Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1907-06-11
TO SCATTER IMMIGRANTS.
Uncle Sam TO Have DISTRIBUTING sys
tenn after Jul~-


Uncle Sam to Have DISTRIBUTING sys-
tenn after July /.
The government is preparing to intro
duce some sort OF system in the diStribu-
ton of the immigrants who weekly come
to our ports by thousands and to prevent
the concentration of these people in dis
ease-breeding crime-generating colonies
IN the larger cities. This is an outgrowth
of the legislation of the last session of
Congress with respect to immigration and
its utility will be quickly discerned The
immigration problem is not so much of
a problem if rightly handled. The trou-
bic has been that immigrants have been
herded together in the eastern cities in
helpless, almost hopeless masses. not
knowing where to turn to better them
selves and reproving themselves for ever
having left the old world, while at tie
same time the wheat States of the West
and the cotton States of the South have
been wanting them and not knowing how
TO get into touch. A majority of our inn
migrants are pouring into sections where
they are least wanted and where the least
chance of work awaits them, while they
are avoiding the sections where they
would be welcomed and given remunera-
tive employment.
Commissioner Frank 2. Sargent will
change this as much as possible. He
will open July l a division of informa-
ton, whose function win be TO find out
where immigrants are most needed and
to see to it that the immigrants are in
formed. FROM all available sources will
be gathered useful information regarding
the resources, products and physical
characteristics of each State and terri
tory and this information. published in
| different languages. will be distributed
at immigrant stations. States and ter
ritories will be permitted to send to the
immigrant station agents who will point
out to the newcomers the special induce
ments for settlement offered by their re-
spective localities. The Southern States
are already selecting agents for this
purpose.
Practically the whole of this campaign
will be waged at Ellis Island, where
$4,000 of the 100000 aliens admitted
to this country entered last year. Over
seyen-tenths of these newcomers said
they were going to settle in already
| thickly settled centers. with no special
object in view, except that acquaintance
or relatives had preceded them here.
About $4,000 settled in New York State,
nearly 100000 went to Pennsylvania
$4,000 had Illinois for their destination
10000 were bound for Massachusetts and
$4,000 for New Jersey. Only $4,000
went to the entire South. Yet the South
| particularly wants immigrants. 1t Of
! fers a splendid field for the newcomer
with Drawn and energy. 1t has millions
of acres of cotton, cane, rice and tobacco
lands that have never been cultivated.
Indeed, Louisiana alone has 100000
acres of vacant land out of a total of o.
100000, and it is estimated that not
more than one-eighth of the cotton lands
Of the whole South is under cultivation.
In Louisiana there are more than hun
bred immigration societies and in Mary
land there are still more. But neither
these nor the similar organizations in
other Southern Sta.es are looking for
the Hungarians and Russians now flock
ing into the North in superabundance.
The South has been calling for the good
bid Teutonic and Celtic stock which set
tied the country in its first days-the
English, Irish, Welsh, Scotch and Ger
mans, in particular. Yt dramatically
speaking, the Italians are, of all our I'm
migrants those best suited to the South,
and moreover they now constitute the
largest class of our immigrants. The
supply of these far exceeds the demand,
in the North. They have proved to be
successful farmers where they have so
far settled in the southern cotton and
sugar plantations. The great numbering
companies of the South are also employ
ing them and it is estimated that more
than 100000 are working in the south
ern Mississippi valley. They have begun
to purchase little farms, to build good
homes and to put money in the bank.
They are found to be prompt in paying
debts, and to have improved morally as
well as financially since arriving. The
younger of these Italians do not wish to
return to Italy, which desire has caused
their race to be generally disliked in
America.