The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1907-06-13
WASHINGTON
From our Regular Correspondent.

Washington, d. c. June 7, 1907.
The appointment was announced
from the White House this week of
Terpnce V. Powderly, one time
Commissioner of immigration to be
chief of new division that has
been created in the Immigration
Bureau. 1t is to be known as the
Bureau of Information and its OBJ
ject is to distribute the immense
tide of immigration over the coun-
try rather than have it all settled
Immediately around New York. 1t
is a good scheme and one much
needed, but there remains the ques-
ton of whether or not the immi-
grants can be induced to accept its
well meant Offices. The bureau
will keep in touch with the COVER
nors of states and state immigration
officials, of whom there are many,
and will provide all the informa-
ton that can be demanded as to the
labor market, available land, rail-
road lines, fares and other pointers
on which newly arrived immigrants
may want to act. The conditions
in the middle east with the increas-
ing tide of immigration are deplor-
able. Most of the immigrants set
tie in New York, most of them i'll
the city and some in the state.
Others scatter to nearby states.
There were nearly a million and a
half arrivals last year and of these
SO per cent. settled in New York
Pennsylvania, Delaware and Massa-
chusetts. Meantime the rest of the
country was crying for labor and
would have been glad to get all of
the aliens who were willing to
work. 1t is believed that the Divis.
ion of Information can do some
thing toward remedying the condi-
tions. Mr.. Powderly, who has
been made the chief of the division,
was formerly the head of the
Knights of Labor. He is a good
organizer and an amiable man to
deal with. The appointment was
palpably made with a view to cap
turing the labor vote.
***
News has been received by the
Department of Agriculture through
its agents abroad that there promis-
es to be marked revival of tobacco
growing in Ireland. This is of inn
portance to the United States be
cause tobacco is one of the big ex-
port crops of this country and Eng
land is one of Our best customers.
Ireland used to be a fine tobacco
country, but with view to crippi-
ing the country industrially when
the political struggle with England
was at its height, prohibitive tax
was laid on tabacco growing and
the industry was effectively killed.
This was as far back as 1913.
Within the past few years attempts
have been made to revive the in
dustry, but special permit had to
be obtained from the English gov
ernment even to grow experimental
crops. The trial has been a great
success, a crop of ID, 900 pounds of
very good tobacco having been
grown on 20 acre tract. 1t is now
proposed to repeal the prohibitive
law and give the country a new and
profitable industry. An agent of
the Irish Department of Agricul-
ture is to be sent to this country to
get suitable seed and an application
will be made for some expert to-
bacco growers to go over and su-
perintend the work.
XXI
The breach between the Republi-
can factions in Ohio has by no
means been healed according to a
statement issued this week by Sen
ator Foraker who is here attending
the Brownsville inquiry. Dispatch
es from Ohio said that there has
been friendly conferences between
Mr.. Foraker's colleague Senator
Dick and Chas. p. Taft, brother of
the Secretary. The inference was
that there was to be coalition and
a burying of the hatchet. Senator
Foraker was intensely angry when
shown the dispatches and said that
no such conference had been held
with his knowledge and consent