Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-11-22
UNDESIRABLE IMMIGRANTS.
Surgeon General Hamilton's Report--More
stringent Laws Advocated.

WASHINGTON, u. C, November ell
Surgeon-General Hamilton has made
report 10 the Secretary OF the Treasury
giving the results of visits paid by him
to the principal foreign ports of embar-
katiOn of immigrants bound for the
United States. He said he visited the
ports Of Naples, London, Liverpool,
Glasgow, Bremen, Trieste and Hamburg
and found that there is at present no
SyStematical medical examination OF
emigrantS at any port Of embarkation.
IL may positively be asserted without
fear OF successful contradiction that
the immigrants bound to the United
States are not generally required 10 un-
dergo proper inspection. DIR.
I Hamilton SAYS: 80 far as
my observation extends and so
far as can learn from the literature on
this subject, there IS no country in the
world in which citizenship is so cheaply
obtained Is in the United States. The
general question of restrictive measures
As against the incoming mass Is one Of
the most important that can be conSid-
cred from an economic or political
standpoint, and viewed from an Ameri
can standpoint there is no doubt that the
welfare Of the country demands more
restrictive measures than the present
laws seem 10 be able TO furnish.
The advocacy of restrictions upon i'm
migration does not necessarily imply
hostility to foreigners, nor legislation
adverse to the interests of those natur-
allied citizens now in this country. On
the contrary, il is believed TO be for the
general interest Of those now on the soil,
who, having been invested with the
rights of citizenship are entitled to all
the protection that our laws can give,
and il is i'm their interest not less OF the
natural born citizen that further influx
Of persons not bringing skilled labor or
material wealth 10 the country should
be restricted. II ought to be privil-
eye % be an American citizen and as
naturalization is gratuitouS cOnceS-
sion to the immigrant, the immigrant
should be of such char
acter, morally, intellectually and
physically aS would make him
more or less valuable addition to the
body polite, and IL would appear the
least the immigrant could do in return
for this concession would be To render
cheerful obedience and conformity to
the laws Of his adopted country. But
in many instances this has not been the
experience. We witness in New Or !
leans, and Chicago for instance, the fact |
that certain natiOnalitieS insist on main /
tanning their murderouS assassination |
societies, and putting them in practice |
on our own soil in cOntravention OF our |
laws and of the public peace, and this /
leads 10 the conclusion that the class OF 1
has changed from the |
classes Of former times. 1t is fact
that most foreign countries do not en-
courage emigration 10 the United States,
or. If il is encouraged, il is OF class
they can well afford 10 spare.
During the last six years under the
operations OF existing law the vast num-
ber OF >, 1866, 97G immigrants has arrived
On our shores. was unable TO find
anv evidence of assisted emigration eX-
rept to Canada where, under certain
the emigrantS are assist
ed. And as the influx in the United
States is less closely watched than that
from Europe direct, it is possible that
many of those assisted emigrantS may
find their way into the Udlted States
through Canadian channels. He recon-
mends that more vigorous measures
,hould be adopted at the different ports
Df entry to shut out all criminal classes
and also closer examination be made IN
regard 10 infectious diseases.