The Washington critic., 1888-01-04
WASHINGTON, JAN. 4, 1883.
.orR IMMIGRATION LAWS.


A correspondent of the New York
EcCgigg Post who signs himself an
"ex-C Consul" " scouts the idea, as inn
practicable and absurd, of imposing
upon cur consuls abroad the response
bility of inspecting and regulating the
character Of immigrants to the
United States.
lie says that in this matter the
principal work is to be done on this
side by the authorities at the place of
landing, the inference being that, if
proper vigilance is exercised, the
steamship companies will soon be-
come tired of shipping paupers and
criminals to the United States. simply
for the pleasure of transporting them
back again. Yet the writer does not
inform us how the authorities at New
York or Philadelphia, or wherever it
may be, are TO obtain the information
which it is necessary TO have. They
can ascertain whether the immigrant
has pecuniary means or not, and that
is about all.
1t will be found necessary in most
cases to have some previous knowl-
edge of the persons imported, and
this, it is plain to see, must come from
foreign sources, either through our
own officials, specially deputized for
tle,purpose, or through evidence fur
ifshed by the immigrants them
selves.
The Bgening Posts correspondent
says: at might be well to require of
every one certificate of good con-
duet from the local authorities of the
place from, which he came, and this
might be legalized by the consul at the
place Of shipment or the consul near
est the place from which he came, as
in the case of merchandise"
IL would also be well to require some
evidence of intention on the part of
the immigrant to become good and
loyal citizen of the United States. 1t
would be asking too much, perhaps,
TO insist upon his having familiar
acquaintance with the American Con-
stitntion--an instrument with which
so many of our own people are not
intimately acquainted-but one of the
first things to be demanded of every
foreigner as he lands upon our shores
should be an oath of obedience to the
laws, administered with all possible
solemnity.
At the same time, he should be in
: formed that if he has migrated with
the intention of making this country
his permanent residence it will be
expected of him to become citizen as
soon as practicable under the natural
ization act, amendatory legislation
being had to make this act much more
effective than il now is, and the taking
out of naturalization papers COM
pulsory.
A GENTLEMAN in high official posi-
ton was heard TO remark not long ago
that it would be safe to bet that the
Baltimore and Potomac Railroad sta
ton would stand in twenty years just
where it does now. This is, Of course,
an overstatement of the situation, but
the idea which the speaker intended
TO convey was that, owing to the con
centrated strength of railroad inhu-
ence upon the one hand and, upon the
other, the inability of public senti-
ment to concentrate itself on the
great question at issue, it would be a
long time before anything would be
done toward changing the existing
condition of affairs. We are forcibly
reminded of the gentleman's remark
by the evidences of disagreement
among citizens that are constantly
and sharply cropping out in the pro-
ceedings of the Committee of One
Hundred. 1t is quite certain that
unless this committee can come
TO some harmonious understanding
On the steam railroad problem in the
District, its action can have no weight
before Congress, and we do not see
that our representative citizens are
any nearer n settlement Of their diff
ferences as to routes of entrance and
location Of depots than they We're Il
year ago The result will be that the
Senate Committee will probably do
as il pleases in the matter, and we
might add without any disparagement
to the members Of the committee, that
the wishes of the Pennsylvania Rail
road Company are far more likely to
secure recognition than are the wishes
of the people. The reason is obvious.
The Pennsylvania knows what il
wants; unfortunately what the people
want, nobody can find out.
As Dos CARLOS or SPAIN claims to
be the head Of the Bourbons, and the
, Democratic party of the United States
is somewhat divided in its headship,
wouldn't il be well 10 import the Don
Nfor political purposes?
~ TIE Pest calls upon Congress TO 90
TO work and Dass a bill TO reduce the