The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-20
JUDGE CARMICHAEL
 EXPLAINS ATTITUDE
Would be Careful About Bring
 ing in Immigrants
REVIEWS STATE HISTORY
Thinks Arguments Used Against Gen.. E. w. Martins Idea Thirty Years Ago Have Even Greater
 Force Now.

montgomery, June I9.-lSpeclal)--ll nav ing been brought to the attention of Judge J. M. Carmichael state auditor, that his position on the immigration ques- tion, whereby he opposed bringing in for eigners to take the place of negroes, he said today that he would amplfy his ar gument a little. Along this line he made the following statement:
 lover thirty years ago there was con- siderable talk in relation to inducing per sons to immigrate and settle in Alabama. The influence of the carpetbaggers was not entirely out of the state, and from the time they struck Alabama they ad- vocated the importation of aliens to tke state of Alabama, and to that end ex- pended much money. Many of the people of the state being run down at the heel" fin consequence of the results of the war and carpetbag influence, were willing to turn in almost any direction to better their condition. Lands at that time in Ala bama were worth from sl to s5 an acre, the latter being big price.
 Gen. E. w. Martin of Evergreen, good and true man, labored under the i'm pression that there should be a Jaw en- acted by the people of Alabama looking to immigration. His idea, in his speech made in the senate of Alabama, was, as he expressed it. that the people of Ala bama wanted some one to stand between the blow handles for them,' and argued that some sort of an arrangement like this would better conditions He argued that the people who could be induced to come here were industrious, persevering and economical.
 His argument was met with the sug- gestion that if the people whom he de- sired to bring here were as industrious. persevering and economical as he insisted they were, that they would be brought into competition with our own people, and that soon at least they would own large portion of the lands of this coun- try. and that as lands were about all that the people had, 1t would be far better for them to keep the lands and not induce immigration. Not, however that the peo- pie of Alabama opposed people coming to our country and settling here, if simi- lar in color and morals to themselves It was predicted, however by member of the senate that our own people would learn, in a large measure, to stand be- tween the DlOW lalluleS lOI lHtiiiStlNtS, and that in process of time this country would be settled up by our own people, and become an exceedingly prosperous country retaining for themselves and their children the heritage In real estate, trans mitted to them by their parents.
 State Prosperous.
 "The prosperity of the state has stead fly increased the condition of the people has greatly improved; the value of the property has greatly advanced. As an evi- dence of that fact, in 1870 the tax valua- ton of the property of the state was $135,- 535, 792: for the year 1905 the tax valuation of the property of the state was $344,- 223, ,221. It will thus be observed that th- wealth in the state of Alabama has in creased a number of millions more than two and one-half times, assuming that the tax valuations are fair representa- tion of the wealth of Alabama, though I much incline to the opinion that the wealth of the state of Alabama at this time would approximate closely 1,O0O O0O,- GOO.
 Thirty years ago, for divers reasons, many of the citizens of Alabama, yes very many of them, were going west for homes; now our people are content to re- main at home. As I had occasion 10 say, the cry for labor is due to the fact that conditions are more favorable and more prosperous, perhaps, than at any time within forty years, and therefore labor is in demand because it can be made profit able. Labor will continue to be in demand as long as cotton remains at 10 cents per pound but if 1t would go to cents, as 1t did some years ago, then the demand for labor would decrease with the pro- duction of the great staple which Is des- tined, properly managed. to make the south rich.
 Supply Is Short.
 No man can travel fast enough in the state of Alabama to be out of hear ing of the cry for labor, and yet it is fact that all those who are talking the most about the need for labor, only want a very small number of hands for a very short period of time If we had labor enough. if he had people enough to supply the labor which seems to be in demand, the price of cotton would de- cline, and the demand for labor would also decline. Cotton, the great product of the south goes abroad and brings back more money than any other prod uct of the United States. and I con- tend that the south today has labor