River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-01-24
TIME FOR A CHANGE.

rue immigration Laws Permit Europe to
MAKE OF Amer ca "A Dumping Ground
Tor Her seum-Report of the Ford Tn
vestigating Committee-A Iiu Designed
To Meet the Evil introduced In Con-
gress.
WASHINGTON. Jan. sl.--The following is
synopsis Of the immigration bill intro
iaced IN the House Saturday by Mr. Ford,
IF NJ chigan:
The first section prohib Is the admission into
ne United States OF any person who IS an
dloI insane. pauper OF liable 10 become a
public charge: Or who has been legally con-
1eted OF felony other Infamous crime or
nlsdemeanor, involving moral turpitudc; OF
Hho IS Toygamist, Anarchist or So
,ialist, or who is afflicted with any
oathsome disease or who has entered
nto contract express or implied, oral or
Sritte1, 10 perform labor or service FOR any
person, hrm. company or corporation IN the
Nntted States, or doing bus ness here, or whose
passage Is paid on promise OF labor. II also
srov ces that alien laborers others than those
excepted by the Contract Labor law shall
aot be permitted 70 labor for mited time
with the intention OF returning. The sec
son excerpts professors "a universities
and sters from its prohibit on. The
second section declares u 20 be a INSIDE
neanor for such objectionable persons 10 come
uto the United States or foi any person 70
.
seeding 400 and Imprisonment for three
gears Is provided in such cases. Prosecution
nay be commenced within two years alter III ;
comm ssion OF tae oiense. and the alien may
De returned wi ia two years 20 his couniry at
he expense OF the transportation company or
u the United States. Section three limits the
carriage OF incoming passenger vessels 10 one
pass niger Cor every five tons burden
If the ship, excepting children under
1ne year OF age. and counting those
between aud years of age as one passenger
oation OF the provision is made punishable
y q fine OF not exceeding 800 for each passen-
ger IN excess OF the allow nee The fourth sec
lion proposes TO levy tax OF five dollars on
every alien coming into the Ia ted States
which IS 10 be paid to the collector OF the near
st port by the transportation agent or master
IF the vessel d plomat representa-.
lives, Cousuls or agents of the for
gn Governments are excepted. THIS
section also creates an annual appropriation 10
tefray the expenses OF the eX cution OF the act
Section requires an intendI Y emlgrant 70
The Z asted States TO possess a ceriiti ate from
iUnited States q plomatfc represe ltative or
Consul near residence Issued alter
an examination into his character without
fee, Out this certificate is not TO be con.
elusive evidence OF the right OF the
person to come into the Tn ted States
1or relieve masters OF vessels OF responsible ".
,eis OF ia lroad trains coming into The United
sta es to port to the collector OF the port or
lis agent the number, national ~ d cOndi-
ton OF foreign passengers d comp re their
certificates. Passen gers may be landed tenn
porarily awaiting inspection, and the only ap-
zeal from the collectors dec sion shall be TO the
secretary of the Treasury. In the seventh a ID
ighth sections the 5 cre airy OF the Treasury
3 charged W tn the duty OF supervis ng immi
grafton, authorized to make rules and con-
tracts and employ assistants, not to exceed
three insI ectors at any one port at a salary of
between 1850 and s4.O0J. and TO use United
states property and reservations The last
section vests full jurisd elton IN United States
Circuit and District courts, IN all cases arts ny
under the act, which is TO take effect July
1ext
Chairman Ford says that after invest ga
lions pursued in New York Boston, Detroit
and Pittsburgh the committee is convinced
that the law is openly violated and is made
luate. Speak ng Of Castle Garden the report
says: THE committee visited Castle Garden
On several occasions and witnessed the ar
rival and inspection of immigrants, and il was
very obv Gus to them that il WIS almost i'm.
poss BILE TO properly inspect the large number
Of persons who arrive daily during the
ming ant season, with the facili-
ties afforded, and the testimony taken
puts it beyond question that large numbers Of
persons not full, Y entitled to land in the United
states are annually rece we'd at tn port In
fact, one Of the Comm SIS O7ers OF linn gra.
lion himself testified that the local admin.
STRAIT on of affairs at Castle Garden, by
the method and system now followed, was q
perfect farce"
The committee says: ITO any person fam'l-
AR with the results Of the comm ttee' 5 invests
gat on it must be apparent that this country
san not properly assimlate the immigration
aow coming to our shores"
Criminals are shipped TO the United States
BY officials OF foreign gOvernmeu It's, and they
nave persisted in this course after having
oeen requested by our Government TO discon-
tnue IT,
or the Contract Labor law tire report says
that II is easily evaded to large extent in
sp rit, while the letter is usually observed.
Chinese immigration was not investigated for
,ack Of time.
Respect ing Anarchists the report says:
These sorderly persons dc not come here
TO uphold al d maintain our form OF govern
nent. Their object and purpose is TO destroy
ana tear il to pieces. This class OF ersons, IN
he Judgment of the committee. ought 10 be
rgdly excluded from e1teri e this country"
Generally speaking the class of immigrants
who have lately been imported ana employed
N the coal regions OF this country are not
-uch, In the opin on OF the committee, as
would make desirable inhabitants OF the
United States. They are OF low order Of in.
Tell gence. They do not come here with the
Intention OF becom ng citizens their whole
purpose be ng to accumulate by rarsimonious,
rigid and unhealthy economy a sum OF
money and then return to the native
land They live like beasts in miserable
sheds; the food thew eat SO meager, scant
IN wholesome aud revolving that il would
nauseate ana disgust an American workman.
and he would find 80 difficult 10 sus
tain life upon i. They lave be-r
brought here In such numbers and
have been employed at such low
wages thatit has resu ted n their replacing
the American citizens who formerly performed
III s class of labOr, until HOW there are com
paratively few Americans engaged in mining
coal in Pennsylvania. The agents of the
steamship companies in portions Of Europe
have been active in inducing, encouraging ane
stimulating immigration to this country
through false Representations"
The report condemns the practice which has
prevailed among certain foret gners resident in
this couqt OF import ng men for the purpose
II contracting them on railroad works anc
keep ng them In a state Of almost abjec
slavery Reference is also made TO the daily
,rossing Of Canadian laborers, II being OWL
that about 500 Canadian carpenters daily labor
N Detroit while the same number of Ameri
cans lie idle for lack OF employment.
In conclusion the committee says:
Certainly the effect OF the unrestricted sys
tenn OF irnm graf on, as Applicable to the con
ditions under consideration upon the indus
n al situation OF tn country has been had
and the committee believe that the time has
come when the immigration tax should be
more efectually regulated; that persons thai
MN CRATE to the United States should at least
be composed of those who in good IA tn desire
70 become its citizens and are worthy to bt
such"