Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-12-03
don II SUPPRESS
BUT REGULATE
SECRETARY STRAUS URGES
THIS POLICY IN REGARD
TO CORPORATIONS.
THIRTEEN PER CENT OF AMERt-
CAN POPULATION FOR
EIGN BORN.

ElSN BURN
Washington, D. c., Dee. 2.-Secre-
tary Oscar S. Straus in the sixth an
nual report of the department of
commerce and labor says it has on
hand Investigations of the tobacco,
Steel and lumber industries, inland
waterways, the International Har,
Vester company, and further investi-
cations of the petroleum industry and
cotton exchanges. The secretary
is Of the opinion that advance Ito
ward corporate reform must come
through some general system of pub
licity. 1t is becoming more and
more obvious that the work of the
government in regulating corpora
lions should not be directed at the
mere existence of combination itself,
as such, but should deal rather with
the way in which the combination
powers are used, so as to prevent as
far as possible the misuse of the
great industrial forces. Only such
combinations as are formed for
wrongful purposes, or such combina-
tons as use their powers for evil,
should be brought under the condem-
nation of the law"
Secretary Straus recommends the
adoption of a definite system of SUI
pervisiOn and regulation of corpora
tons through an administrative of.
flee, urging that such a system is
constructive, not destructive.
Through this office it would be pos
sible to publish important facts as to
corporate operations, safeguarding
the unnecessary publication Of all
proper business secrets.
immigration.
Up 10 the close of the civil war
ali our laws were framed to encour-
age immigration and that since then
American legislation, while not hos
tile to immigration, has been directed
toward the elimination of undesirable
classes. AS a result the percent
age of foreign born persons in our
population has remained practically
stationary for forty years. Concretely,
the percentage of foreign born in
1860 was 1872, while in 1900 it was
l3.7. The effect of the recent de
precision upon immigration is noted
thF fiscal year of 1908 showing a fall
ins Off in immigration of 80 per cent.
Ifducting the total departures of
aIiens from the total arrivals during
he fiscal year, the net increase of
alien population was 2O9,867. About
26 per cent of those admitted were
illiterate. The total amount Of
money actually brought into the
country by arriving aliens was ST.
1794226, an average of $23 per cap
tia. Warrants of deportation We're is
sued in the cases of 1885 aliens and
109O2 aliens were rejected at the
port of arrival. In the last ten years
the accepted figures of immigration
are actually As per cent in excess of
the net immigration.
Fewer Japanese.
Considerable space is devoted to
the incoming Of Japanese, which
shows a gradual but sure reduction
in the number. During the year the
net increase in Japanese population
was only 1926. Secretary Straus
says that the Japanese and American
governments are cooperating to en-
force the law respecting the coming
of japanese laborers.
Contract Laborers.
Great success has attended the eff
forts of the department to enforce
the alien contract labor law. It is
pointed out that 'the greatest violat-
ors of the contract labor laws are the
manufacturers Labor unions, too,
have at times been found among the
viOlators of the law. During the year,
1882 contract Iaborers were rejected,
an increase of 81 per cent. over the
reflections for 1907 In all, ZIP con
tract laborers wer deported during
the year. Particular efforts were di-
~ected toward the suppression of the
white slave traffic, this country co
operating with many European gov
ernments to concert proper measures
10 attain this purpose.
Distributing Immigrants.
The work of the division of in
formation in the distribution of
alien immigrants throughout the
country is considered at length.
Secretary Straus regards the work of
this division as of the highest mort
ance, as it tends to relieve the con-
gestion of aliens in urban centers of
population. Attention also is de-
voted TO the division of naturaliza-
ton, which shows that 2,244 courts
have been engaged in the last year
in comforting naturalization upon
aliens. During the year 136,725 dec
larations of intention and 43,878 pc
titions for naturalization were filed.
Through the department of Justice,