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

senators who have already, and with
$out solicitation, raised their voices
Sln congress to protest against immi-
ggration abuses, and who have work
SSed hard III and out on committee,
preparing bills, and have labored
hard for their consideration before
that body, and who have been sue
acessful in their struggle on the floor
of the senate to perfect and pass
a(the bill which became law last
s#Felbruary, is your junior senator, a.
&C. Latimer,' said Mr.. j. N. Patten,
Secretary Of the Immigration Re-
striction League to correspondent.
!. Gone 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
tercSts from using this country us q
dumping ground, is the extension Of
the fines which was suggested and
iatroduced 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 cX-
cfudcd 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 his exclusion could have been de-
tected at the time Of foreign en-
barl1ation by medical or other
competent examination. Such a pro-
vision, the senator argued, would
make it to the pecuniary interest of
the company to refuse to sell pas
sage to deficicnts and dependents
who would clearly be excluded when
they reached this country.
. Although the senator's amend
Enent Was not adopted in full, the
1ew law Incorporates a. part Of it, and
forbids the steamship companies to
accept any indemnity Of deposit to
cover fines or expenses Of dcporta-
ton, and imposes upon the compa-
MES 4 fine Of one hundred dollars
for bringing to this country any
idiot imbecile, insane person. or
any person having a loathsome, dan
erous, of contagious disease, provid-
ed the condition Of the immigrant
could have been detected at the time
of foreign embarlation.
"It is very difficult to understand,
as Senator Latimcr pointed out on
the floor of the senate, why this
principle of fine should not be ex-
tended to all the excluded classes Of
immigrants brought here contrary to
other provisions of the bill. Such Il
provision as he argued would make
the foreign steamship companies
live up to our laws and save many
an alien n forlorn and disappointing
voyage across the ocean. last year,
for instance, about 10000 poor I'M
fortunatcs were unveiglcd by the
steamship companies. merely for the
sake Of the passage money, into
making the trip, only TO be denied
'entrance and dcportcd.
"Among the other senate bin pro-
visions which your junior senator
was instrumental in securing, was
the illitcracy, or, as it is called by
It's enemies, the educational test,
whici, would exclude merely alien
adults unable to read or write in
any language. Unfortunately, the
house had II bill of its own, which
also contained the. iliteracy Test,
and which, when the senate bill came
bup, was substituted and the whole
matter tnrown 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 upon by The conference which
doubled the head tax, increased The
excluded classes, extended the fine
upon steamship companies, limited
the air space, and est Established a com
mission for the purpose Of investi-
gatin% the question and reporting
additional LEGISLATION. but dronncI