Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1909-09-16
TO GULL IMMIGRANT rs
Missouri to Become a Pioneer In
a Big Problem.
THE DISTRIBUTING OF ALIENS.

How the Bullion State Will Induce
Foreigners of the Right Kind to Set
tie Within Her Confines-Value of
the Scheme.
Missouri has decided to take its
pick of the immigration coming to the
United States. Ever since Governor
Hadley took his seat the state authori-
ties have been pondering over ways
and means to attract desirable class
of immigrants TO build up the waste
places and put more value into the
farm holdings The Missouri State So
ciety of New York has also been
working at the other end of the line
to accomplish the same object Last
winter these same patriotic sons of
Missouri, who make their homes In
New York, but who have not lost in
terest in the welfare of their native
state, suggested that If a live, ener-
getic agent were stationed at Ellis is
land, where the great bulk of immi-
grants disembark, great good would he
likely to come of it. Now, after con.
ference with Commissioner Keefe Of
lllt OHlltNl GrldltS lluUllEIdllbl DuItdu,
Commissioner Curran of the Missouri
immigration bureau has announced
that the state board will establish an
agency at the immigrant station at
Ellis island. The purpose is to work
I'm cooperation with the federal bu-
reau in inducing as many immigrants
as possible of the right kind to make
their homes IN Missouri
Advantages of the State.
Thus Missouri Is TO become n pioneer
in solving the problem of distributing
immigrants throughout the United
States instead of leaving them to act
upon their own resources without ad-
vice or assistance of a trustworthy
kind. Two other states, Louisiana and
South Carolina, have tried the plan
and are much pleased with the results.
This state is likely to be still more
SO, inasmuch as it can offer many ad-
yantageS In climate, soil and social en-
yironment which are lacking In the
semitropical gulf states. Besides be-
ing centrally located, along the parallel
of travel east and west, Missouri prob
ably enjoys a greater diversity Of soil
and climate both of the most favor
able character, than any other state
| in the Union. With fertile grain pro-
| ducing lands in its center and north
ern counties, stock breeding and dairy
| farms of the northwest tier cotton and
| tobacco i'll the southwest and its un-
| surpassed fruit orchards and vine
| yards along the slopes of the OZarks
| in the southwest, this state presents
every advantage to the agricultural
| immigrant that could be desired, not
| to speak of the coal, iron, zinc. lead
and other flourishing mining industries
! which extend from the extreme north
| western to the southwestern borders,
/ affording employment at high wages
| to many thousands of sturdy workers.
! Many wOrkmen in the coal mines of
this state net upward of 81 a day from
eight hours of labor Thus no indus
trious immigrant who settles in this
state will have occasion to regret his
choice so far as material prosperity
is concerned while from a social point
| Of view no warmer hearted and more
hospitable people can be found on
earth than the native Missourians.
National Bureau to Be Established.
The federal authorities are said to
be SO much impressed with the Mis-
souri, idea of the state going directly
to the source of supply to obtain the
pick of the immigrants that they have
decided to establish u national immi-
, grafton bureau at Washington to direct
immigrants to favorable locations
| throughout the United States and To
| gather information along this line for
the benefit of states that may desire
to take advantage of the opportunity
| to augment their population. This
plan, if intelligently pursued, ought To
| go far to establish the much desired
equilibrium of labor between the east
and west which has been sought after
for years alike by public officers in the
J bureau of immigration and private
philanthropists. At least 1t cannot fail
to lessen the tremendous congestion of
aliens in the large cities of the east,
I which Is fast becoming a menace to
the welfare of the nation.-Kansas
City Journal