The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-27
Arthur of Measure Which
 Passed House
CLAIMED MUCH THOUGHT
Creates Immigration Board, Composed of Governor, Commissioner of Aeri-
 culture and an Executive Ap-
 pointee-Will Become Law.

Montgomery, February 26.-(Speeial)-
 Senator Gum. the author of the Gum
 immigration bill, which passed the house ! today, makes the following statement about it:
 ''The immigration bill which l prepared
 and which passed the house today was the result of two or three weeks investi- sation on that matter. I was very much impressed with the speech of Governor Haywood of South Carolina on that sub ject. l studied the South Carolina im- migration law, also the bill that was in- troduced in the house by MT. Gunter. 1 believe that if this bill becomes a law it will be of far-reaching benefit to the state. In the first place, it creates an | immigration board composed of the gov ernor. who is chairman, the commission CT of agriculture and industries and an immigration commissioner to be ap l pointed by the governor at a salary of s24OO The object in putting the governor at the head of the board, is to give it the official dignity of the state in foreign countries and to inspire confidence among immigrants and immigration agencies or l associations.
 '"fhe duties of the commissioner of ag- riculture and industries are so closely l akin to immigration that it is necessary
 to have him on the board. Much of the publications and advertisements which IS required in his office will be used in this new department. The immigration com- missioner must work under the board, he | cannot make any contract or bring any 1 immigrants into the state except by the consent and under the direction of the l board In fact no person, firm or corpor- I ation can bring any foreign immigrants into the state except under the direction | or by the consent of the board.
 One feature of the bill gives the board | authority to make contracts with any person. firm or corporation to bring inn 1 migrants into the state for such per | son. firm or corporation, but all expenses must be born by the parties wanting them l and the board must pass upon the char
 acter of the immigrants.
 Another provision is that the immi- | grafton commission must keep a book in l which he will make entry of any or | all lands or sites, especially farm lands, 1 that any person may list with him for | sale to immigrants, but all such expenses
 must be borne by the property owners. l Under the terms of this bill, it is not | necessary that the immigration commis- sion shall go to foreign countries but 1 they may send anyone else or employ | some already in the immigration
 field l see no reason why this department | should not be of inestimable value to | the state. It prevents any railroad, lum-
 Der company, mining company or any
 corporation needing employees, from bring | ing immigrants indiscriminately into the state. but 1t secures to them the right
 to bring good and desirable people among l us and have the state behind them: | have heard some criticisms because 1t | establishes a censorship on immigration.
 I think it should be- I have known one | colony of Italians and two colonies of | Greeks who were brought into the state | by corporations to do certain work and | were outlaws and were a terror to the
 community in which they settled. We must be careful of the class of people we | bring into the state. but we must be
 alert in bringing in good people.
 | This bill was accepted and approved l yesterday by representatives of the com l mercial clubs of the state and their i'm migration committee. The governor ap- | proves it and I am confident that it will | pass before the recess, and the board | will be organized at once