The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-19
An Immigration Tangle.

Our Southern States need immigrant
settlers in large numbers, and only a
small percentage Of our new citizens
reach that part of the Union. Within
the last year or two various ~organiza-
tons and associations have e~ndeavored
20 divert a part of the immigrant tide
from New York to the South.
Several months ago the State of South
Carolina duly authorized "A special COM
missioner TO visit Europe and there adj
vertise the advantages and opportuni-
ties open TO home seekers in that State.
The first fruits Of this enterprise, some
500 in number, landed in Charleston n
few days ago, and are now scattered in
industrial centres and farming areas.
As immigrants go, they were regarded
as an unusually desirable lot, and hopes
we're raised that they would prove to be
only an advance guard of a considerable
army. Now a snag appears in the form
OF a technical violation of our immigra-
tionlaws. law is strictly observed,
these people must be sent home again,
and those who were responsible for their
coming be subjected to fine and inn
prisonment.
While the special commissioner was
duly appointed and fully accredited by
the South Carolina authorities, it APP
pears that the cost of the enterprise
was met by a fund raised by private
subscription. The Legislature and the
Governor recognized and approved the
movement, but the State did not pay the
bills. A section Of the immigration law
declares that 1T shall be unlawful for
any person, company, partnership or
corporation, in any n whatever, to
prepay the transportation or in any way
whatever to assist or encourage the i'm
migration OF any alien into the United
States, in pursuance of any offer, solicit
t~ation, promise or agreement" &C. 1t
further appears that the officially APP
pointed but privately paid commits
sioner did financially assist, in the form
Of small loans, a considerable number of
those who came " a result of his efforts.
No question whatever is raised on
corning the absolute good faith of the
entire transaction, but the law has been
violated.
These people are wanted where they
are and are welcome. To deport them
would be a great hardship TO all of them.
To punish those who innocently and in
good faith supplied the money for the
work seems a grievous injustice. The
community was benefited by their act and
in no way injured, directly or indirectly.
Yet there stands the law. The return of
these people would undoubtedly retard
UNNECESSARILY the development of the
South through immigration. II several
hundred innocent aliens were to be de-
ported for a reason which none Of them
could clearly understand, immigration
10 the South would receive a blow from
which it could not recover for a long
time. The news would travel that while
New York is open to even those Of ques-
tionable d~esirability, the settlement of
even the desirable in the South is at
tended by grave danger of deportation
from little understood causes.
Evidently there is a conflict between
the strict Interpretation OF a law unwit-
tingly violated and a larger policy which
may at times have precedence with ad-
vantage TO the community. The matter
is under advisement in Washington. and
the probability is that it will be dealt
with in an enlightened inner