The New York herald., 1876-10-02
EMIGRATION.
the New Bill Regulating the Land
ing of Aliens Considered.
I II Z II L A ID L A X .
Steamship Companies and the Com
mssioners Disagree.

Tho method OF landing emigrauts in this country
has long been question OF importance TO the govern.
menL The influx of numbers OF foreigners 10
shores demanded at time stringent measures as TO
the manner of receiving them In lS4I the Commis-
sion Of Emigration was established by act of tie state
Legislature 10 which was intruscd system for regu-
lang the arrival OF alien passengers and Tor protect
ing them in oil sickness and destitution. The
period for which this be EXTENDED first
made to be fve years, but by an amendment 10 tho
law, which went into effect May !, lsI5 tho Commis-
soners required support persons capable OF
earning livelihood Tor longer period than years
The law organizing the commission required the
yer and owner or consignees Of = vessel bringing
emgrants to New York to execute bond for $500 for
every such passenger, which to be collected from
time to time TO meet any expenses incurred in this or
any other county OF the State for the individual alien
Tor whom the bond gwen.
In ls49 the Supreme Court decided that tho statute
OF lS4s was void, aud with view TO avoid the const
tuona objections tho State modified her statute upon
that subject, and amendments aud alterations havc
continued 10 be made since. II was then enacted
that the consgnco OF tho vessel might
mute for the bond by paying the
OF 81 SO for each emgrant passenger landed
In 1853 the charge increased TO 81, and
over, reduction took place In 1871, and the charge
again fixed at the original amount OF 81 so. In
March last tho Supreme Court decided that the statute
requiring a bond and permitting the Communication
conflict with tho constitutional authority allowed
q State and therefore unconstitutional and void. In
this decision the opinion expressed that the whole
subject was properly conhded 10 Congress BY tho con-
sttuton. Acting upon this tho Commissioners
called attention OF Congress to the matter, in
July Of last session
NEW BILL
was introduced by Mr.. Cox in tho House. II was re-
ierred TO the Committee on Commerce and was not
acted upon during tho session II provide for the
levying Of head tax OF 81 by the State In which
emigrant Is landed and authorizes the Legislatures OF
Tho different states such further laws In this
respect may become necessary for their protection
II is likely that this bill VIII meet with considerable
opposition upon a number Of good grounds For some
time the steamship companies have protested against
the head tax, and It was through their influence that
the New York statute brough. before the Supreme
Court and declared unconstitutional When thcro
were thousands OF emarants landed here daily
the establishment OF Castle Garden and other
provisions made Uy the Commissioners OF Emigration
were necessary and beneficial That they are still
useful to certain degree Is not denied. But the
whole nature OF emigration IS changed and demands
great notifications IN the laws respecting IT, The
number OF alien arrivals Is nothing compared TO what
It was when the commission was hrst established amt
come hero now arc better circunsanced ami bet
informed regard to the country altogether The
dcstution is very much less, aud the large scale OF
provisions made Tor u is entirely out OF proportion
and extravagant or course some provision help
less is Indispensable; but the OF tho
provision aud the manner OF creating questions
OF fine distinction. The decision Of tho Supreme
Court lett the Commission OF Emigration In
rather perplexing situation. II deprived them
OF all income aud In May last their
available means became exhausted. The Legislature
Influenced oy the pledge implied in the receipt OF its
Ifi
and support, when needed, the cmigrants on whose
had been paid Tor sesson Of nvo after
their arrval-approprinted the OF $500 600 sup
port the o the commission for the year ending May
l. 1877. II is highly improbable tina. any further
ss,ance will be afforded by that body, and unless
provision is made by the next Congress the Commits
will be compelled 10 suspend ITS abors altogether
Its members convinced that the best policy would
bc to continue under the provisions OF the BILL
whereas the steamship comp,nes oppose the idea OF
u head and hencve Tint some other means OF sup
porting these protective nsttut0nsc be devised Tue
latter always objected 10 this system TAXATION
urging that II both unjust 10 tho emigrants and
avorse To interests OF the American government
Tue Commissioners OF Emigration submit that tho
duction Subsequent Withdrawal OF the tax did not
influence the steamship lines TO lower their price OF
tickets; but tho companies reply 10 this by saying
that they neither increased their prices for trans
portalion when the head lax advanced II the cmgrant
Is not compelled TO the extra tax In buying his
ticket he Is indirectly injured by the class oil traDspor
tallon Afforded hun. The steamship companies must
regulate their facilities by the advantages OF their trade
aud the tax ike the p OF coal Is something which
thus affects the aud facilities be offered
TO travellers II Is claimed by The companies that tho
head tax Ia
UNNECESSARY, uSwIsE AND UNJUST.
IL is unnecessary because The number OF emigrants
arriving and expected 10 arrive during the next
few years very small and the quality much superior
10 former years should the numbes hereafter
they will be so mixed up with that have bocn
here before as 10 require little supervision,
and small staff Of officials only would be necessary ut
The landing depot 70 guard such cases OF disease
may have escaped the vigilance Of QUARANTINE Ac
tuai paupers mbeclles would lind their way to the
Commissioners o Charities, who should be empowered
compel the limo that brought them TO carry thom
back to- tho place whence they came II reference bo
made to the large number formerly maintained ut
Wards Island AS II reason Tor head tax. hcn tho COM
panics MAINTAIN hat this institution was chiefly uod
uurIng the winter months as refuge for men and
women TOO lazy work. They hold The tax TO be unwe
tenns to repcl rather than cmiera
ton moreover Canada Austrau and Now Zealand who
active compoftion with shc UnlIed States, offer
every facility and lay no obstacles 10 tho way VI the
Intending eniigrapt Head tax Is claimed by the COM
panies 10 be unjust, because levied on large majority
u support smell minority. They say that, according
saloon passengers well rs seorage aud IN order that
tho advocates o the bill shall not have an excuse ms
formerly that II will be paid by the steamships and
not by the passcn. crs the agents OF steamships VIII
have their tickets printed as iollows"0csan passage,
81 heud levied by tue United States government,
s." Tie new bill has many unreasonable features
which will require modification prominent error ~
found section which requires the captain oil vcs-
sci TO specify In his report "whcther any Of
said passengers reported are or have boen paupcrs
convic,s or are lunatic, IDIOT deaf and dumb, bind,
ned innrm ana unable to support himself or
herself;" aud penalty IS imposed upon the captain
for any omission Of such mention in his report This
absurd stipulation, IL would be I'm possible ior
the commander OF vessel TO DO always Of tho
former character OF "A passenger
OPINIONS op TnK COMMISSIONERS.
representative of tho HERALD held conversations
with several of the Commissioners Of Emigration with
view to obtaining AN expression OF their opinions ro-
spectng the new bill and tho head tx.
Said Commissioner kaufmann, who is President OF
tho German Immigrant Society :-"Ay idea has
always beon that Congress should enact general law
empowering the several states that thcy may regu-
late emigration without infringing ON laws OF the
unIted States believe that the bill IN Congress
tries 10 secure all that The United states supreme
Court has decided the subject properly belongs
Congress- ALI required Is that the powers Of the
individual States should be determined. In my
opinion the bill needs somo amendment. Tho clnuso
requiring tho commander oil a steamship TO report i
convict and criminal passengers should be modified.
The insertion OF three words--If he knowingly |
negIects report these cages-would make ali right
think the bill has dIsagreeabe features but
way OF avoiding them Unless Congress s |
willing anida sufficient sum nnnuHIly--say |