New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-02-03
THE BUREAU OF IMMIGRATION

REPORT Of THE CHIEF TO THE GENERAL
ASSEMBLY.
HE RECOMMENDS THAT 1T BE
ABOLISHED.
We are indebted to the courtesy Of Mr..
William P. Gerard, chief of the Bureau of
immigration, for copy of his annual re-
port to the General Assembly.
The results of the operations of the bureau
for the past six or seven months have not
been satisfactory, and the chief intimates
that it might be abolished altogether with
out detriment to the public interest. About
l40O immigrants have arrived since July,
an imperceptible fraction of the number
having, we hope, remained in the State.
From these, or at any rate on their account.
the bureau has collected about $4,000, q
sum about sufficient to defray incidental
expenses of tho office, pay salaries, etc. We
see no evidence of one dollar having been
devoted to the assistance of immigrants. A
State which taxes people about 81 head
for merely passing through it, giving no
advantage or benefit in return, can not be
said to encourage immigration. 1t is, Yin
our judgment, the fault of the system, not
of the officers, that our immigration policy
is flat failure; but being proved such, it
should be abolished. 1t would strengthen
the ability Of the people taxed to take care
of themselves, if they were permitted to
keep their money. Were a bounty of 81
a head offered, instead of tax of that
amount being imposed, it would be step
in the right direction. We do not, however,
recommend such a measure, being persuaded
that other Inducements are necessary to
tempt strangers to come here and stay. Mr..
Gerard states the case very forcibly, and
we present the material portion of his re-
port.
Tie bureau was organized July 25, 1874,
under the act of June l3. Mr.. Gerard was
elected chief, Miller Owen assistant and
Mr.. p Rickert, treasurer. The latter re-
signed in October, and turned over the
funds in his possession to the chief of the
bureau.
Immigration from foreign countries to this
port has at present decreased to min
imum, the whole number of foreign arrivals,
az reported to the undersigned by the
respective masters and c0nsignees of
vessels, not exceeding l40S persons to date.
There has, consequently, been very little
work to perform for the bureau, while the
receipts have been SO limited as to hardly
cover the expenses of the institution. 1t is
not, perhaps, the province Of the under
signed to investigate the causes of this de-
crease in immigration. The SO long continued
turbulent condition of the affairs in this
State has certainly had some very damaging
influence in this direction; on the other
hands we observe that immigration to
Northern ports has also greatly decreased
during the past year, thus showing that the
disposition to emigrate to this country is
not so vivid any longer as it has been in
years past.
The only source of income which the
bureau has is the so-called communication tax,
imposed under section five of the above
named act. Much has been said and argued
as to the Justice and injustice of this tax,
which, however, is also collected in New
York and other ports, and has been collect
ed in this State long time previous to the
organization of the present bureau. The
Supreme Court of the State has, during its
November session OF 1873, rendered de,
cision favoring said tax; and your immec
diate predecessors, by re-enacting this |
measure in the present law, seem also to |
have been convinced of its justice. Not. |
there still exists, as has been |
the case in the past, among the masters,
owners and cOnsignees of vessels engaged |
in the passenger carrying trade, spirit of
resistance against the execution of |
this ens,v aw whsh ,ef Of agan late, has has
commercial firm of Ed. f. StOckmeyer
& Co., agents for the North-German Lloyd
of Bremen, Germany, have entered
chancery suit against your commissioners |
in the United States District Court at New
Orleans, praying the court for writ of
injunction to issue against the collection of
the aforesaid tax. The court, in response,
has issued q preliminary, restraining order
against the bureau, thus effectually-fOr
Of this institution. Your commissioners, on
the other hand, as will be seen from the an
1exed financial statement, are by no means
able to enter into any lengthy and costly
litigation. which, in all probability, must
OllOw. If, therefore, the State should not
come to their aid, there is little doubt but
what the working of the bureau will have
% cease altogether.
do not, however, wish to be understood
" these remarks as asking or recommend
ng any pecuniary aid for the bureau before
7our honorable bodies have again dandidly
considered whether or not, under the pres
mt circumstances, it is at all desirable to
,rolong the existence of this bureau. For
he present there seems hardly to be any
for such an institution, for the
7ery few immigrants arriving at this port
re etfectually taken care of and provided
or by the New Orleans German Society, a
hartered body, which has achieved i'm
measurable good in the past. Should, in
he future, immigration greatly increase,
hen some similar institution to the present
'ureau may appear to be in its place, the
tate having certainly the right and the
uty to supervise the immigration to her
orts. But even then the law creating q
supervisory institution of this kind might
70 modified to great advantage.
With these remarks, the result of my
andid conviction, submit this question to
he consideration and decision OF your hon
rable bodies, calling your attention at the
anne time to the annexed statements.
WILLIAM P. GERARD,
Chief of the Bureau of immigration.
NUMBER OF IMMICRANTS ARRIVED.