The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-12-08

not our purpose to attempt anything Of the
kind in these columns, but We do most GER
tainly desire to call attention to perhaps
the main source Of the extended range of,
but, till recently unheard of crimes on this
side OF the waters We refer to the daily
and increasing importation to this country
Of malcontents, convicts and criminals from
nearly every country in Europe.
So large has been this unwholesome influx,
that it has been deemed necessary by the
Government at Washington to instruct our
consuls and ministers at the various courts
of the world to confer with the local au-
thorities on the subject and stop, ifpossible,
this frightful source of annoyance to our
own nation and society The European
powers have not been treating us right in
this respect, for while they have adopted
and operated means to prevent from emf
grating to the United States the honest and
laboring classes Of their own people, who,
when once here become among our best,
thriftiest, most orderly and pro
gressive citizens, on the other
hand encourage the embarkation
and expulsion of their criminals, convicts
and hair.brained social and political agita-
tors for our shores. Their turbulent and
disallected, the men who ruin society at
home aud abroad, they are only too glad to
get rid of while we are only too willing to
receive the other class. The honest immi-
grant who comes among us to labor is a
national blessing and every individual
criminal and agitator and convict, who re-
CARDS and hates all governments alike,
proves q national curse and before month
has contributed his quota whether great or
small of brains and want of principle, to the
corruption of society or record of crime
1t is this thing that the United States and
individual commonwealth are called upon
to put check on, indeed, to entirety stop
for the actual preservation of the purity
and homogeneity of American society. In
view Of these considerations, it is extremely
gratifying to learn that the first practical
step has been taken in the matter the in
itial bold stand against permitting such
characters to come or be sent here. II is
possible to know who are coming and
when through tho information to be OBJ
tanned from agents and the proper Off
cials in the different European ports.
Switzerland appears to have exercised
the least regard for us in this particular,
and it is stated and now seems to be con-
iirmed as Il fact, that its government has
actually been conveying her more danger
GUS criminals and helpless paupers to
America at governmental expense with the
purpose of avoiding their support them
selves. We have said it was encouraging
to note the first bold stand in this matter.
On Saturday last the alleged Swiss convict,
Karl Benjamin Dunkel, arrived at the port
of New York on the steamer
Gcrmaine, at the expense of the
Swiss Government, but the au-
thorities here percmptorily refused
to permit him to be landed. five have
authority to keep out of our country the
dynamite destined for our destruction, or
the contagious disease, or the Chinese
coolies, We also have the authority 20 ey-
clude the moral leper and avowed or con-
victed criminal unused to our manners or
customs, our institutions or freedom and
comes with the same desperate intentions
against all these as rendered him Infamous
at home. There are no existing causes in
our American society of agitation, violent
reform, crime or suicide but what does
this fact avail to the man who deems il
no better than any other and is
an lshmaelite to all? As Congress
is now in session, and its attention has been
directed to this subject by the President in
his message of Tuesday, the question has
now assumed a practical and tangible shape
and become one among the many unusually
ones awaiting the consideration
of law makers in the National Capital. II
is certainly one of more than ordinary mo-
ment and should not only receive prompt
but the most thorough investigation from
the proper sources and the adoption of
remedies comprehensive enough and vigor-
Gus enough to meet the extent and exigen-
CiCs of the case