The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-03-12
IMMIGRATION COMMISSIONER. .
=. 80. WATSON PUZZLED.
ATTORNEY GENERALS OPINION
NEEDS AN EXPLANATION,
The Commissioner of immigration Is
sues a Statement Dealing with
Attorney General Bonapar-
te's Opinion in Regard
to the South Oar
olina Immigrants.
News and Courier.


time to consult with the North Ger
man Lloyd Company in regard to the
immigrant line from Charleston and
Bremen, and he and Ex-Governor
Hayward will go to Washington as
soon as possible TO see The Federal
officials and ascertain just what is
the status Of affairs under the ruling
Of Attorney General Bonapartc. Mr..
Watson does not think that The dcris-
ION of the Attorney General will ser
iously cripple his work or the depart
mcnl in any way, but he deems it
advisable TO proceed carefully AMI to
know just what is the situation be-
fore he goes to Bremen.
Mr.. Watson has male thc following
statement in regard to the opinion Of
the Attorney Gencral
"'rhiS is moi the first time since
this state began this work that dis
couragin" knock-downS have been en-
dured. | have faced within The past
eight months Il dozen equally as dis
coura2ln" events. but each time We
have successfully met the situation
and found the way. have no desire
to DISCUSS the causes that have led to
the reversal Of the construction of the
Federal Immigration laws by the FcL.
cral authorities. Every one who has
followed the course of events can
Judge of those causes for themselves.
This latest development, however, is
somewhat puzzliny.
Have Not Violated the Law.
81 do wish to assert, with all the
emphasis that can be given. that the
authorities in this state have not vio,
lated any law as interpreted by the
only department of the United States
Government through which a citizen
OF this country can obtain a construc-
tion of law while beyond the confines
of his country. In order in these cir
cnmstanrcS to communicate with the
Federal Government one must go to
the American minister in the capital
OF the country in which he happens
to be, and the minister can only ask
Tor a construction OF law Through the
state department. II is naturally TO
be supposed that the state department
would consult with the other depart
ments. This was exactly what was
done in this case while I was in
Brussels. and the construction of the
Federal laws applying to advance of
-
wards given by the department Of
commerce and labor. held every
thing III abcymcc abroad until this
construction had been obtained. as
the records will show. did not per-
NIT single person to be booked by
our agents until this construction had
been received, and it was really with
III two weeks Of The sailing time Of
the initial ship before | could say to
those assisting me begin booking pas-
srnGcrS. We have strivcn to comply
to the mlnuteSt detail with the laws
as interpreted to us by those s,lppos-
ed to be the proper parties 10 inter-
prct them. It there has been any in
fracti"n Of the laws Of this country
II has been on the part of the state
department at WASHINGTON, or what
ever department furnished that de-
partmcnt the construction Of the law
to be, Forwarded. There has never
been moment that we have not in
vokcd advice, aid. instructn and con-
Structl0n OF laws from the authOritios
at Washington, and advised WASH
ington fully Of every srcp we were
taking, inviting at all times. even dur
ing the difficult process of assimila-
tion, the fullest scrutiny and invcsti-
cation. Had we been told that adj
vancing passage was n violation of
Federal law that construction would
have been obeyed, even had it meant
the abandonment of the project.
Work will be Retarded.
%f Gas things now stand we have start
! ed the tide this way, and it has never
\ been my intention to avail myself of
the prepaid passage idea longer than
to got this accomplished through the
y opening the Trans-Atlantic service
with one of our ports. The new con-
#atruction, Of course, makes this more
difficult for the work had not reach
.$8ed what I deemed the jself-sustaining
stage. Unquestionably we will be re-
8tarded and embarrassed somewhat
8a1ld some more eXactinp labor is di-