The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-08-11
MORMON IMMIGRATION.

Edmund Stephenson, one Of the Com
missioners OF Emigration at New York,
has written q long .ettsr 70 AetiRg-Sec-
Rotary OF the Treasury Fairehild, ask
ing Instructions regarding the enforce
ment Of the Congressional Act Of Is 2
",o regulate immigration" The act
was intended 70 prevent the landing OF
foreign oonvicts. psupers and persons
likely TO become q pablo charge. Mr..
Stephenson has endeavored 70 make il
apply so as to prevent the landing of
Mormon immigrants; frst. on the
ground that the latter come 70 identify
themselves with q criminal organize
ton" and second. because they are
practically without money and there
fore are likely 70 fall charge upon the
State. 1t seems that in every instance
5tephenson's objections have been voted
down by . majority Of the Board OF
Emigration Commissioners, and the i'm
migrants have been permitted 20
land. The coming of the Nc
Vada's company of Mormons in July
called forth bis letter to Secretary Fair-
child, which closes Us follows:
land, es in tho opinion Of the majority Of
the Board of Commissioners said persons
were not likely 10 become s"public charge"
IS they were under the care OF, and homes |
would be pr ,vided for by, the church and
ders, - and submit thst the only evidence |
before the Commission r. that said persons |
would not become puolic eharge Ee4Ihe |
guarantee OF laUleSs community Endthe |
sistSments OF It's Elders"
am this day informed At Castle Garden |
that there are now on their way 20 this pors /
two steamships with over 100 similar "A0r- /
NON immigrants On board, and that there
are Still more 20 follow, and desire most \
lowed 20 land. and respectfully urge upon |
you the impo taace OF this matter. ana re
quest from you Instructions IN time giihes 4
70 prevent or allow their landing.
/ elslm and submit that the act OF Congress
was int u ed 20 snd does prevent the land
Log OF any and all persons brought 70 this
cou ntry Tor the purpose and with the IN
lent Of aiding and a5esting IN the violation
Df the law If God, and Of the statutes OF !
.hese United States, and more especially
where such persons, Sc IN the ease Of those
tnded from the Nevada. have no means OF
support save as hey derive the ssne BY or
trough The church OF The Latter Dsy
Ssin.S"
As a Commissioners OF emigration and an
,Gcer acting under an act OF Congress. I
most respectfully call your attention TO
hese mstterE and req.ost your fnstyuc-
Ions. NerJ respectfully, your obedieEt ser
snt.
The letter was written on July 18th
nd made public on August LIST. but no
nswer to It hiss yet appeared: it Is
oubtful ii there win be any further re-
~ than an acknowledgement OF the
eceipt OF the communication. /
The law as n wise one, and its strict ,
Increment viii prove bsnefcia, TO the !
espective States and to the nation. J
hat the Commissioners have not been
iliseat is shown by the presence OF
housands OF foreign paupers, Gy.aui.- u
rs and criminsls-men ard women
ibo belonged 20 the classes named
then they landed. But by no reason
bic construction of the Law can the J
CT be made 70 operate sgsinSt the |.
eople brought 70 this country IS Nor {
IONS. These immigrants IS rule are +,
COR; many OF them are assisted to :
oms by generous friends, and they ar :
We in Utah with perhaps no more /
honey than would pay for their sup :
OFT a month, II so long even as that: {
at there is a vast difference between
oTertT and pauperism. One may be 5
teraiiy without money or goods. and !
ct lack much Of being a psuper; he Q
az not know whence viii come next
ee1's food, and still he would scorn
lie impu;ation that he was a pauper or
lat he Eas likely TO become a public
large. In their native lands the Nor =
ion converts were neither psupers nor .
ID they belong to the pauper class: v
icy wsre, as q rule. poor, but were }
ot charge upon the public. The :