The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-02-18
MIR. AIKEN SPEAKS ~. >''.;
oN:IMNIIGRATION

MIR, AIKEN SPEAKS =, ''''.;
0N:IMNIIGRATION
Before National House of Re-
presentatives When Bill
Was Considered. -,
/ Washington, Feb. fO.-While, the; immi.
grafton bill was being considered In the
House. Representative: Aiken made a
speech which, though shortexplained very
clearly the attitude OF the people Of South
Carolina on the immigration question.
Aiken said: >. =,
Mr.. Speaker, while the section Of coun-
try that I have the honor to represent has
not as yet been affected by undesirable
immigrants, the future may hold greater
dangers unrestricted immigration, there
than in any other section Of the southland,
or perhaps Of the United States. -. -,
South. Carolina is the second: cotton
manufacturing state in the Union. The
tpeople .fwhop operate the mills are our
neighbors and friends, bone Of our bone
and flesh Of our flesh. They are descend
ed from. the sturdy races Of northern
Europe and their forefathers helped to
wrest the country from British tyranny.
Our people may not be spoken of in terms
Of caste or class. We are people, lowing
the country that we have built up: from
savage wilds, respecting the laws, Of the
land, growing ip wealth, and looking ever
forward. for better things, intellectually
and morally. ,..-ss ift;s !
|; Mr.. Speaker, we do not want these Ideal
social and business conditions to be dis
turbed by the influx of q lot ofundesifable
foreigners. Already certain sections 'of
this country have been overrun by alarge
foreign element SO large that: foreign
ideals and foreign issues have; displaced
true American principles, and fed and fos:
tered socialism and anarchy. -;
OF course, r would not close the door
absolutely against the intelligent, well
meaning immigrant, THIS would be in
consistent with the principles on which
this government was founded. Further:
more, such a. step would not only, be Inn
practicable but irnpossible.. = The ceemity
ofnations requires that our alien laws be.
reasonable, as the. laws, of other nations
must be reasonable toward US. IS. X,
II England should enact a law prohibit
| ing any American, from. taking up, resi-
dence withiR her borders, we would meet
the insult with arms. !. But England may
very reasonably prohibit the lame, the
blind, the insane, the. pauper, the anarch,.
ist, yes, and illiterate, of .thia country
from becoming citizens of her. domain.
And why3 Because they become q charge,
tax on:her better citizenship They be;
come dlsturbers Of the peace: They be-
come tools in the hands OF; designing men
to drive, honest labor out Of emplo oyment.
This country, then, should not permit the,
iuiterate hordes Of Europe to driveour own
good people out Of employment. =.
The one main feature In which the bill
under discussion differs from the present
law is the test Of illiteracy; and in my
Judgement this is ione Of the strongest
features Of the bill. The intelligent
foreigner is not willing to work at starva-
tion wages. It is the illfterate class those
who have not the Intelligence to depend
on their wits, who could be herded like
cattle into our factories to drive our home
labor that we need to dread most. And I
may add further, chat 1t Is the illiterate
class of foreigners from whom our foreign
criminals come :: -:
1 live in section of the country where
fully half the people are negroes. The
crime for which 50 many negroes pay. the
death penalty outside the law is unac-
countable, believe, in large measure. TO
the 1lliteracy of that race. Negroes with
smattering of education commit forg-
cries, but they rarely assault white
women It is aquestion with our people,
then, whether it Is better to educate. the
negro and elevate the character OF this Of
tense or leave him an ignorant brute
prone to that greatest offense which
means his death at the hands Of the people
who will not stand for this outrage as there
is nothing so sacred to the southern white
man as the honor Of the southern white
woman and believing that In giving the
negro some education we lessou the brutal
tendencies, or we at least increase. his
dread of certain vengeance, we have writ
en- a s-mill school tax In our constitution,
the proceeds Of which we divide with that
race. Now this burden is on us. The
negro was put n:the south by the hand
OF destiny. Shall we leok for further:bur-
dens by admitting the illiterate foreigner,
who comes with his: s:ideas Of anarchy and
immortality to mix with ), and ,contaminate
our purer American citizenship? 80. =.
It has been said II a lion ate beef and
pork and la1nit an became lion, and a
Critic wisely replied that if the lion ate
spilled beef pork and lamb ne would likely
be sick lion. DUST SO; If this country
takes in the worthless foreign element
that is yearly vomited from Europe, there
will be congestion in our cities and an
archy and crime on every hand. ....,
repeat that. this country should never
close It's doors to the upright, healthy,
intelligent foreigners, and I may add that
this country will grow less and less at
..,,,o ot;uo +o tba haitian claimant Of foreigners