The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-07-15

The evasions of the contract labor law
are to be thoroughly investigated. The
resolution of Representative Ford, of Michi-
gan. providing for such an investigation,
was adopted by the house on Thursday, and
the speaker viii appoint a committee that
will spare no effort to get the facts.
For several years there has been grow
ing sentiment in this county in favor of
restricting immigration. There is no OBJ
lection to strong, healthy immigrants who
can be easily assimilated and who come to
| this country with the determination to
accept its institutions and earn comfortable
/ homes for themselves; but there is objection,
and very strong one, to immigrants who
are thieves criminals or paupers, or who
| are hostile to republican institutions, or who
intend TO establish here Objectionable prac-
tees which they found profitable in the
countries from which they came.
In the debate on the Ford resolution Rep
resentatve Cox stated that the contract
labor laws were constantly evaded at the
port of New York, and thousands of obiec
tionable immigrants were admitted there
because congress had failed TO provide the
necessary safeguards to keep them out. Ac-
cording to his figures $4,000 Italians land
there annually, very few Of whom are de-
sirable immigrants. They are brought to
this country by padrones who hold them in
| almost a condition Of slavery.
1t seems that the condition of affairs on
the Pacific coast is almost as bad. Not
outstanding the law against the admis
sion of Chinese to this country they con-
tinue to come in large numbers. The
Chinese population of San Francisco is
steadily increasing, although the death
rate far exceeds the birth rate and although
large numbers leave that city for other Pa
cifc coast towns and for cities on the At
lantic coast. The most of these Chinese are
virtually slaves, as their labor is owned by
Chinese companies that, in some mysterious
way, manage to evade the law against Chi
nese immigration.
During the present campaign there will
be good deal said about immigration
Neither party favors unrestricted immigra-
ton, and public sentiment is becoming SO
strong against it that congress will soon
have to make stringent laws regulating it,
very large percentage of the inmates in
the pauper and insane asylums, and the
prisons, is of foreign birth. The burden
which these paupers and criminals impose
upon the people is a heavy one and it is
steadily becoming heavier. There Is no
reason why this country should take care
of the paupers and criminals of Europe, and
it isn't going to do it much longer.
The Chinese are Objectionable because
they cannot be assimilated. They will re-
main Chinese always, and they will never
understand nor appreciate our institutions.
The investigation authorized by the Ford
resolution should be thorough one. The
truth relative to the evasions of the contract
labor and the Chinese restriction laws
should be known. If there are those in
this country who are assisting in evading
these laws they should be punished, and if
the laws are not efficient, they should be
made so.
This country has reached point where
it is no longer anxious TO keep its doors
wide open to immigrants. 1t can choose
whom it will admit to the benefits of its
institutions. The nonsense, once SO popular
about this being the home of the oppressed of
every land including the anarchist, criminal
and pauper, has lost its attraction. 1t be-
longs to the past, and is out of place in this
practical period OF our history.