The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-09-24
PATRIOTIC ORDER
SONS OF AMERICA
-
Session Will Be Called to Order
at Belvidere Hall This
Morning.
TO PURCHASE sTRATFoR0
Order Will Urge Congress to
Keep Out All Undesirable
Immigrants.

Patriotic Order. Sons of America,
iconvcnes in the city this morning for
n session which VIII continue through
two days. Among the business features
to be acted upon by this distinguished
body of young patriots are some of 7thc
utmost interest to the nation generally.
Perhaps the most important matter.
aside from those matters which per-
tain more strongly to national inter-
esta, Is the proposed purchase OF 'Strat-
ford" tnn birthplace of General Robert
il. Lee. in Wcstrnoreiaid county. the
idea being TO preserve the historic
spot as n national memorial. The reso-
luton In regard to the proposed pur-
chase OF this furnoIs seat was offered
by Mr.. j.. ". Alexander. of oak Grove,
Va. who was impressed With the idea
of purchasing the site of General Lees
birth as n memorial which would be
lionored by those sections of the ma
ton which were once divided by the
Mason .,ld Dixon line.
Sentiment in favor OF the purchase
Is unanimous. and the protect is al
most snre OF general approval when the
matter is brought officially before the
society.
Immigration Laws.
But the matter of perhaps the great
yst Importance which Will come before
tho organization Is that pertaining to
s. i1e law on lTTJnlG fdtlDn, tue orpHIlNd-
ton gin that only the most desir-
lbla mmfgran he allowed to enter
and become citizens of the country.
1t was mainly owing 10 the Sons of
America that the recent immigration
law Of Congress was enacted and the
DECENTRALIZATION bill passed. and the
body wishes further TO modify and
strengthen these laws. 70 as to eS-
clude from the country all that class
OF undesirable immigrants who have
IN wears past been admitted within
fts borders. Upon this point the order
Is i~ncxpugnabiy set. and Its members
Will continue every ynar to agitate the
principle that ouiy those Immigrants
eho may he considered as possible de-
birahle citizens of the United states be.
admitted to citizenship, These will be
The two features OF The convention in
.hig city.
In the committee which has been
appointed TO consider the dc8irabilIty
Of purchasing "stratford." the name of
Governor Swanson has been placed,
and this is regarded as a sign that the
movement will 70 through without let
or h~indrance.
Order Growing.
About 40 delegates VIII be in az
tendance upon the convention. ever
delegate representing one thousand, or
n fraction thereof, o. the members OF
the order. In addition to these will be
present man members who come un-
officially. and many oine wives. sis
tiers and daughters of the visitors. sew
enteen states will he reprea nted. The
order nn8 numbers about 10000 mem
bcrs. with the membership constantly
growing. In Pennsylvania. where the
order is most strongly organized. there
nre 80 camps. with a membership of
$4,000.
In New Jersey there are 16s camps.
with n membership of 1000 mem
bers. Maryland has rs camps, with a
m~embeiship OF e.00o. Virginia has 40
campo. with a membership of 5000.
Florida. Tennessee. Louisiana and
Kentucky will also he represented
among the other States.
Meet This Morning.
The session of the Patriotic Order.
Sons of America, win begin at 10
O'Clock this morning in Relvidere Hall.
and viii continue to / r. NJ. Mayor Nc
Carthy viii deliver the welcome adj
dress. and this viii he responded to
by. the National President. Edward a..
Doan. of New York. The welcome adj