The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-08-24
Senator Laslner on Immigration.

tlon, dictated to stenogfapher the
following interview for publication in
the newspapers Of this city:
"The subject Of immigration is one
that is attracting the attention Of all
Of our people Of this time, and is 8
| subject that I feel sure is not thor.
ough!y understood by tbe people. a
| man who would make the argument
that the 'riG~raff' and SCUM Of
Europe are to be dumped in upon our
people in Anderson County, or South
Carolina, or any part Of the United
States, showsS his utter ignorance Of
the national law upon this subject.
Congress and the Legislature Of South
Carolins have passed Acts prohibiting
the Chinese from coming to America,
aud also ell foreigners who are not
Anglo-SaxoDs, or who are not able to
pay their expenses in coming to this
country, and who have not sufficient
means TO prevent their becoming 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 &c demoastrato TO the American
Immigration Commissioner the fact
that they are ct to make American
citizens. Tho lew is very strict in it's
provisions against aiding foreigners
in coming to America in other words
thaEe 10 q heavy penalty against cor
porations or individuals furnishing
money TO pay the transportation ead
expenses OF those who desire to come
into this country. So this national
law prevents the riff-raR Of Europe
from entering upon American soil. /
speak with some authority 3or I am q
member Of the Committee on Immi.
grafton in the Senate.
''In my judgment. the only hope,
under the threatening situation, to
preserve our representation in Con-
gress, and in the Electoral College,
ie to increase the white population
OF the South. Although Mr.. Crum-
packer has been trying for four years
to have his bill for the reduction Of
our representation in Congress consid-
cred. the leaders Of the Republican
party have strenuously opposed it's
considerations. The Presidents atti-
tude on this subject, forcing the plank
in the national Republican platform
over the opposition Of most of the Re-
publican leaders demonstrates to my
miad thst If the Republicans are
elected in the present contest our rep
resentation j in Congress will be re-
dnced in proportion to the disfran-
ohised vote Of the South. In o word,
We hsve in South Carolina 140, 900
negroes Of voting age, or between
zoo, 900 and 500, 900 negro population,
upon which we now have representa-.
tion in Congress and the Electoral
College. III our representation be
based upon che actual voting strength
of our people, as is proposed in she
Crumpacker or Roosevelt plan, out Of
the seven members Of Congress that
We nov have we will lose at least
three representatives from this State,
and the representation in the sElee-
toral College will bs reduced in the
same proportion, thus destroying our
voice aud vote In the nonBe OF Repre-
sentatives and Eleots.ai College 60
one.hsR Of what it now lie. If this
reduction is accomplished there are
but two ways. in my Judgment, &c &c 70.
store our influence in Congress and the
national election. One is to restore
the ballot to the negroes cee the South.
This we, as o people, can never con-
sent to. The other 10 TO import or
encourage white immigrants to come
into 8 our midst. This spolieysI@ aE
heartily, in favor Of for the following
.'.Esrst, va can replace our thrietless
negro population that can never be