The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1906-12-26
WATSON RIGHT.
Violated No Law in Bringing Im=
migrants on Wittekind.
OPINION RENDERED.

By Solicitor for the Department OF the
Interior That Commissioner Wat.
son Had Right to Help
Immigrants Come to
This State.
An important decision has been
rendered by Secretary Straus, Of the
Department OF Commerce and Lsbcl,
as to the right Of s Ssste to induce
immigration to that State, The de-
cisisn holds in brief that in she cir
cumstances there ig no violation OF
the immigration laws OF OF the Law to
prohibit The inportations Of alien
contract laborers in the action Of the
State OF Soute Carolina, in this par.
ticulsr case in encouraging immigra-
sion to that State or In paying the
necessary expenses Of the immigrants
in coming to the Stase.
The case on which the decision is
based originated in South Carolina
For some time past the agricultural
and manufacturing industries OF
South Carolina ha7s besn retarded
and were in danger Of material injury
% account Of the lack Of labor. In
order 10 relieve this condition Of az
fsirs the Legislature of Ssubh Csro-
lima passed an act creating 3 Staue
Department Of Agriculture, Com
nerce and immigration.
E. J. Watson wss appointed coE-
missioner of the department. He
was empowered by tho act to make
such arrangements with steamship
companies and the immigration sgen-
cies In this country and abrOsd as
would serve bsst the interests Of sue
csssful immigration, the necessary sx.
penditure being made from an sppro-
priation pro iGed Tor the purpose.
The act authorizsd sne commissioner
to accept cohtri buttons from such citi.
zens of the State as might wish to ss-
siss in bringing such cit'zsns Of the
Stste IS might wish TO Assist in bring
Ing desirable Immigrants to South
| Carolina.
On November 4. 1905, the steam.
ship Wittek;nd srrived from Bremen
at tbs port OF Charleaton, s c., hsV-
ing on board about 475 aliens destEn
ed to Ysrious points in the State o.
South Carolina. About 800 cf these
aliens were induce 70 migrste TO the
United States By ths State OF South
Carolina, the State acting through
the medium Of it's Commission OF sg
,iculture, Commerce and Inmigra
tton. who wens TO Europe sons time
IN August for the purpose OF inducing
desirable immigrants to CONT TO the
State, the passage money CT the aliens
was psid By the State ffom fund,
part of which was appointed by the
State. and the balsnce being contrib
uted by various corporations and in
dividuals. This fund was expended
solely st the discretion Of the State
and IN so doing exercised his own
judgment as to the person to whom
and the locations to which the several
aliens should be sent. The aliens
we're free to sccspt or refuse any Of
fers Of employment made to them.
The facts in this Gaze 1ers broug 1t
TO the attention Of the Secretary OF
Commerce and Labor b. the immi-
grafton officers at the PORTO Char
lesion, S. c., and he in return refer.
q the matter to the solioiaor Of the
department. for his opinion 50 to
whether OF not the action of the com
missioner Of immigration Of South
Carolina in bringing thege aliens to
the United States q violation Of the
slien 90 tract labor lswS The immi.
grafton serVios wss duly notified Of
the expected arrival Of the inmi
grants in question and the right OF
such alien: to land was left to tbs de
termination Of the cfacsrs admins
tering the Fsderal immigration laws.
The question Of the right of7L.Ssste
under the national immigration was
raised By the Officials CT another
| Southern State. Is vss referred to
she Department OF Cc:nlnerce snd LIS
Dor. Realizing it's Importance Secre-
sary Mctcalt referred the legal quee-
sion involved to Solicitor Earle, Of
the department.. for an opinion. Mr..
Esrle considered very carefully the
facts OF the csSe IN connection With
she statutes bsaring upon it and ar.
rived finally st the conclusion that
there bac been no violation Of the na.
tionsl law by the authorities Of South
Carolina. The opinion OF Soltcisc.
Earle goes fully into discussion OF
she lswre pecting immigration. BE
finds thst $50 far as the prohibition
against assisting the importation or
miglssion OF foreign laboTers by
promise Of employment through ad'
! vertisements abroad is concerned.
S6SESS SlQ 4GlIlVOIles GIG oApA0aSAs
excepted from the operation OF the
, law"
he says, further: ''By the terms
OF tine provision, States snd Ter-isor.
tes may offer inducements OF make
promises to forsign laborers by sd
7ertisement printed and published in
2 foreign countries and they srs not
, forbidden to assist in the migratior
Of the foreign laborers to whon such
/. cfers were sdC1esssd."
] While the opinion Of Solicitor Earle
! Is general in It's application, be makes
:, it clea- tnst 1t relates to the fscts In
0 this particular case and inticases
< that different question might arise Il