The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-12-12
ASSISTED IMMIGRATION.


 In spite of our many acts to check immigration bill is pending in Congress limited, Only the obviously unfit are barn l-paupers, criminal and dis easel persons, and those likely to be- come charge upon the county. An immgrs ton bill is pending inCongress which imposes a few more restrictions, but lt Is conservative measure.
 Congress has not been willing to pla2e many difficulties in the way of voluntary immigration. but il frowns on promoted immigration. If people want to come here of their own accord and at their own cost we gre not quite willing to stop them yet but they must not be persuaded or induc- ed to come. We do not want to coax people to immigrate to thls country. We reeieve more than We want with out urging any to come.
 It is against the law to bring any one to this country under contract to labor, and that is interpreted to mean almost any kind of pre-engagement of the immigrant The action of steam ship companies that offer Inducements to secure large list of immigrants for hteirfor their steerage is not ap- proved in this country.
 The act of March 8, 1S03 covers both these points It makes 1t unlaw- full Ito assist or encourage the im- portation or migration of any alien by promise of employment" and forbids any one, either by writing, printing or oral representations, to solicit. invite or encourage the immi- grafton or aliens into the United States" under a penalty of $l,000 fine in each case or from three months to two years Imprisonment.
 The stream of voluntary immigra ton has not greatly enriched the South, especially the South Atlantic States. and both North and South Carolina have made organized efforts to secure immigrants. Tn South Caro- lima 800 assisted immigrants from Belgium recently arrived at Charles ton. They were induced to come by E. J. Watson, South Carolina's Gommis- sioner of Immigration who paid the passage of some of them with money which he raised by private subscrip- ton.
 The Textile Club of Manufactur- CTS, at Charlotte, N. C.. raised money to induce immigration to that city, where mill workers were wanted. The clubs agent offered to pay the pas sage money and s25 in cash to every immigran who would come here, and he secured quite number on those terms. Commissioner of immigration Sargent has directed the attention of the Attorney General of the United States to this violation of the imni- grafton law in North Carolina, The South Carolina assisted immigration is more recent, and Commissioner Sargent has not yet acted on that, but both cases are clearly a violation of the act og 19O3
 It seems a pity that Southern locali- ties needing a special kind of labor cannot secure it in this, the most di- rect way, without violating the laws of the United States, made in the in- | terest of labor and in response to it's demands. Immigrants arrive in North ern ports in excessive numbers. These people, after they are once here, are free to accept any offers which town or locality wishing to secure them may choose to make. But spinners and weavers or other expert lahorers are not to be picked up oft-hand from among the Huns, Italians and Rus sians that every steamship brings to | us
 The difficulty can be remedied only by amendatory legislation. At presentit from abroad by bounties, promises or in state can induce immigration from abroad by bouties, promises or contracts without violating the laws of the United States.-From the Phil adelphia Press.