Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-31
euENTHER's MINORITY REPORT.

| WASHINGTON, Jan. 30.-Representative
| Guenther of the select committee to
inquire into the importation of contract
| laborers, etc, presents the following
minority report on the importation bill:
1.-The undersigned thinks that large
number of people who now fill our poor
houses, insane asylums, hospitals and
other charitable institutions, as well as
the hordes of most ignorant. most
wretched, and least desirable people
of certain parts of EurODe, who now
crowd some of our largest cities, and
whose presence enables selfish employers of
labor to force and keep down the wages OF
American labOrers, both native and adopt
ed, should never have been admitted to
land in the United States. He is, how
ever of the opinion that no law should be
passed to lessen the immigration of in
dustrious, law-abiding people who come
here in good faith with the intention of
making this country their home,
who bring their families with
them, and who in due course
OF time, become useful and valua-
when every appropriated mind must adj
nit that that class OF immigrants for the
las. fifty years has been one of the main
causes of our uneXampled prosperity in
every field of industry and enterprise. The
undersigned opposes any measure that
would unnecessarily annoy the desirable
immigrant, but he is III favor of
all such measures as would most
likely result in excluding all such
foreign elements whose coming is not
a benefit to our country, but rather the OPP
posite He is of the opinion that eXemn-
ton from the contract labor law should
apply to professors In colleges and schools
generally, and TO all teachers and tutors.
and not only to professors in universities.
The penalty for any violation of the pro-
visions Of this act should apply to all per-
sons, citizens of the United States in
Guided, and not only to aliens
He should strike out the third sec
ton of the bill, requiring that no YES
sci shall transport more than one
passenger to every five registered tons
The act of August =, 1882, known
as the passenger act Of 1882, regulating the
carriage of passengers by sea, makes pro-
visions not only for the comfort, sanitary
condition, food, treatment OF immigrants,
but also to the minimum amount of space
to be allotted to each. This law has worked
well, and the undersigned IS not aware of
any complaint that its provisions are not
adequate from either moral, Sanltarian
or humanitarian standpoint, and can con-
ceive of no good reason why this law
should be changed. The proposed legisla-
ton would simply tend TO restrict lmmi-
grafton with regard TO the number of i'm
migrants coming, but not as TO their de-
STABILITY or undesirability. The fourth
section provides for head money tax of
So 1t is evident to the mind OF the under
signed that 81 would be sufficient to meet
all the expenses required for carrying out
the laws regulating immigration. A head
money tax OF So is not high enough to re-
strict Immigration, but it would impose
quite a burden upon many worthy immi-
grants especially a family of five or six
persons, many gof such coming to this
country to settle upon farms in the west
or northwest. Why should the head of
sucha family be obliged to pay SIS or $50,
or more, into the ,overfowing treasury of
the UNITED States as an admission fee
when the people of many states stand
ready to receive him with open arms. The
undersigned is also IN favor of paying the
head tax, which he would fix at 81, into
a separate fund, with which the ex-
pense 10 carry out this law and
ever surplus accumulates should be used
for the benefit, comfort and protection of
immigrants. He does not believe that the
consular inspection as provided for in sec
ton affords the best and most practical
method for the purpose OF regulating i'm
migration. The additional duties that
would be imposed or our consuls and con-
sular agents would be such as 10 require q
considerable increase OF their clerical
force The immigration into our country
during the fiscal year 1887 was
546, $50. In 1852 it reached 7Ss, 392 Under
the proposed law it would become necss-
sary tor about eighty of our diplomatic
representatives, consuls and consular
agents TO make inquiries into the previous
and present physical condition of from
50O, 900 to 500, people per annum. How
they will be able TO obtain reliable iafor-
nation does not appear clear. The for
eign authorities might or might not fur
nish the same: they could suppress what
they would see fit. They might
pay no attention whatever to
inquiries made by our diplo-
matte or consular officers. What thens
The said officers would be obliged TO send
special messengers TO the places where ap-
plicants for consular certificates had re-
sided, which might be hundreds OF miles
away. Ii Is evident that If the spirit and
intent Of the proposed legislation were car
ried out so as TO make il OF practical
use, il would impose a large amount
of work and very great expense The I'm
Gersigned has therefore submitted a differ
eng method which he believes 10 lie more
simple aud practicable he believes that
the provisions contained therein would et-
fectually exclude just those foreign ele-
menrs that don't readily assimilate with
the American people
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