Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-12-02

grafton was immediate, the fiscal year
of 1908 showing falling off in immi-
grafton of about 80 per cent. Deduct
ing the total departure of aliens from
the total arrivals during the fiscal
year, the net increase of alien popula-
ton was 209,867 About 26 per cent
of those admitted were illiterate. The
total amount of money actually brought
into the country by arriving aliens
was $17,794, 226, an average of almost
$23 per capita. Warrants of deporta-
tion were issued in the cases of 1855
aliens, and 10,902 aliens were rejected
at the port of arrival. In the last 10
years the accepted figures of immigra-
ton are actually 4S per cent in excess
of the net immigration.
Fewer Japanese Coming.
Considerable space is devoted to the
incoming of Japanese, which shows
gradual but sure reduction in the
number During the year the net in
crease in japanese population was
only 1896. Secretary Straus says that
| the Japanese and American govern
ments are cooperating to enforce the
law respecting the coming of Japan
Iese laborers to this country.
Greater success has attended the eff
| forts of the department to enforce the
alien contract labor law during the
last year than in any preceding year.
1t is pointed out that "the greatest
violators of the contract labor laws are
the American manufacturers" LGbor
unions, too, have at times been found
among the viOlators of the law Dur
ing the year 1882 contract laborers
We're rejected, an increase of 81 per
cent over the reflections for 1907. In
all, ZIP contract labOrers were de-
ported during the year. Particular eff
forts were directed toward the sup
preston of the white slave traffic, this
country cooperating with many Euro
pean governments to concert proper
measures to attain this purpose.
Keeps Work Secret.
| Some space is devoted to a consid-
GRAFTON of the operations of the bu-
reau of corporations, but, on account
bureau, little definite information is
disclosed. The secretary says that the
bureau has on hand investigations of
the tobacco, steel. and lumber indus
tries, inland waterways, the Interna-
tional Harvester company, and further
investigations of the petroleum indus
try. and cotton exchanges. He is of
opinion that advance toward corpor-
ate reform must come through some
general system of publicity"
| at is becoming more and more OBJ
vious that the work of the government
in regulating corporations 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
lof these great industrial forces. Only
such combinations as are formed for
wrongful purposes, or such combina
lions as use their powers for evil
should be brought under the condem
nation of the law"
Would Have System.
Secretary Straus strongly recon
mends the adoption of definite sys
tenn of positive supervision and regu
ilation of corporations through an ad
ministrative Office. urging that such {
system is constructive. not destruc
Tive. Through this Office it would be
POSSIBLE to publish important facts a:
to corporate operations, safeguarding
the unnecessary publication of Gl
Iproper business secrets.