Omaha daily bee., 1889-10-21
RESTRICTING IMMIGRATION.
The Government should Have Control
of All New COmers.

"
WASHINGTON, Oct. co. Special to THE
BEE. AN old member of tho house, who
will undoubtedly be member of the next
house committee on merchant marine and
fisheries, in discussing what ought to be
done 10 further restrict immigration, and
place the responsibility of bringing undesra-
BILE immigrants TO the United States, said
to-day:
"rhat the supervision of immigrants com
ing to this country should be lodged with the
federal authorities, becomes clearer. every
day. Those in charge at Castle Garden have
overtaxed the passengers, not only IN the
ilegitimate methods about which so much
has already been said but also in
the regular authorized levy of head
money upon each one who was landed. There
is no equity In levylng tax on every imm-
grant who lands, in order to raise fund for
the support of such as may become public
charge. The latter ought never be permit
ted to land. if the laws now in forceregdlat-
ing the landing of immigrants be properly
enforced. Furthermore, those who come
from foreign shores to seek u home in this
country, have no such community OF interest
as to make it proper to charge an Italian who
arrives here n certain amount of head money
to take care of a possible pauper from Hun
gary; or to levy so much apiece on group
of Scandinavaus for fund to take care of
a chance lunatic or cripple from Italy. II it
is said that some supervision is necessary,
with his corps of inspectors and If any are
found that should not have been
brought here, let them be re-
turned at the expense of The vessel
which brought them over, besides holding
such u vessel responsible for say two years
for every immigrant brought by it, and let
proper bond be given for that purpose.
"rhe abuses which have grown up in the
care ana handling of the vast crowd OF for
eigners which have landed IN New York are
that only the immigrants have been watched
and examined, ana that little or no care has
been exercised in ascertaining the greed of
those who had the opportunity TO practice
Injustice and eXtortion upon the crowds thus
landed at New York
"lhe delivery of baggage is farmed out to
a monopolst, who begins by charging %
cents apiece for each trunk or package han
died, Il sum quite sufficient in view of the
large business, to make the job remunera-
tive; but finding himself unrestraned III the
matter, he increases his levy until, as shown
by recent testimony, 50, 50 and 81 were very
commOn rates for carriage and delivery, the
amount being fixed according to the capacity
of the immigrants purse. taken in connection
with his ignorance or want OF ability to pro.
tect himself from imposition.
"The pool system by which immigrants arc
forwarded to their chosen destination, or to
some far interior point, whether chosen by
them or not. appears to be regulated by the
agent of the forwarding lines. The poor
fellows have no liberty of selection. They
are parceled out to each railroad on the prin-
ciple of given percentage according to
agreement. And to make up for the re-
quired complement for given lot, not only
| are ana were friends and nelghbors going 10
the same place rudely separated without any
regard tor their feelings or desires, but even
families have been divided, now man and
his wife would go over one route, and his five
| children, with nobody TO care for them, over
| another, with no opportunity to meet except
| at the end of the journey"