The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-01-21
EuRoPE's oFFscouRINcs.
Provisions of the Bill to Exclude
them from America.

tCHf ttctft HItSftSd-
WASHINGTON, Jan. 19.-The Ford Immi-
grafton Committee has reported to the House
as result of the investigation Of the COM
mittee last summer, bill prohibiting the
admittance into the United States Of idiots,
paupers. those who have been convicted Of
Infamous crime, or misdemeanor involving
moral turpitude, persons affected with loath-
some or contagious diseases, OF those coming
under contract to work in this country, ex-
cept university professors or ministers Of
the gospel. The penalty for the person vio-
lating this provision, or assisting another to
violate it, is fine Of $1,000 on conviction
within two years. No vessel is to bring over
more than one passenger to every five regis
tered tons. computing two children between
one and eight as one person. The penalty for
the violation of this provision Is $500 fine for
each excess passenger. The vessel bringing
an emigrant is made responsible for a head
tax OF 50, which he Is required to pay,
agents OF foreign governments excepted. In
tending emigrants are to prove good charac-
ter three months prior to embarkation before
United States consul, who is to receive no
fee for the certificate. This certificate is only
presumptive evidence. 1t is made obligatory
on common carriers to notify United States
officials before landing of the number of
aliens on board. The Secretary of the Treas
ury is given power to carry out the provision
OF the act, andCrcuit and District courts are
given jurisdiction of cases under it.
The committee says: "The time has now
come to draw the line, to select the good from
the bad. This country cannot properly assim-
Hate the immigration now coming to our
shores. Take the class of persons known as
Anarchists, for instance. Germany and Eng
land made 1t SO uncomfortable for them that
they came to the United States. Here they
have proven lawless. turbulent class. They
hold any law in contempt which does not
meet with their individual appreciation, and
believe disobedience to it is perfectly justif-
able. This class of persons, in the Judgment
OF the committee, ought to be rigIdly exclud-
ed from entering this country The class of
inning grants wlV have iatciy bucu Imported
and employed in the coal regions of this
country are not such as would make desira-
BILE inhabitants of the United States. They
are of very low order Of intelligence.
They do not come here with
the intention of becoming citizens. Their
whole purpose is to accumulate, by parSim-
onious, rigid and unhealthy economy, sum
of money, and then return to their native
land. They live in miserable sheds like
beasts; the food they eat is so meagre, scant.
and revolving that it would
nauseate and disgust an American work
man, and he would find it difficult to sustain
life uponit. Their habits are vicious and
their customs are disgusting. They have
been brought here in such numbers, and
have been employed at such low wages, that
1t has resulted in their replacing the Ameri-
can citizen who formerly performed this
class of labor, until now there are compara-
lively few Americans engaged in mining
coal in Pennsylvania. The agents of steam
ship companies In portions of Europe have
been active in inducing immigration to this
country through false representations"