Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-11-01
Is wIgglnton's Position Aneient history ?

1hS <IlSSlcler III charge Vi TIC Oui Cou
OF Ls.sor, section of the Department OF
tbs Interior, is Democrat. L. Q. G. Lamar
is Democratic Secretary of the Interior, I'M
der his Excellency, Grover Cleveland. Mr..
Wright has made his report to his chief,
Mr.. Lamar, under date of March II, 1886.
The date should be observed as among the |
latest expressions of Democratic sentiment, |
theory, opinion and position. Mr.. La ar, |
the Democratic Secretary of the Inter n, |
Endorses the report and transmits it to tie |
President. In the report the position is
taken definitely and distinctly that foreign !
immigration to the United States IS not
only undesirable, but very injurious. The
report shows by statistical determination
that immigration into the United States has
been an immediate cause OF depression.
Mr. Wright and Mr. Lamar say: In ex-
aiming the table of statistics, one sees
that prior TO each period of depression since
1867, there has been large increase OF I'M
migration, and following each period OF de-
preston large falling off. As times be-
come prosperous, after each period, immi-
grafton has set in and been followed up to
an abnormal degree; and as soon as pros
perity ceases temporarily, the foreign me-
chanic or laborer has remained at home.
The constant artificial augmentation of the
number of laborers during prosperous years
lowing period of depression"
Messrs. Wright and Lamar, for the pres
ent Democratic Administration, declare
that the total number employed in this
country in manufacturing and mechanical
pursuits was 1887 Geo, of whom l ,225,TS7
are of foreign birth, or 80 per cent. of the
whole number engaged in such industries.
Continuing they say:
g 1t will be seen at once that the tendency
of immigration is to assimilate with our
mechanical industries. This increases the
supply of labor out of proportion with the
demand, lowers wages, contributes to what
ever over production exists and cripples
permanently the consuming power of the
whole"
They meet the logic of these facts fairly
and squarely They have used statistics
and they declare what they are determinate
Of They say: at is undoubtedly true
that during the past fifty years immigration
has been of inestimable value as an ele
ment in American industrial progress, but
it cannot be said now, and probably not TO
any great extent in the future, that America
is the home of the oppressed of all nations.
This advertisement Will undoubtedly be
withdrawn. as well as that other, that
there is room in the United States for ALL"
Here is plain declaration issuing from
the Democratic Administration itself, trans
| mitted approvingly by Mr.. Cleveland's Sec
rotary of the Interior, declaring that the
United States has ceased to be the home of
the oppressed of all nations, and declaring
| that the doctrine that there is room enough
| for all in the United States must be with
| drawn.
They say: This would not be so if this
| country were not one OF the great family
of nations now given to mechanical pro-
"a no -b,1ln VI Of ba
shows, first, that the tariff raises the rate
of wages in the United States that it is a
protection against the output of mechanical
| skill and labor in foreign countries, and
| that all the good it does to the American
| laborer is neutralized by permitting skilled
| labor to enter the country free. But some
thing more than this has occurred to ex-
pose the Democratic position with refer
ence to foreign immigration.
! On the 26th of February, 1885, President
| Chester Arthur placed his approving sig
nature to an Act entitled: An Act to pro-
| hibit the importation and immigration of
| foreigners and aliens under contract or
agreement to perform labor in the United
States, its Territories, and the District of
| Columbia" The title is misleading. The
| text of the Act itself is far more significant
1t reads THAT from and after the passage
of this Act it shall be unlawful for any
person, company, partnership or corpora
| ton, in any manner whatsoever. to prepay
| the transportation or in any way assist or
encourage the importation or migration of
any alien or aliens, foreigner or foreigners
into the United States, its Territories, or
the District of Columbia, under contract or
agreement, parol or special, express or i'm
piled, made previous to the importation or
| i'm migration of such alien or aliens. for
| eigner or foreigners, to perform labor or
| service of anv kind in the United States,
its Territories or the District of Columbia"
| Here, then, is the declaration of the law
that to in any way assist or encourage the
migration of any aliens or foreigners is
unlawful
The Act further declares: THAT for
| every violation of any of the provisions of
Section l of this Act, the person, partner
! ship, company or corporation violating the
same, by knowingly assisting, encouraging
or soliciting the migration or importation
of any alien or aliens, foreigner or foreign
! ers into the United States, its Territories
or the District of Columbia, by any express
or implied agreement to furnish sufficient
| inducement for such foreigners to come,
| shall forfeit and pay for every such offense
the sum of 81 600; and that the master of
any vessel bringing within the United
States and landing, or permitting to be
| landed, from any foreign port, any laborer,
mechanic or artisan, who, previous to en-
| barkaiion on such vessel, has entered into
any contract or agreement, express or i'm
| piled, to perform labor or service within
| the United, shall be fined $500, and i'm
| prisoned for six months"
The wording of'this Act should not es-
cape attention. The penalty arises by
| @ knowingly assisting, encouraging or So
| Letting" The immigration associations of
I'd
| the provisions of this Act. The railroads
of this country have foreign agents solic-
| iting " immigration, and thereby violating
| the Act, and are liable TO a penalty of 81 600
| for each person who comes into the United
States by such solicitation.
The fifth section OF the Act permits q
! foreigner residing in the United States to
! engage a private Secretary, or servant for
| domestic service. the one single exception
| in the bill, which became a law by the sig
nature of Chester A. Arthur, u Republican
President of the United States. = Provided
! that nothing in this Act shall be construed
as prohibiting any individual from assist
ing any member of his family or any rela-
tive or friend to migrate from any foreign
country to the United States, for the pur-
| pose of settlement here"
We have in this city an immigration
| association. For every person whom they
encourage to come from England, Ireland,
| Germany or France, with an express or i'm
| piled offer that employment will be secured
| for them here, they are liable to fine of
| 81 600 and the master of a vessel landing
any such person is liable to fine of $500
and imprisonment not exceeding six
months.
The only sentence in the whole report
| free from the charge of direct assault
| upon the continuance of encouragement
| to foreign immigration is quoted verbatim
as follows: No one would probably con-
s.der for a moment the propriety OF pre-
venting immigration. but il is subject for
wise consideration whether or not it might
be regulated by equitable legal provisions.
Herein is the suggestion that the time has
come for regulating, restricting, and pcs
sibly prohibiting, the incoming of foreign
| ers. We have already noted the fact that
| the bill became law by the signature of a
Republican President. Under the head of
Remedies" the present Secretary of the
Interior and his Commissioner of Labor,
Mr.. Wright, Endorsed the law, urged its
-