Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-07-31
Government Working on Plan
to Divert immigration From
the Larger Cities.
SOLUTION OF TWO PROBLEMS
Supplying Need of Labor in West and
Relieving Congestion at Popu-
lation Centers.

develop into sturdy citizens are being |
formulated by the federal government. |
These plans have been unfOlded to |
some extent, incidental to the public |
lands convention recently held in Den |
yer.
Congress at its next session probably |
will be asked to assist the project
which at present is under consideration
by the bureaus of labor and immigra-
ton of the department of commerce
and labor and u which earnest atten- |
ton also is being directed by the de-
partment Of the interior. writes Den
yer correspondent of the Chicago Rec
Ord-Herald.
The general scheme cOntemplates the
turning of the tide of immigration
away from the overcrowded cities of
the east toward the interior and to the
west, where labor at present Is INSULT
cicnt to meet the demands of develop
mcnt in ali branches of industry. If
successful the scheme afoot Will aid
in the solving of two problems, not
only the labor and industrial problem
mentioned, but the sociological problem
( involved in the constantly increasing
influx of foreigners seeking permanent
homes IN the United States.
1t will require liberal appropriations
to carry out the plans when perfected,
principally to be devoted to the
employment of special immigration
agents, whose duty it will be to mingle
in the incoming cargOes of future
American citizens and furnish them
with Information about the country
with which they are to cast their for
tunes. The ann will be to convince
the Immigrant that his chances to sue
cCel III the new land are not limited to
the cities that are ports of entry, and
by giving accurate portrayal OF actual
labor and bone making opportunities
in other sections of the country, inter
est the newcomer and so distribute
immigration in manner far different
from the way it is distributed through
out the land under the present condi-
tons
Secretary of the Interior Garfield in
one of his addresses to the public
lands convention referred very briefly
to the plans contemplated by the gov
ernm2nt for better distribution Of
immigration. AS the details of the
scheme are being worked out eXclu-
sively by the department of commerce
and labor, Secretary Garfield was
ayerse to discussing that branch of
the subject. but from his standpoint
rs the head of the department that has
control over the public lands. to which
1t is designed to direct Il portion of the
desirable immigrants. he spoke very
enthusiastically of the ultimate posi-
biliti."s.
West Wants settlers.
81 he desire or the people OF me west
ern states where the land is adapted
to agricultural development either for
dry farming, irrigation or ordinary
farming is to obtain settlers on such
land" said Secretary Garfield. They
need the sturdy farming class. such as
II an earlier day settled in and gave
| the basis for sound development to the
states of the Mississippi valley. Thou
sands of persons of the type wanted
come to the United States In immi-
| grant ships every year. If they can be
| directed toward the great west and
furnished with the information rela
tive to these vast areas of lands await
| ing the homesteader they would come
here rather than settle in the congested
| centers of population.
Furthermore, there IS great scar
| city of labor In certain localities in the
| west because of the tremendous in
crease in mining. railroad building.
| reclamation work and manufacturing.
| If the sturdy immigrant-the desirable
| would be citiZen-could be given uccu-
| rate information as to the character of
the labor that is required, the locality,
the ways of reaching it and the oppOr-
tunities offered to him and his family
there would be Il partial solution at
least of the problem of the scarcity of
labor and the problem regarding the
distribution of immigration
AS far as worked out. the plans of
the labor and immigration bureaus pro-
vide for the placing of agents on every
Immigrant ship, who are to give the
steerage passengers full information
as to the means of acquiring citizen
ship, and of making entries and get
ting n home for themselves and fami.
lies after declaring their intentions. AS
previously stated. Information also will
be given as to where the labor Is want
ed, and by this means it is expected
that thousands of immigrants who 9th
erwise never would get beyond tn,
port at which they enter the country
or at least not far from it, will be di
rected to remote sections, where. il
they have the stuff with them, they
may rise above the lot of the common
laborers, grow up in the country ant
become wholly desirable citizens.
1t is intended, of course, that the i'm
migration agents to be appointed, pro
viding congress enacts the necessar.
legislation In aid of the project, shall
be drummers to encourage immigration
from other countries. All that is de
signed is to have them get in toucl
with those who turn their heads towar'