The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1908-02-14
THE IMMIGRATION CONVENTION
(Tampd TineS.D

grafton bureau and Of his studies OF
the life Of the people in the countries
he had viSited--those countries from
which the United States draws the
bulk Of her foreign population. He
said that it is more because we don't
understand these people that many
otherwise we'll Informed and we'll
tempered people in this country are
DESTROYS of putting up the bar against
further immigration.
Speaking of the work of the bureau
Of which he is chief, Mr.. Powderly
said: From July to October l Of
the year 1907. the bureau of immigra-
ton located 100000 immigrants from
foreign countries in the agricultural
sectiOns-nOt as owners, but as labor
ers. We took them from the crowded
cities, where they live in cOngeSted
sections, and under conditions that
may well breed anarchy and loose liv
ing, and sent them to the open cOun-
try, where the pure air and good con-
ditions will bring out their best traits
and make of them useful citizens.
I'VE hear men on both sides Of the
political fence talking about the mar
kets of the world. Now. l want to
know how much a man working in the
docks Of Trieste, for instance. where
they pay thirty cents a day for labor.
would buy from us? Don't you think If
these men were brought here where
they would receive a dollar, two dollars
to two dollars and a half pc rday for
their labor, they would buy very much
more of what We have to sell them
Mr.. Powderly referred to the Won
derful excess of expectations over i'm
portations during the administration
Of President Mckinley, when the ag-
gregate excess for a few years time
was greater than for the entire pre-
vious history of the United States.
Mr. Mckinley did not cause that.
John Hay did not do it. 1t was the
vast army who came here and labOred
and produced" declared Mr.. POwderly.
Cut off immigration and you cut off
| that which produce to send
| throughout the world.
AS to affecting labor. 1 do not think
labor can take care of itself in this
country in the matter Of settling the
question of shorter hours and increaS
ed wages"
The speaker then referred to the
vast tracts of uncultivated land in
Florida and other Southern states,
and in the West. eff We want immi
4 how
got to shed a few Of our prejudices
concerning immigrants. Take the men
of Italy, for example" said the speak
er. They are not particularly wanted
here and yet they are industrious peO-
pie and hard workers and peculiarly
suited to our climate. But, you say,
how about the Black Hand?' Well,
there are many here who remember
the reign of Molly Maguires' in Penn
sylvania- The Molly Maguires' were
composed principally of Irishmen, and
they killed many people and committed
many evil acts. But the Irish race in
this country has outlived that. The
term Black Hand had it's origin thus:
In Italy IL a man OutraSes, defames or
in any other way wrongs woman, the
black hand OF ostracism is raised
against him until the wrong has been
righted. We don't have to go among
the Italians to find the black hand
There was a man in New York who
shot another man in q roof garden.
and after the trial he is sent to the
asylum charged with being a lunatic.
"There are those who make fun Of
the immigrants who come here. and
that reminds me Of little piece Of
rhyme which illustrates TIE matter.
Here 1t is:
"'Where are the proud Americans Of
ancestry colonial?
To sound their praise in vain 1
strum my unrespOnsive lutte:
The uninspired strings refuse their
tuneful testimonial,
! The merchants names along Broad
way have made their music
mute.
Goldberg. Silverberg, Cohen, Jarnu-
Iowsky,
Oppenheimer, Geisenheimer, , Isaacs,
Rubenstein,
Blumenthal and Rosenthal and Aarons
and Sadowsky-
Is this the stock Of Plymouth Rock,
the blood Of Brandywine?
| Toll CT, h