The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-01-30
A MiSDGmnd Law.


by contraries, the bill introduced into the
National House by Mr.. Cox, entitled ga bill
to regulate immigration, would be rightly
named, for it is in effect bill to prevent i'm
migration. Its intent is to make national a
system of taxation which locally enforced has
money!. Mr.. Cox proposes that an admis-
sion fee shall be exacted of every person land
ing on our shores, that "the home for the
oppressed of all nations" can only be en-
tered into by those who hold tickets for
which they are required to pay. His object
disguised thinly by specious phrases, is to
raise fund from those seeking refuge with
us for the support of certain paupers in New
York; for though the bill is Da,ional in its
scope, it is contrived for the benefit of one
locality. The tax which for thirty years New
York collected from immigrants landing at
that port having been declared illegal the at
tempt is now made to revive it, by national
authority; and so in order to swell the large
corruption fund which the men who control
the New York municipality have at their dis
posal, TO raise money for the needs of Tamma-
ny politicians this tax is to be imposed not
only in New York but at other ports where
immigrants land.
Portland, has already made evident its
opinion of head-money, and certainly has no
wish that an imposition which it voluntarily
relinquished shall be renewed by national
authority. Iu this opinion the city is in
accord with the State, and our representa-
tives in Congress will wisely heed the wishes
of their constituents. Other seabeard cities
than Portland are strongly opposed to the
measure and have made their opposition
known through meetings of boards Of trade
and other representative bodies. Nor are
objections to the bill confined to the sea-
coast The West, whose great industries
have been builded up and broad lands titled
by the foreigners who come to our shores,
protests against this odious tax which has
the effect to obstruct that supply which she
most needs, the supply of hardy, industrious
men.
The following twenty reasons why the bill
should not become law are offered by its
opponents:
1 1t is opposed to the spirit, and by high
authorities believed to be il violation of the
letter, of the United States treaties with for
eign powers.
2. 1t violates the comfy of nations, by pre-
venting free iDgress into the United States.
8. Neither England, France, Germany,
Spain, Portugal, Italy nor any other civilized
nation imposes such tax as is proposed by
this bill.
= &c -, tee,
in principle. If a tax of So be imposed one of
$50, cr $780,, $1,000, or any amount may
be.
8 This tax would be an unjust restriction
upon freedom of International commerce inev-
itably tending to the disadvantage of the United
Estates.
6. 1t will have tendency to divert immi-
grafton to Canada aud Australia.
Z. Il will interfere with the development of
our internal trade, by dverting immigrant
traffic to the Grand Trunk and her Canadian
railroads.
8. Every able-bodied immigrant is estimated
by statcians to be wortk to the country $500
gold.
9. The immigrants to-day, who are brought
to this country by regular lines of steamships,
making passages within fortnight, are totally
different in character, ability and resources
from the immigrants of twenty-five years ago,
who came ia sailing-ships and were frequently
at sea for many weeks. The obsolete State
Cdpltation laws, WHICH tue Y. . supreme Court
last year decreed to be unconstitutional were
(though at all times illegaD designed to meet
the acknowledged wants of the immigration of
that period.
10. The United States needs the surplus
healthy population of Europe. immigration IS
beneficial to the country and does not increase
pauperism, as the statistics of 1870 prove
II. ConcediDg New York to be the great
port OF entry, shall other ports be sacrificed to
its interests?
II. If New York has incurred some ex-
pense in connection with immigration, it has
received back, directly and indirectly, from its
own commerce, million times more than it
has ever expended on immigrants in the de-
velopment OF its TRANSATLANTIC steamship lines,
and railroad enterprises, for which immigration
has furnished employment.
13. That very small proportion of the inn
migrants remain in New York is proved by
census OF 1870, giving the percentage of foreign
population in various States. The proportion
of foreign birth and parentage was, in Kansas,
"a per cent Iowa, 35 per ceut; Nebraska, Sc
per cent; Illinois, So per cent; Michigan, Al
per cent Dakota 80 per cent; Montana 80 per
cent. Idaho, 65 per cent; Minnesota Is per
cent nd in Arizona II per cent.
IA, Portland, Boston, Philadelphia and Bal
timore with their growing foreign steamship
trades, are opposed to this bill.
Is. As a'e also the inland cities of Cincinnati
Chicago, Detroit and st. Louis.
16. The National Board of Trade and all the
principal local DOaruS OF IraQo thrOug hOut the
country oppose it.
IT,. The Immigration Conventions, mposed
of delegates from all sections Of the country,
have opposed its principles, objectng to any
head-money tax.
1S Every State can now protect itself and
| prevent the landing of any criminals, paupers,
| sick or disabled persons, and has power to com
| pei the steamship companies to return such
| persons to the place from whence they
may come
| try are to be considered, this bill, favoring a
| single local interest, (that of the New York
Emigration Committee), ought not to become a
| law.
20. The U. s. Emigration Commission has
| already received from immigrants landing at
that port such large sums of money as to have
| acquired for the benefit of the State of New
| York real proDerty which is valued at mora
than 81, 100000, aud will more than compep-
| safe for any expenses that NAV be devolved
| unnn the (itv or Stata for poanu uoors tr,