The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-11-29
MR.. PATTEN ON IMMIGRATION.
He Favors Restriction Not
See Why the South Sohuld be
so Eager for Immigrants.

Columbia, Nov. Z5.- among lne
senators who have already, and with
out solicitation, raised their voices
in congress to protest against lmml-
grafton abuses, and who have work
ed hard In a1d out on committee.
preparing bills, and have labored
hard for their consideration before
that body, and who have been sue
cessful in their struggle on the floor
Of the senate to perfect and pass
the bill which became a law last
February, is your junior senator. \.
C. Latimer," said Mr.. J. n. Patten,
} Secretary Of the Immigration Re-
striction League to correspondent.
"One Of the most practical and
common sense devices in the bill for
keeping out Objectionable aliens and
fo:. compelling foreign steamship
companies to respect our law, and
which will prevent those selfish in
terests from using this country as a
dumping ground, is the extension Of
the fines which was suggested and
Introduced by Senator Latimer.
"In the debate, Senator Latimer
showed that foreign governments
would not permit our officials to in
spect and reject undesirable immi-
grants on their soil, and he argued
that as the United States could not
turn back those who would be e1-
.cmded on the other side, that the
only way to make the steamship COM
panies respect our laws and put an
end to- the hardships Of deportation,
/ was to fine the steamship compan-
les for bringing any alien here who
was excluded, provided the ground
for MS exclusion could have been de-
tected at the time of foreign en-
barkation by a medical or other
competent examination. Such pro-
vision, the senator argued, would
make it to the pecuaiary interest Of
the company to refuse to sell pas
sage to deficients and dependents
who would clearly be excluded when
they reached this country.
Although tne senator's amend
ment was not adopted in full, the
pew law Incorporates a part Of it, and
forbids the steamship companies to
accept any indemnity of deposit to
cover fines or expenses Of deporta-
ton, and imposes upon the compa-
MES a fine Of one hundred dollars
for bringing to this country. any
idiot, imbecile, insane person. or
any person having a loathsome, dam
erous, Of contagious disease, provid-
ed the condition Of the immigrant
could have been detected at the time
Of foreign embarkation.
cit is very difficult to understand,
as Senator Latimer pointed out on
the floor of the senate, why this
- principle of a fine should not be ex-
tended to all the excluded classes of
immigrants brought here contrary to
other provisions Of the bill. Such a
provision as he argued would make
the foreign steamship companies
live up to our laws and save many
an alien forlorn and disappointing
voyage across the ocean. Last year,
for instance, about 10000 poor un-
fortunates were unveigled by the
steamship companies, merely for the
sake Of the passage money, into
making the trip, Only to be denied
(entranee and deported.
"Among the other senate bill pro-
visions which your junior senator
was instrumental in securing, was
the illiteracy, Or, as it is called by
its enemies, the educational test,
which would exclude merely alien
adults unable to read or write in
any language. Unfortunately, the
house had bill of its own, which
also contained the. illiteraey test,
and which, when the senate bill came
Jap, was substituted and the whole
/ matter thrown into conference. In
| the rush Of business in the closing
days of the session, and owing to
the hard fight which was put up by
other selfish interests, bill was
agreed n?on by the conference which
doubled the head tax, increased the
excluded classes. extended the fine
upon steamship companies, limited
the air space. and established com
mission for the purpose Of i1vesti-
o+;nn the onIstion and reporting