The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1907-03-29
MAY GET ALIENS.
U. S. Attorney General Bonaparte
EIucidates His Opinion.
Money For Prepayment of Passage
May be Given Aliens by state but
Not by Individuals.

Not by Individuals.
The President has made public the
decision of Attorney General Bona
parte in answer to questions asked
by Gov. Ansel, as to the efforts to
promote immigration through Com
missioner Watson.
Replying to the first question:
whether it is a violation of the inn
migration law in force at this time,
before the act Of February 20, 1907,
takes effect, for a State to advertise
its inducements and publish abroad
a scale of wages prevailing in its
borders, provided no contracts or
agreements expressed or implied are
entered into--Mr. Bonaparte ans
wers in the negative. Neither would
the State violate any law nor would
the alien be subject to deportation.
The second question of Gov. Ansel's
was whether the State may prepay
the passage of immigrants secured
in the manner asked in the first
question, provided there is no con
tract and the immigrant is left free
to choose employment upon arrival.
Mr.. Bonapartc says that the passage
may be prepaid provided the aliens
90 not come within the catagories of
undesirable immigrants. He says
that the law prohibits any person
from preparing passage but the State
cannot be regarded as a person. The
Introduction Of immigrants under
these circumstances, provided every
thing else had been legally done,
would not be illegal.
The third question is an important
n as Gov. Anscl asks whether the
State, through its officers, can accept
contributions to its immigration
fund, provided the funds are con
tributed free from a contract or
agreement, the funds to be used in
defraying the expenses and passage
money OF immigrants. What would
be the status of immigrants applying
for admission under these circum-
stances. The Attorney General says
the question is a difficult one to an
sWer. He points out that if the con
tributiOn we're given with the know
ledge that they would be used to pay
for advertising and other purposes
the act would come within the inhibi-
ton of section six Of the present
law. The effect, however, would not
be the same as to the immigrants.
They could not be excluded but the
parties furnishing the money might
be in my opinion, liable to the penal
ties imposed by section s." 1t is
doubtful, however, if the govern
ment would undertake to bring pros
ccutions against contributors.
Mr.. Anscl then asks whether the
act Of February 20 will materially
change matters. The Attorney Gen
eral answers with emphasis that it
will. Under the new law he says
aliens solicited on induced to cmigratc
by reasons of offers or promises,
even when there is no contract of
employment, will be excluded. In
the next place, the new law excludes
immigrants whose passage money
shall have been paid by a corpora
ton, ASSOCIATION, society, municipal
ity or foreign government" He says
the language Of the new law does not
prohibit a State preparing passage
money, but if the payment is made
from funds contributed by persons
or associations, the immigrant would
be liable to exclusion. The prohibi-
ton, c%uriously enough does not APP
~ to prepayment by individuals rep
.rcscnting the State, providing their
action is in good faith, and it is not
attended by combination or concert
of action. Under the new law, there
fore, State may prepay the passage
of immigrants but the funds must
be wholly those Of the State unass-
from outside.
The Attorney General Significantly
calls attention to the fact that in
both the old and new immigration
avs the important of skilled labor is
not forbidden when the like can not
DC found unemployed. AS South Car
Dina cotton mills suffer much from
want of skilled labor, the point may
open the doors to considerable skilled
abor in that State.