the people to shift for them selves with the usual result. 'I believe that this work should be done through companies composed of peo- pie of standing and backed by sufficient money to carry such a project through. Locations should be selected with d view to economic and health conditions
 Representatives should then be sent to foreign fields, for we are convinced that these are the bases at which to operate There would be- difficulty in inducing the first few families necessary, but the work could be accomplished
 If immigrants are cared for as they
 should be good results would follow
 naturally, for these people would advise
 their relatives and friends. who would
 simply be waiting to hear from them. Our experience has been that some la bor can be had from the overcrowded
 cities but the percentage is small, and
 besides we want Q permanent class of people.
 If we can lay the foundations for a few satisfied settlements our problem will | soon be solved"