The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-11-26
SECRETARY PATTEN
TALKS IMMIGRATION
Official of Immigration Restriction
League in Columbia to Attend
Commissioners Meeting.

tion League, stopped off to attend
the meeting Of the commissioners this
week. The immigration Restriction
League is composed Of public spirit
ed men like Owen Wister, the novel
isl, Henry Holt, the publisher, James
Bronson Reynolds the PRESIDENT s in
spcclor and adviser. John Fiskc. the
historian, Joseph Ice the phian-
thropist and others. The object Of
the League is legislation that will Sift
out the undrSirablc>. 1t has had
much to do with securing existing
laws, especially these designed to cX-
cludc idiots. imbccilcs. criminals.
paupcrS. The insane and the like. Mr..
Pattcn rs secretary has had charge
Of The League 5 efforts and has "iv-
eli the subject much study and il
veStiGalon.
"rhc immigration problcm.' said
Mr.. pattrn. "iS one Of the most inn
portant, if not the most important,
question now confrontin" the north
east, and it is extremely gratifying"
to see the interest which The south
is taking in the matter. because YOU
people hold the key to the situation
and its solution. The northeast is
ovorruT with undesirable aliens as
result Of lravin" their selection
entirely to the prorit~making cnoicc
Of the hi" foreign steamship com
panics, and it is now proposed TO dis
tribute and divert these hordc> to The
southern states in answer to the de-
mand Of The north for relief.
Ono one objects to immigration
a> such. II is the admittedly deter
ioratrd and continually dctcriorat-
inc quality Of This new immigration
from sections of Europe and Asia so
different from ours IN every cSSrl-
,ial attribute and which are sending
us their very worst elements that
alarm all Thought ful students Of the
problem and is causing SO many dif-
ticnlt. charitable, political ana even
racial problems up north.
"Your maa Watson has the right
idoa it seems to me. State selection
the careful picking Of immigrants
by your own officials, or under their
supervision, is the only feasible plan
if You would escape the serious evils
from which certain northern COM
munitics are suffering SO FAITHFULLY,
and which threatens their very So
ciaI structure. Such foreign steam,
ship companies as the Cunard and
the international Marine are simply
uSin" the northeast as II dumping
ground for undesirable immigration
which of course is the most profita-
bio to them. Their sole object is pro-
fits. We have got to have more fed
eral Legislation in the way Of the
exclusion Of the prnnlrSS paupcr,
thr ignorant. fine unlmlrligrnt. the
illtrratr adults. and measures that
the calihrc. and thc economic. puliti-
cal. racial and social fitness for riii-
zcnShip in our cnli"htrnrd ,lrmorra-
ry. Last year over one million and
quarter immigrants landed in this
country. Three tourthS Of them set
tied in the large cities Of six north
eastern states. Over half the multi
tudc WAS absolutely pcnniless. Is it
any wonder that less ihaa onr-trntl
wont to thc 3G states and territories
Yves of the Mississippi river and south
OF the Potomac when they were fore
ed by their own circumstances to
settle down at whatever work and
whatever wage they could get in the
very port where they landed? OF tn,
number over 100000 adults could noI
read or write SinSlo line in any
language, let alone speak a word OF
English. 1t Is these ignorant ant
llltcratc army among others VIII,
ought by all means To be excluded
They are the most profitable traf
iir because they will put up with an,
kind of conditions and fare. Thci
coming prevents the coming Of tn,
more desirable. If thc steamship,
cannot bring the undesirable the,
Will illl their StrrrHwr with the dcSir
able. It Is The ignorant and illiirrar
who are destitute Of Resources. ri,h
er in ability or The knowledge O
1 ~