Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-20
THE IMMIGRATION PROBLEM.
Hearing Before the Congressional Com
mittees This Morning.

THE IMMIGRATION PROBLEM.
Hearing Before the Congressional COM
mittees This Morning.
REPRESENTATIVES, OF THE sERMAN-ANERIcAN
SOCIETIES HEARD-EDIroR RosEwArER AND
MEssRs BARTHoLpT AND WOLF HEARD-IHEY
WANT NO CHANGE IN EXISTING LAWS.
hearing was given this morning by the
committees of the House and Senate on immi-
grafton and naturalization, sitting jointly, to
persons opposed to change in the laws on these
subjects. Mr.. Edward Rosewater, editor OF
the Omaha Bee, was the first speaker.
He said he represented number of German
and other societies in the west and he proposed
to tell the committee of the views they held.
de reviewed the history of immigration since
the Declaration of Independence and stated
that the question naturally followed: ITO what
extent shall the right of immigratian be e1-
tended or abridged by the United States?"
THE RATIO OF IMMIGRATION DECREASING.
Mr. Rosewater said that at present the ratio
OF immigration to the population is decreasing.
In the past thirty-three years s,639, ,635 Immi-
grants had landed at New York The time had
not yet come, he said, when immigration
should be restricted. He himself was born in
Bohemia, his brothers in America. He was a.
good as they; the accident of birth in this
country did not make them any better than he.
This pride in birthplace. he said, was q sur
vival of barbarous fanaticism
THE PAUPER LABoRERs OF EUROPE
transplanted to America, Mr.. Rosewater said,
were generally supposed to iniure the interests
OF American laboring people. This, he con-
tended, was not the case. When the pauper
laporers reach here their condition changes;
their wants are larger: and in consequence they
become greater consumers. Native Americans
the heavier kinds Of labor, and
these immigrants are needed to take
their place. There had been a great deal of
criticism. Mr.. Rosewater said, against the COM
ing in OF Italians For one, he had tender
feeling for Italy and Italians Christopher Co
lumbus WAS an Italian; the people of that ma
tionality were cultivated in the arts and
sciences hundreds of years before America had
been thought of. He believed in
THE APPLICATION OF THE GOLDEN RULE
in our relations with people of other nations.
People who believed there was something
wrong with the machinery of governments
were classed as socialists, and therefore under
the terms of the bills before the committee de-
MED admlttance to the United States. Bellamy
and Henry George were socialists. holding opin-
ions radically at variance with the principles
OF our form Of government. The latter thinks
and says that il is not wrong to hold these
opinions. MIR. Rosewater asked what would be
the eject upon treaties we have in force now
with other countries by change in our nat
uralization laws. Would it not involve us un-
pleasantly with the governments of those coun-
tries?
MR.. CHANDLER EXPLAINS THE INTENTION OF THE
COMMITTEE.
Mr.. Rosewater was going on to argue against
the termination of immigration Of desirable
persons, especially Scandinavians when he was
interrupted by Chairman Chandler, who stated
that 1t was not the purpose of any member of
the committee, SO far as he knew. to pro-
pose or favor the passage OF any bill that
would prevent the immigration OF anv class of
persons likely to prove desirable citizens. He
asked Mr.. Roswater to state if he was opposed
to the regulation OF immigration so as to ex-
Guide undesirable immigrants or to any
change in the immigration laws
THINKS THERE is ENOUGH Law NOW.
Mr.. Rosewater said he believed that the
present laws on the statute books were sufficient
for all practical purposes to keep out un-
desirable classes. All that was needed was
more rigid administration of the laws, a closer
inspection at the ports OF entry. Every
class that WAS sought to be excluded by the
bills before the committee was already ex-
ciuded by existing laws.
THE aERMAN-AMERICAs soclETY's PROTEST.
Richard Bartholdt who was chairman of the
conference of delegates Of German American
societies which met in Washington this week.
was the next speaker He read first the pro-
test adopted by that body agains. the passage
OF any and all measures now pending In Con-
gress designed to materially change the present
national laws on immigration and naturaiiza-
ton. As some OF the many reasons the follow
ing are given In the protest:
First. These proposed measures are fraught
m fha
spirit which caused the founders of this repub-
Tic to rise III rebellion against British tyrant
and to hurl at him the following indictment:
"He has endeayored to prevent the population
OF these states. for that purpose obstructing
the iaws.for naturalization OF foreigners. refus-
ing to pass others to encourage their migration
hither and raising the conditions OF new appro-
priatons Of lands"
Second. The industry, thrift and honest in
telligence OF the immigrant have for more than
hundred years past been a chief factor in de-
veloping the mineral, agricultural. commercial
and industrial resources of this country and in
raising 1t to its present proud position among
the nations of the world
Third. The patriotic devotion Of those who
have in the last century emigrated to our land
and acquired right Of citizenship among Us
has been such as to win proud place in its
history. What right have we to assume that
the character of those to come under a contin-
ued liberal policy of immigration will be one
POI uCic io"ct tiidu Vi tuOse VINO came before!
Fourth. The proposed change of the natural
izatiOn laws as embodied in bills now pending
in Congress must be regarded as uncalled for
and mischievous deviation from the policy
first established under Washington's admins
tratiou. Not merely should We encourage
those who have cast their fortunes
among US to soon become loyal members
of our body polite, but the very existence of
large bodies Of unnaturalized residents would
seem to constitute menace to our institutions
Love OF free country can best be bred in men
by securing to them the full and early enjoy
ment of its privileges and blessings
Fifth. The scheme proposed of the emigrant
inquisition through our consular and govern
ment representatives abroad is impracticable.
1t will aid the undesirable merely and deter
the good. No European government will as
sist in retaining its bad elements and forward
ing the desirable. Besides a system of espion-
age like this is odious and degrading, mas
much as it promotes blackmailing and corrup-
ton.
Sixth. Our existing laws, il rigidiy and hon.
estly enforced, afford ample protection against
all undesirable and criminal immigration; but
no such system of laws now proposed can be
enacted without violating the fundamental
principles of our national compact and dark
ening the brightest pages OF our national
history.