St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-12-01
LODGE SOOTHING SYRUP.
Henry Cabot Would Regulate I'm
migration.

mISfaC1Ous
WASHINGTON, Nov. 3O.-Mr. Lodge,
of Massachusetts, will introduce to-
morrow, in the house, bill to regulate
immigration. The first section of the
bill excludes from the United States any
person who is obnoxious in any way to
the existing laws of the United States,
including what is known as the "aien
contract labor law. The main point,
however, of the proposed bill is in the
succeeding sections, which require that
every immigrant shall obtain a certifi-
cate from some consul or diplO-
matte representative of the United
States. and that without such
certificate he cannot land in this
country. The certificate thus required
certifies that the holder is a person of
good character, not obnoxious to any
law of the United States. self-support-
ing, not assisted by charity or otherwise
to emigrate, and able to read and write
his native language and to read the con-
stitution of the United States, either in
his native language or in English. To
this consular certificate the law re-
quires that medical certificate testify
ing to the physical and mental sound
ness of the holder be appended. These
certificates are to he verified and exam
ined by the port officers of the United
States, by whom they shall be copied,
and, after Endorsement, returned to the
holder. Any alien who arrives
in the country after the passage
of this law will be required when he
applies for naturalization to present this
consular certificate. indorsed by the
port officers, or certified copy. This
provision, of course, is intended to pro-
tect the honest immigrant and to pre-
vent persons who have evaded the law
and entered the country fraudulently or
illegally from benefiting by their fraud.
COnSuls and diplomatic representatives
are not permitted by this bill to issue
certificates except on due proof of all
the facts certified. Except small fee
for certfication no tax is imposed upon
the immigrant: but the railroad, steam
ship and otner transportation companies
are required to pay So for each immi-
grant landed, in order to provide a fund
for the execution of the law. ANY of
these companies which lands or at
tempts to land immigrants in violation
of the act is required to return
such persons to the country from
which they came and is also subject to
heavy fine for each infraction of the
law. The purpose of the bill is two
fold. 1t is intended, first, to regulate
immigration, and. secondly, to restrict
it by excluding all undesirable persons.
1t seeks to shut out the diseased, the
pauperS. those liable to become a pub
lie charge, and the illiterate, as we'll as
those who, as already provided by law,
are hostile to the government and con-
stitution Of the United States. With
this object the certificate is made thor
ough and definite in its requirements.
The law Is intended to exclude no hen
est immigrant who is really desrous of
becoming, IL good faith, an inhabitant
and citizen of the United States, but to
shut out those who are not desirable
persons and whose coming causes an
unfair competition in the labor market
and consequent reduction of wages,
and who are not beneficial to the clti-
Zenship of the United States. The bill
is framed to secure rigid enforcement
of Its provisions.