The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-08-24
SENATOR LATlMER
ON IMMIGRATION
Gives his Views on a Subject
Now Much Discussed.
MATTER Is misunderstood
ssDiscussion of Public Questions 1
Privilege TO he Exercised and
Duty Not to be Shirked.''

~ -.
Bolton yesterday and spent the day IL
the city with his friends. "A grea
many people were in from the country
in attendance upon the Farmers Move
ment and on business, and, as Is always
the case when Senator Latlmer is III
Anderson, he was the center of crowds
during the day. He discussed nationa!
and State politics in his accustomed
manner, aud everything he said was
listened to with attention.
Senator Latimer is very hopeful OF
democratic success this fall. He is a
strong advocate of Judge Parker, and
thinks he is the very best man that
could have been nominated. He was
a Parker man long before the conven'
tion met.
The senator was seen during the day
by a representative of the Daily Mail
and was asked for an interview.
"Well, what do you want me to talk
about?" he replied.
"Suprose, ,".said the newspaper man,
"that you give your views on the I'M
immigration movement. This ques-
ton seems to be discussed great deal
just now"
SWELL" replied the senator, delib-
erately, "you know | have never been
backward about expressing my views.
That is a privilege Twill always eXer-
else, and it is at the same time a duty
that I will never shirk. But do not
want to interfere in a campaign III
which I am not interested, and do
not want what am going to say to be
construed as being for or against any
candidates or set of candidates. 1t
would not be right for me to interfere
in any other race, and besides, that Is
a lob that I would not relish If tue
way was open for me.
"But, as you say, / am public otfi-
Ger, and a public servant, and it is my
duty as such to give information Oh
public questions wherever 1t is IN my
bower TO do so. and / will willingly
comply with your request"
Senator Latimer then dictated the
following interview. for the Daily Mail
to a stenographer, and it is printed
Just as it fell from his lips:
"The subject of immigration is one
that is attracting the attention of all OF
our people at this time, and is subject
that I feel sure is not thoroughly un-
derstood by the people. A man who
would make the argument that the
'riff-raff' and scum Of Europe are to
be dumped in upon our people in An
derson county, or South Carolina, or
any part of the United States, shows
his utter ignorance of the national law
upon this subject. Congress and the
legislature OF South Carolina have
passed acts prohibiting the Chinese
from coming to America, and also all
foreigners who are not Angfo-Saxons,
or who are not able to pay their eXpen-
ses in coming to this conntry, and who
have not sufficient means to prevent
their becominga tax upon the people.
All foreigners who come here must
have knowledge of our language or
of our institutions, and our form OF
government. and be able to demon
strate to the American immigration
commissioner the fact that they are II,
to make American citizens. The law
is very strict in its provision against
aiding foreigners in coming to Ameri-
lea; in other words, there is heavy
penalty against corporations or indid
uals furnishing money to pay the trans
portation and expenses of those VIII"
desire to come into this country. Sc
this national law prevents the ritf-rafl
of Europe from entering upon Amer
can soil. speak with some authority
for I am a member of the committee
on immigration in the senate.
"In my judgment, the only hope
under the threatening situation, to
preserve our representation in congress
and in the Electoral College, is To in
crease the white population of thu
South. Although Mr.. Crumpacker
has been trying for four years to have
his bill for the reduction of our repre-
sentation in congress considered, the
leaders of the republican party have
strenuously opposed its consideration
The presidents attitude on this subject
forcing the plank in the national re-
publican platform over the opposition
of most of the republican leaders de-
montsrates to my mind, that If the re-
publicans are elected in the present
contest our representation in congress
will be reduced in proportion to the
disfranchised vote of the South. In 6
word, we have in South Carolina l40
600 negroes of voting age, or between
100000 and 100000 negro population
upon which we now have representa-
tiou in congress and the Electoral Col
lege. If our representation be baseC
upon the actual voting strength Of oul
people. rs is proposed in the Crum
packer or Roosevelt plan, out of the
seven members of congress that we
now have we will lose at least three re
representatives. from this State, and The
representatives in the Electoral Col
lege Will be reduced in the same pro
portion, thus destroying our voice an(
vote in the house of representative
Electoral College to one-half of wha
il now is. If this reduction is accom-
plished there are but two ways, in my
Judgment, to restore our influence il
congress and the national election
One is to restore the ballot to the ne
eroes of the South. This we as peo
ple, can never consent to. The othe
is to import or encourage white i'm
migrants to come into our midst. Thi
policy I am heartily in favor of for tn
following reasons:
First, we can replace our thrftles
negro population that can never be as
simulated by white races, nor who vii
never make American citizens, in tn
true acceptation Of this term, and VIII
are gradually every year growing worS
and harder TO manage, with whit
population of thrifty people, who vii
aid US in building up our land, diver
sifying our crops, and who will nc
come in competition with us in tn
products of the farm, as they wi
LARGELY be interested in the raising {
o.ttIo opI otbpr crOpS besidps cotton