Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-11-26

section OF thnt act declares IL Il
be unlawful ito assist or encourage
the importation of migration OF any
alien by promise of employment
and forbids anyone, either by writ
Ing, printing. or oral representations
to solicit. invite, or encourage the I'm
migration of aliens into the United
states" under penalty of $1,000 In
each case, or from three months to
two years imprisonment.
Under this law the commissioner
of immigration has ordered all of the
immigrants whom Costello brought
over to America to be sent back to
their former homes in England, ex-
cept two or three of the number who
viii be retained as witnesses In a suit
10 be brought against the Textile club
and Costello. The governor of North
Carolina is equally guilty. but will not
be made a defendant. The people of
Charlotte will be required to pay all
the expense of sending the immi-
grants back to their homes, but this
viii probably be all the punishment
that Will he imposed upon them, be-
| cause 1t is conceded at the depart
ment OF justice that the members OF
the Textile club, the governor of
North Carolina and all others con.
ccrncd. except Costello, were acting
with the most innocent intentions,
without realizing that they were en-
gagged In criminal proceeding.
Mr.. Tompkins of the Charlotte OBJ
server. who is one of the worst sin
ners in the case, has been in confer
cnce with the attorney general and
the commissioner of immigration and
is willing to do anything possible to
set the matter right. II Is to be re-
gretted that the immigrants cannot
remain in this country. because they
are an excellent class of people and
their return to England will discour-
age others from coming; but the law
requires that they go back
Several days ago party OF 500 i'm
migrants from Belgium arrived at
Charleston, s. c.. and were received
with great cordality by the people OF
that state. They are said to be as
wholesome and valuable party of
men, women and children as ever
came to this country, and their COM
ing has excited great interest. be-
cause II Is very important event
and the first step in Il movement that
means everything TO the country. If
they should find conditions agreeable,
1t Is almost certain that thousands OF
their relatives, friends and neighbors
will follow them and furnish exactly
the kind of labor which is most
needed In the mills and other manu-
featuring establishments and on the
truck farms and the plantations OF
the South. These Belgians. who were
very carefully selected. seem to carry
the key to the problem with which
the South has been struggling so long.
But every one OF them has been
brought over In violation of law, and
the commissioner OF immigration has
submitted the facts to the Attorney
General for his opinion and advice
as 10 the duty OF the officials OF that
bureau. Commissioner Sargent and
Commissioner Neill of the labor bu-
reau. went down to Charleston by di-
rection of the president to welcome
the newcomers and to emphasize by
their presence the Importance of the
event. which the eloquent orators of
the South declare to be the dawn Of
a new era" II should be said, how
ever. that neither the president or
Messrs. Sargent and NELL were aware
at the time that the laws had been
violated. That awful disclosure has
been made since and therefore nei-
| ther OF them will be made defend
ant in the criminal proceedings. al.
| though they were clearly accessory
| after the fact.
These 500 immigrants from Bel
GUM were induced to come to the
| United States by Il. j. Watson. com
| missioner of immigration and agricul-
ture for the state OF South Carolina,
authority OF the legislature by the
| governor of that state. He went to
| Europe, conferred with the officers
of the steamship companies at Bre-
men, Hamburg, Antwerp and else
where, appointed local agents and
canvassers, advertised In the news
papers, filed statements with the gov
ernment of Belgium and the officials
Of the various municipalities Of that
country. showing the wages paid for
labor, the cost Of living. the oppor
tunities for employment the means
OF getting land, and the advantages
and opportunities offered for home
seekers In the state of South Caro-
lima. He worked up such interest
that the North German Lloyd com
pany agreed to send a special steamer
to Charleston with the party and tc
establish regular line OF monthly
steamers to follow II the flood of i'm
migration could be diverted that way
The neighboring states are verJ
much excited about 1t. Georgia ant
Tennessee have already arranged t
take advantage OF the opportunity
and will work up an immigration
movement for themselves. and within
| a few weeks nrObabIy every atate N