The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-08-19
THE IMMIGRATION LAW.
General M. L. Bonham Discusses the
Law in the Anderson Daily
Mai.
Anderson Da;ly Mail.

Mr.. Editor: NJ Car>Wcll Institute
.,n til" IoIh instant inul!d iii cnnvrr-
>a,;"n with different persons that par
r">viy or unwii,ingly the publ'" has
been given :. wholly incor'cc UNDER
standing 81 the scope AMI purpose,
ui the Act "i I'll" legislature. passed
at its last session. creating the de-
partmcnt ni agriculture. commerce
and immigration
The idea has gained currency that
the purpose OF the Act is to food the
state with foreign pauper labor. As
one candidate said. the riff-raff OF
Russia" as another said. the scum
OF Europe" That this cheap labor
will uSurp the place of the farm lab
Orer and will drive the mill hands
out OF employment. Whether con-
sciously or unconsciously. those who
are teaching such views are deceiving
and misleading the people as to the
purpose OF that legislation.
The law is found on page 44o of the
Acts of 1904. The following extract
from Section 6 OF that Act shows
without any doubt what it was ell
acted to accomplish. and completely
reiutes the misleading statements
that have been made and are being
made:
TO promote agriculture, manutac-
turing and other industries. cattle
raising and all matters leading to the
industrial development OF the state
with the collection and publication
OF information N regard to locali-
ties. character. accessibility. cost and
mode O. utilization OF soils. and more
specifically to the induccm@nt OF
capital and desirable immigration by
the discrimination Of information
rclative 70 the advantages OF soil
and climate.
There is clear statement OF the
bjvcts TO be attained and the meth
DDS by which they are to be accom-
pliShed viz: to induce capital and
desirable immigration. not ''ritf-raff
and scum" by displaying to the
world the incompatible advantages
and resources OF our state. OF which
the world i at present uninformed
because OF lack OF judicious and ex-
tensive exploitation by us OF these re-
sources.
Now as to the character and class
OF immigrants to be brought iii Sec
ton II OF the Act is specific. 1t is
as follows: That immigrants shall
be confined to white citizens OF the
United States. citizens OF Ireland,
Scotland. England, Switzerland.
France and other foreigners OF Saxon
origin" That is. OF the same origin
as those from whom we are descend
ed, and who came to America as en-
igrants. The Italian. Spaniards.
Slav. Japanese and Cinnamon are
excluded BY the terms OF the act.
Homc-loving. home-making, God
fearing. moral. intelligent people.
Will, means to buy our surplus lands
and build houses and schools and
churches and become good citizens,
these and these alone are sought 10
be induced to come here. and no
provision is made by the Act to pay
them bonus to come, as has
been widely circulated.
Mr.. Editor, those who are giving
the people the wrong con structlon OF
this law are sowing the wind to reap
the whirlwind." | have an abiding
faith and belief in the good common
sense of our people. AS Mr.. Lincoln
said. "you may fool some of the peo-
pie some of the time, you may tool
some Of the people all the time, but
YOU can't fool all Of the people all
of the time.'' They will look into
this matter for themselves. and tlnd-
that they have been rlisinformed they
will resent it. saying, Either these
persons designedly misled us for their