Before the Senator from Massachusetts takes his seat I desireto suggest to him that under the statement made regarding the condition in South Carolina. it seems to me that the socalled " State agent" instead of acting as a State agent is the agent of private corporations. great manufacturing industries. because. as I understand the statement of the Senator from Massachusetts. the money that is raised to pay the passage of these immigrants is not raised by taxation from the great body of the people. but is furnished by certain great manufacturing interests or certain private interests. It seems to ine that under those conditions the State agent .vould be liable to indictment under the laws of Congres. for violating the contractlabor law. and that he can not. under the guise of his official commission from the State of South Carolina. select immigrants from various countries in Europe and bring them to this country under an arrangement by which they are to repay their passage. The only way it seems to me that the State of South Carolina could bring immigrants there to increase her population would be by raising money by general taxation. if it can be done under the constitution and laws of that State. and a fund set aside for that purpose. It must be a donation to the people who are brought there. and it must be without any limitation or any conditions whatever. But whenever the conditions are of the character described by the Senator from Massachusetts. it is clearly against the spirit if not the letter of the law. and the agent who indulges in that is. it seems to me. liable to indictment and certainly would be convicted under an indictment of that character.
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immigrants