Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-06-06
TO SCATTER IMMIGRANTS.
Uncle Sam to Have Distributing Sys-
tenn After july l.


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 10 prevent
the concentration of these people in dis
ease-breeding, me-generatins 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 viii 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. 4 n ljority of our i'm
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 P Sargent will
change this as much as possible He
will open July 1 a division of informa-
ton, whose function will 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
I IL,
| 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 1851 1000 aliens admitted
TO this country entered last year. Over
seven-tenthS of these newcomers said
they were going to settle in already
| thickly settled centers, with no special
object in view, except that acquaintances
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 :;
| $1,000 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 total of 90
| 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 a hun
| bred immigration societies and in Mary
| land there are still more. But neither
| these nor the similar organizations in
| other Southern States 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. Yet, climatically
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.