Omaha daily bee., 1889-10-08
THE IuuIGRaTION QUESTION

To the next congress another attempt
is to be made to place further restric-
tions upon immigration. Washington
advices state that about fifty men are
pre- pairing bills on this subject, and that
when congress convcnes i'll December
general scramble is likely to ensue
for precedence. in the matter OF propo-
sitions to restrict immigration. Mem
oers OF both houses of congress who
have travelled oyer the United States or
visited Europe during the past summer
are said to have formed the opinion that
there is greater necessity than ever for
further legislation on the subject OF
foreign Immigration. Meanwhile sem
timent in this direction is being worked
up IN the east and will be brought to
bear upon congress with all possible
force.
The plans OF the advocates Of further
restricting immigration are varions and
not entirely harmonious. Some are in
favor of abolishing the head tax now
levied by the government and throwing
all the responsibility upon the steam
ship companies. These argue that
if it is wrong to permit the i'm
migration of Objectionable persons 1t
should not be countenanced under any
circumstances, and it is therefore u
| disgrace to charge fifty cents q head, as
| is now done, for all foreigners who come
| to this country. Others urge that the
| head tax on immigrants should be in
| creased, both for the purpose of restrict
| ing the importation of undesirable
| persons and for the purpose OF defray-
| ing the necessary expenses OF enforcing
| the laws on this subject. Some members
| of congress sug gest that law shall be
prepared which will place the entire
| responsibility for the immigration of
| improper persons upon the steamship
companies, and that the fines collected
for violation of the law on the part of
| the companies shall go into general
| fund to defray the expenses of enforcing
the law. Still another suggestion is
that there should be q law requiring
every immigrant, under penalty of be-
| ing sent back. to provide himself with
a certificate from the American con-
sui nearest to the town, village
or hamlet from which he comes.
such document to certify that so
far as the consul can ascertain the i'm
migrant Is a fit aud proper person to be
received in America, and in addition
to this the immigrant on landing should
be subjected to as thorough an exami :
nation as is practicable to determine
his fitness. A probationary period for
the immigrant Is another suggestion,
and there are many more. In order
that the laws may be more strictly en-
forced, it is proposed that there Shall
be bureau of immigration
with headquarters mt Washing.
ton, endowed largely with the
right OF Independent action
and more closely allied to the state thar
to the treasury department.
Most of these ideas We're incorporated
IN measures introduced in the last con
gress, and they will doubtless be re
newed with many added, when the fifty
congressman who are preparing immi
grafton restriction bills thrust thei
measures upon the attention Of the mex
congress. Meantime it will be well IL
consider the actual facts of the situa
tion which must confront the hostility
to immigration. These are that tn,
present year will show large com
parative decrease in the number or i'm
migrants to the United States; that tn,
general character OF the years immi
grafton is Of higher average standar,
than that of most years for at least the
last decade; that the tendency is mani
festly toward improvement, and tina
the marked diversion OF European emf
grafton TO the countries OF South Amer
lea, which are attracting it by liberia
inducements, is likely to continu'
and increase. Whence comes tn
demand for restriction upo
immigration not already i'm
posed by existing lawsY Certainly no
from the new states, which desire to in