Page images
PDF
EPUB

secured for the Philadelphia station, at Gloucester City, N. J., was occupied by the force of employees in the fiscal year 1911, and an additional building erected there during the past year is now occupied as a detention station. The construction of a large pier on which a building for inspection purposes is to be erected has been started. The exchange of the site originally selected at Locust Point, Baltimore, for the building of an immigration station is under consideration, and it is hoped that a site in all respects suitable for the desired purpose may be obtained. At Charleston, S. C., the immigration building is approaching completion. The occupancy of the Galveston station has been delayed by the fact that no appropriation for furnishings was made by Congress until August 24, 1912. On that date, however, an appropriation of $15,000 was allowed for furnishing and equipping the said station and placing it in effective operation, and the necessary furnishings are being installed as rapidly as possible. At New Orleans, where condemnation proceedings were resorted to for procuring additional land immediately adjacent to the site originally acquired, the construction of the new immigration station is progressing rapidly, and the building will be occupied during the next fiscal year.

DIVISION OF INFORMATION.

During the fiscal year 1912 a series of seven bulletins was published by the Division of Information. Bulletin No. 1 deals with the resources, products, and physical characteristics of the North Atlantic. States, while the South Atlantic States are similarly dealt with by No. 2, the North Central States (eastern group) by No. 3, the North Central States (western group) by No. 4, the South Central States by No. 5, the Western States (northern group) by No. 6, and the Western States (southern group) by No. 7. These bulletins set forth in compact form reliable data concerning principal crops, prices of land, special inducements to settlers, and especially agricultural opportunities in the various States, and point out the way to more complete information. A gratifying feature of these publications is the great demand for them by American citizens in congested population centers. The intention is to publish them in various foreign languages, so that they may be profitably distributed among the alien residents of this country who have heretofore known but little of the agricultural opportunities in the United States. Through the use of bulletins, the Division hopes to stimulate a desire on the part of such of these aliens as have funds in bank to invest their money in land in this country instead of returning to Europe with their savings. It is noted, however, that many applications for these bulletins have been received from American citizens residing in Canada who now desire to learn where lands in the United States may be secured.

The Division reports that 26,213 applicants for information as to opportunities for securing employment received such information from this branch of the service during the year, and it is estimated that the information obtained by these applicants was in turn imparted to many times that number. Of those who applied for information, 5,807 were directed to specific employment. Of the number actually so directed, failure of arrival was reported in but 7 cases. In only 3 of these cases was transportation advanced, and in 1 the unused portion of the ticket was redeemed and the money refunded.

The inspector in charge of the New York branch reports to the Division that wages have materially increased, having advanced in the case of common laborers from an average of $1.65 per day last year to about $1.80 per day at the present time. State road contractors are said to be offering $2 per day of eight hours at present as against $1.60 to $1.75 per day last year, while farmers are paying from $20 to $28 per month, with board and lodging, and operators in timber are paying choppers $35 to $40 per month, with board and lodging.

The Division invited certain officials from each State and Territory to meet in conference at Washington on November 16 and 17, 1911, for the purpose of securing cooperation between the various States and the Division of Information in making known the advantages and opportunities existing in the States. The response to the call for the conference was gratifying, there being representatives in attendance from 25 States and 1 Territory. Correspondence with officials of the States not represented indicated their approval of the steps taken. The conference expressed its belief that a large appropriation should be made by Congress to enable the Division of Information to induce residents of congested population centers to leave and engage in agricultural and other pursuits. It also favored the creation of State bureaus of information to cooperate with the Federal Government in this work. Those who attended the conference and many others who could not be present have since been active in cooperating with the Division, and definite steps have also been taken to secure from the granges of the several States effective cooperation in the directing of farm laborers.

The Division is not engaged in any "back-to-the-land" crusade. It is realized that many of those who seek its aid would prove failures if by any means they were induced to go on the land. The Division is convinced, however, that thousands of men brought up on farms have failed of success in our cities and now desire to take up land. Without proper information vouched for by a branch of the Government, they have continued to live in urban communities in ignorance of what this country contains and promises. To permit them longer to

grope in the dark is an injustice to them, to the working men and women of the cities with whose labor they come in direct competition, and to the country at large, the increasing cost of living in which may be largely attributed to the scarcity of food producers on the acres of tillable land and to the surplus of consumers in urban coinmunities. With aliens, able and willing to till the soil, remaining in the cities after landing, and with the native children of the farms flocking to the cities, it is inevitable that prices of foodstuffs must rise. The great drawback to venturing on the land by men of small means has been the size of American farms as compared with those of Europe. European farmers are accustomed to tilling small holdings, and lack the funds to pay for large farms. The Division proposes, therefore, to ascertain where small farms or holdings may be had and what they will produce, and to then place all needed data concerning them before those who seek information on the subject.

