The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-04-28
PROJECTION no IMneRANTs.

The HoN. PETER DEusTEB, OF Wisconsin,
is advocating and engineering through con-
gress bill to regulate the carriage OF pas
sengers at sea, and on Saturday last both
he and the Hon. S. s, Cox, of New York,
spoke ably in support OF the terms OF the
proposed measure. 1t will take but slight
reflection to recognize both the importance
and humanity of such law as Mr. DEusrER
Is seeking to engraft upon the statute
book. over 100000 immigrants were car
ried to these shores last year by the various
steamship lines, and 1t is estimated. that
this year the number will reach
100000. This stream of restless
humanity has been flowing con-
stantly towards the United States for
years and will continue so to do as long as
We are nation. Most of these people are
poor and unable to fight their own battles
with the great companies upon whom they
are dependent for passage, frequently from
persecution, but always from a species OF
slavery. Whatever, therefore, pertains to
immigration, or particularly to the conf
forts and inducements held out to the
stranger to bring him amongst us, is of in
terest and importance to the government of
the United States and especially so to the
western and southwestern states where
these immigrant laborers are needed
and where in fact most of them
locate. We have not examined the bill
critically, but cursory reading impresscs
us with the belief that it contains some
most excellent provisions. The cattle which
we send to Europe are not greaer sufferers
from their voyage, and are no worse treated,
or placed in more miserable and filthy quar-
tiers as a general thing than are the hun
dreds Of thousands of human beings who
are compelled by circumstances to take
Storage passage across tina ocean. The
trip is from eight to fourteen days,
frequently longer and during that
time women and children in an in.
credibly small space are huddled to-
gother like so many hogs and remain sub
jected to the influence of their filthy sur.
roundings. The same quarters, without
change or sanitation, are used for years
| Humanity, therefore, would dictate the
adoption of such measures and changes us
the bill referred to provides for But to the
| United States stronger motive than hu
manity even would suggest the correction
ofthis evil. These immigrants so huddlcd
| together and SO situated during long
ocean voyage contract fatal and contagious
diseases, and upon their arrival here
scatter themselves and their disease
over the entire country. The
thousands of cases of smallpox in the Uni
ted States for the past six or eight months
were unquestionably the result of the evil
complained of and we are at all times in
danger from the various ills of the old
world. Sclfpreservation then from plaques
and dangerous diseases urges the necessity
for such action as will give to immigrants
and Storage passengers both clean and
rOomy and safe and healthy quarters, and
that will keep such quarters properly reg.
platcd from month to month from n sani-
tary standpoint. The enactment and ell
iorcement of wise laws such as are dictated
by common sense and experience
will soon produce the desired
result The question under Mn.
DEusrER's bill therefore becomes not only
one of Importance in view of the extent OF
the evil to be remedied, but national one.
Both dcccncy, health and Justice demand
vast improvements over the present man.
ncr of transporting passengers by sea, and
the western representatives, of all others,
should unite in seeing that these improve.
ments are made. Notonly would humanity
thus be done service and the danger from
plague be lcsscned, but with better &C
commodations, greater numbers of i'm
migrants would venture upon the voyage
We desire greatly to see either the bill
before referred to, or a similar one, soor
| become the law