The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-26


they secure the help and support OF the
people themselves.
Prominent Men at Work
The flrsc oay $ session of the congress
viii be known as immigration ana ram
road Gay. On tnat day tue perfected pan
adopted on the previous day VIII be pre-
sented to the assembled delegates. ms
plan is being worned out by q special
committee of which A. III. Ford, presl-
dent Birmingham Railway, Light and
Power company, is chairman, and COM
posed of the following members: George
Gordon Crawford, president Tennessee
Coal, iron and Railroad company; j.. w.
Mcqueen, vice president Sloss-Sheflield
steel and Iron company: E. M. Tutwlier,
general manager Alabama State Land
company; Josepn O. Thompson, chairman
farm movement committee, Chamber OF
Commerce; Hon. B. NJ. Allen, attorney at
law; Ii. X. Miner, Miner Land COM
pany; John l.. kaul, Kaul Lumber COM
pany; Clarendon Davis, president Hunts
VILE Bank and Trust company, Hunts
vile; R. f. Manly. real estate; Hon. ii.
A. Skeggs, mayor city OF Decatur,
Michael Cody, president Exchange Ma
tioral bank, Montgomery; James Il. Ellis,
PRESIDENT Dallas Comples company, Sel-
ma: Hon. J. l.. Clay, mayor city of Sell
ma; George Fearne, Jr., real estate, Mo-
NOV ement department., Business Mems
League, Montgomery; Hon. Jack Gram
ford, banker, Jasper; Or. E. B. Hardin,
president Commercial club, Florence; t.
w. Monnish, president Tuscaloosa Coal
and Iron company, Tuscaloosa; Capt. r.
L. Kyle, Gadsden; Col. w. H. Mct<leroy.
barker Admission; Hon. e. w. Thompson,
mayor city of Tuskegee; d. II. Marbury,
Marbury Land company, Marbury; w. >.
Harland, Lockhart.
Address by Burnett
One of the most important features
of the first days session of the entire
session of the congress in fact, will be
the address of. John l.. Burnett, chair
man of the committee on immigration
and naturalization, House of Representa-
tives. Mr.. Burnett will address the dele
gates on the subject, "Immigration-the
Kind Alabama Needs" There is no au-
thority in Alabama or the nation at THIS
time more able to discuss the question
OF immigration than is Congressman Bur-
lett.
His views on immigration and those OF
the land congress are in exact accord,
1t has been the policy of the Land con-
gress since its inception to secure selected
immigration, more preferably those
classes of farmers who are going in thou
Sc nds every year from the northwestern
United States into Canada, and buying
their own homes in that frozen section
of bleak winters and extreme heat in
summer. These men are already Ameri-
can citizens, already assimilaJed with
the American people. and they are hard
workers, intelligent and have means to
buy their lands. If labor is desired. II
is the principle of the land congress
that care be exercised in securing those
classes of foreign immigrants coming
to the shores of the United States, ana
not permit the pouring into Alabama of
countless hordes of immigrants, accepted
indiscriminately from the great, belching
nav of every foreign cline.
Burnett's immigration Bill
Congressman Burnett's ideas as to in1-
migration aim at the same end. For this
purpose he introduced bill into the last
Congress, restricting immigration for the
entire country requiring literacy test
Of every immigrant permitted to enter.
This bill passed both houses of Congress,
hut was vetoed by President Taft on
account OF the literacy clause Recent
from Washington contain the
information that Mr.. Burnett's bill viii
he reintroduced into the approaching ses-
sion of Congress, and that it is believed
President Wilson will sign the measure,
making 1t the law of the land. The inn
migration question is attracting wide at
tentfon at this time. 1t has gotten be-
yond the status of a state issue. 1t Is
now looked upon as one of the great
national issues before the people, and is
being supported by all progressive think
ers along politico-economic lines, regard
less OF politics. Congressman Gardner,
republican, of Massachusetts, one of Mr..
Rurnett's ablest supporters, is now run
ring for governor of Massachusetts, and
has made restricted immigration, in con-
fornity with the requirements of Mr..
Burrett's bill, one of the cardinal planks
in his platform. 1t is stated that Presi-
dent Wilson is strongly in favor of Mr..
Burnett's viewpoint as to immigration.
Representative Burnett hast made sew
eral years study of the question of inn
and his bill is the outgrowth
of all this time in analyzing the many
problems involved in it. He took trip
to Europe and at first. hand gathered a
great deal OF valuable data which has
been of vast help to him in forming a
mea sure that would give maximum re-
suits for good and do the least harm. Mr..
Burnett is confident his bill will be passed
and will begin his fight in the House
at his first opportunity His speech be-
fore the land CONGRESS- coming at this
time when the question is so prominently
before the public mind. will attract world
wide attention. and doubtless many from
outside Alabama will be present to hear
him.
Maintain Special Department
Tt is the intention and purpose OF the
land congress to maintain a special de-
partment 10 serve the wants of the state
in securing labor in the shape of foreign
Immigrants. There Is a demand all over
the state for more dependable labor than
the present shiftless class of negroes,
who in certain localities, will work only