It is recommended that an appropriation be made sufficient to establish branches of the Division in Chicago, New Orleans, and San Francisco, for the purpose of securing accurate information concerning actual agricultural and industrial conditions in the various sections of the country.

DIVISION OF NATURALIZATION.

Petitions for naturalization filed and certificates of naturalization issued during the past year far exceeded in numbers those of any prior year since the Federal Government undertook the administration of the naturalization law. Of petitions, 95,627 were received, as compared with 42,178 in 1909, 55,038 in 1910, and 73,644 in 1911, while of certificates 69,965 were granted, as compared with 37,337 in 1909, 39,206 in 1910, and 56,257 in 1911.

The number of declarations filed was 169,142, as compared with 186,157 during the preceding year, showing a slight decrease, but the total number of naturalization papers of all three kinds increased from 316,058 in 1911 to 334,734 in 1912. The latter figures represent also an increase of 50.29 per cent since 1909, when the total was 222,727. The number of declarations of intention is of particular interest, as it indicates the number of petitions for naturalization which will ultimately be filed.

There are now 2,527 State and Federal courts exercising naturalization jurisdiction. These courts during the past year refused to grant citizenship to 9,635 petitioners, the causes of such refusals being various, including immoral character, invalidity of declarations of intention and petitions for naturalization, incompetency of witnesses, and lack of prosecution.

The naturalization fees received and covered into the Treasury during the past year amounted to $338,315.33, while the entire cost of the administration of the naturalization law was only $257,678.99. Thus the Government derived from this source a net balance of $80,636.34.

Notwithstanding the slight increase in the personnel of the Division of Naturalization, overtime work has been required from its employees throughout the entire fiscal year. Realizing, therefore, the absolute necessity for a still larger force in the Division, the Department has submitted to Congress estimates for substantial increases in the administrative office in Washington and for a larger appropriation for the field examining force.

Recommendations previously made for a review by appeal or writ of error of the decisions of the courts of original jurisdiction in naturalization matters, and for the right to amend naturalization papers which have been improperly executed by clerks of courts, are renewed.

BUREAU OF CORPORATIONS.

REPORTS PUBLISHED.

The work of the Bureau of Corporations during the past fiscal year was almost wholly concerned with investigations already under way. The only new investigation undertaken was one on cotton tare, which required but a comparatively small amount of time.

On July 1, 1911, the Bureau published a summary of Part I of its Report on the Steel Industry, this part dealing with the organization, investment, profits, and position of the United States Steel Corporation. The full text of this part was issued in the following October.

On January 22, 1912, Part II (this being a preliminary report) of this report was issued. This part deals with the costs of production of certain selected products.

These reports received unusual attention, partly, no doubt, on account of the widespread interest in the affairs of the United States Steel Corporation. Part I was extensively used by the special committee of the House of Representatives which commenced an investigation of the affairs of that corporation in the spring of 1911.

On July 31, 1911, the Bureau published Part III of its Report on Taxation of Corporations, this part covering the Eastern Central States. This met with the same favorable reception that had been accorded previous parts of the report.

On September 25, 1911, Part II of the Report on the Tobacco Industry, dealing with capitalization, investment, and earnings, was issued. At that time plans for carrying out the dissolution of the Tobacco Combination in accordance with the decree of the Circuit Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York were being put into actual operation, and this attracted special attention to the report.

On March 14, 1912, the Bureau published its Report on WaterPower Development in the United States. The keen public interest in the control of this important natural resource is indicated by the fact that the edition was exhausted in a very few weeks after its publication. Owing to the present restriction in the law limiting the issuance of its reports to 2,500 copies a year, the Bureau has been unable to fill several hundred requests for copies. Supplemental issues of this and several other reports have been ordered under the current year's appropriation.

« PreviousContinue »