The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-11-20
w. E. CURTIS WRITES HOT LET.
TER FOR WASHINGTON PAPER
Wild Stories Observation-Disclosures are
Made that Commissioner Watson
Violated Law-Federation
Of Labor Stir.
The State Bureau,
1417 G.. Street, N. w.,
WnSlinWt0n. Nov 1G-

immigration to the South. The depart
ment Of immigration here does not
seem inclined to do anything to check
the tide of immigration into Southern
States, >which Mr.. Watson has 50
stimulated by bringing in these pco-
pie on the Wittekind, but things have
been made so hot for them by the
agents Of the Federation Of Labor
that they have been in a stew about it.
Commissioner Sargent has been heart
and soul with Commissioner Watson
in his efforts to bring in desirable inn
migrants and has rendered every as
sistancc. Nor do the attorneys at
the department Of justice in whose
hands the matter now rests seem i'll
clined to hinder the movement, SEEM
ing to think that whatever any per-
sons i'll South Carolina have done to
induce immigrants has been done in
good faith and with no intention to
violate the law. Nevertheless it is be-
ing asserted here and in no uncertain
terms that the law has been violated
in South Carolina as il seems to have
been violated in North Carolina, in
which case every one Of The immi-
grants who came over in The Wittc-
kind will have to be deportcd back
to Bremen at the expense Of the State
Of South Carolina. A letter, one of
those sometimes interesting, always
unreliable letters by William +. Cur
tis, published in the Washington
Star, deals with the subject, and the
writer says that Mr.. Watson violated
the immigration law by loaning
money to immigrants for their pas
sage and by using money for advertis-
ing and for brin%i; The immigrants
which Was collected from mill owners,
planters and others dcsirous Of immi-
grafton. OF course they have this to
prove if they convict Mr.. Watson Of
violating the law. Mr.. Watson for
several years has been in close com
munication with tho immigration Of
ficials both in Washington and at the
Ellis Island station, all Of whom
know the law, as does Mr.. Watson,
probably about as we'll as the men,
bers Of the Federation of Labor At
least they ought to know it by now, it
would seem. When this man Costello,
the North Carolina immigrant agent,
was accused Of representing spinntrs
and others at Charlotte and Gastonia,
Mr.. Sargent and the other officials
here were much stirred up about il,
but when I asked the commissioner
general about the Wittckind, he re-
piled: "Well, Watson knows the
law.' Tie did not seem to think it
likely that there could have been any
violation. Nevertheless Mr.. Sargent
has referred the matter to The depart
mcnt Of justice and there are many
hcrcabonts who expect prosecutions
to be brought. Several newspapers
here and in New York are featuring
the thing, and, of course, as usual,
they are printing some wild stories
about it. Mr.. Curtis says among other
things, which magnify tho situation,
"It appears that Mr.. Watson, the
immigrant agent commissioner, loan
ed most Of them the money to pay
their passage with the understanding
that it would be repaid out of their
wages within a reasonable time It
also appears that, although he is an
official Of the State, appointed under
an act Of the legislature, his salary
and expenses and all Of the cost Of
the movement, the printing, the ad-
vertising, etc, have been paid from
a fund raised by private subscription
among manufacturers and planters
for whom the Immigrants arc now
working, instead Of from an appro-
priation by the legislature. This is
a gross violation Of section 4 Of the
immigration act, which says Nhat it
shall be unlawful for any person,
company, partnership, or corporation,
in any manner whatever, to prepay
the transportation or in any way to
assist or encourage the immigration
of any alien into the United States, in
pursuance Of any offer, solicitation,
promise or agreement etc. The pun
ishment for this offense in the depor-
tation Of the immigrants to their for
mer homes and fine not exceeding
$1,000 for each and every alien so i'm
ported, by Imprisonment for term Of
not less than three months nor more
than two years, or by both, such fine
onl i,nrrisonmnnt