The Watchman And Southron

Senator Latimer Tells of His Impressions During European Tour.

Greenville, Sept. 18.—Senator Latimer gave out his first interview today since his return from Europe. The senator favors restricting immigration. Says he will fight for federal aid to drain the swamp lands in the lower part of the State and continue his advocacy of the national good roads plan. He is a candidate for reelection.

Among other things he said:

“From what I saw of the class of people we are drawing our immigrant supply from in Europe I am satisfied that we should not be making any effort to induce or stimulate any more foreign people to come to America than we are now getting. I am not opposed to people coming here provided they promise to make good citizens and will help build up our institutions and benefit our country rather than prove a stumbling block and a hindrance, as is now the case in some of the larger Northern cities.

We do not need the class that will come simply because their passage way is paid or because they are promised a job on this side of the water. I am inclined to restrict immigration, rather than foster it.

‘I am opposed to the State or corporations furnishing money to pay the transportation of any immigrants into the United States, but believe our best policy is to be content with the natural growth of population. Over population in America will result in the same conditions that now exist in Europe, which is low wages and poverty on the part of the poor people. We had better let some of our land lie idle and get 13 or 14 cents for cotton than to undertake to work all of our lands and take a lower price for our products.

“I think our mills would be better off in the long run to let a few of the spindles stand idle and sell their goods at the high price they are now getting in the United States than to run all their spindles and take a lower price for the products. In other words, to sum up, I think we ought to be content with the prosperous condition that we now enjoy than to attempt to change that condition by adding to our population the undesirable immigrants from Europe who are now proving so unsatisfactory in the cities and States where the bulk of them have been going for the last few years.

Europe has more people to the square mile than the United States, but Europe is much poorer per capita. Over there, there is a wealthy class and a poverty stricken class. Certainly we have no desire to bring about such conditions here. Wages are lower in Europe than in America and work is harder to get. I should like to see our waste lands under cultivation, but I would not like to see the world over supplied with cotton and our farmers, merchants and manufacturers suffer because of unsettled conditions bound to arise under such circumstances.”

Senator Latimer stated further that he did not favor the steamship line about to be established between Charleston and Trieste, because, as he said, it would result in bringing to this country some of the most undesirable class of immigrants. If, however, he said, a line could be established to Liverpool, or Havre, France, he would be delighted, as this would result in an immigration movement that would be desirable to this State.