The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1910-07-23
HIGhTONER REPLIES 10 MeINNIS.
Where The Farmers Union Stands on
immigration Low Grade Foreign.
eFs Not Wanted.

Mississippi Farmers Educational
land Cooperative Union. has pre-.
pared and given out the following
reply to al open letter of Major
John p. Mclnnis, special agent Of
the Mobile and Ohio Railroad and
the Southern Railway ii Mississip.
lpis which speaks for itself
jackson, Miss. July is. 1910,
Mr.. John ID. McInnis, Merid.
ian. Miss: Dear Sir / have re.
ceived your open letter of July 2,
addressed to the president Of the
Farmers Union. | was very much
surprised to note your apparent
effort to misrepresent the position
of the Farmers Union and my
position on the question Of lmmi.
grafton.
q may not be as well informed
on ethnology as you try to make il
appear you are. but / am quite sure
that ] know the kind Of people the
citizens Of Mississippi do not want
in our State. and the kind of i'm
migration they regard as desirable.
AS far as the public in Missis-
sippi Is concerned. ! do not regard
your Communication as worthy OF
notice. but il order that you and
the representatives Of the great
railroad interests which you repre-
sent may know my position. ! re-
fer you to the following resolution
BY the national union:
Z Whereas, 1t is proposed to
distribute and divert foreign inn
migrants to the agricultural dis
tricts Of the South and West; and
" Whereas, a Federal bureau
has been established and State i'm
migration bureaus are proposed for
that purpose; and
" Whereas, we are unalterably
opposed to such and to the present
enormous alien influx, as detrimen-
tai to the best interests of the
farming communities and the wei
fare Of our whole country; there
fore be it
Resolved, That the Farmers
Educational and Cooperative Union
OF America, in national convention
assembled at Memphis, Tenn, this
/ 9Th day Of January, 1908, and rep
resenting 1000, 900 farmers. urge
upon Congress the immediate aboli-
tion Of the Federal Bureau Of Dis
trlbution and the speedy enactment
of laws substantially excluding the
present enormous alien influx by
means of an increased head tax, a
money requirement, the illiteracy
test and other measures; and that
we call upon our public, and es.
pecialiy our State officials. to pre-
vent the agricultural section from
becoming a dumping ground for
foreign immigrants.
what the Mississippi Union
says about immigration;
Whereas, the distribution Of
aliens from Northern cities and
their diversion from abroad to the
South is being agitated: and
81. Whereas, the United States
Immigration Commission is now
investigating the attitude of the
South toward these proposals, and
there is need Of the farmers Of
Mississippi making known their
wishes: therefore be it
Resolved. That the Farmers
Educational and Cooperative Union
of the State of Mississippi is ir-
revocably opposed to the present
/ tide Of undesirable immigration
now pouring into this country from
sections Of Europe, Asia and Afri-
ca. which until recently sent us no
immigrants; and that we urge all
our officials and Legislators, State
and national. to use their influence
in every possible way to make clear
our position and to secure reports
and legislation that will exclude
the present alien influx. which is
detrimental to our best interests
and to the welfare Of our country
and be it further
" Resolved, That copy Of these
resolutions be sent our congressman
and senators and to the In1migra-
tion Commission at Washington.
ss' Resolved. That the State
presidents and lecturers emphasize
this one question, and that copies
of this resolution be furnished the
press.
" Adopted at a Mississippi Farm.
ers' Union meeting July 5. 1908.
| Proceeding further, President
Hight0Wer observes
| In order that you may also be
Uniformed about the people Of Mis-.
sissippi On this vital question,
refer you I'd the following resoIu.
tions passed at the Statewide Immi.
lgration Conventin, held ii the city
lof jackson % June q and 2S. 1910,
and call your attention to the fact
that ! had a humble part III the In.
sertion Of the clauses la the resolu'
tion. which declare for restricted
immigration, and which asked Con.
Sr,srecs - EF1srsl> 4t,- KI7s<{<,ssoI D44ss,sss