The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1890-11-27
OFFICIAL REPORTS.
RESTRICTION OF ImmIoRArIoN.
Surgeon General Hamilton's Repors TO
Secretary window.

Washington, Nov. H.-Surgeon General
Hamilton has made a report TO the Secretary
of the Treasury, giving the results Of visits
paid by him to the principal foreign ports OF
embarkation Of immigrants bound for the
United States.
He says he visited the ports Of Naples,
London, Liverpool, Glasgow, Bremen,
Trieste and Hamburg, and found that there
is at present no systenatical medical exami-
nation Of immigrants al any port of en-
barkation.
''Some Of our steamship lines" he says,
require their surgeons TO make a prelimin-
ary examination. which, however, in no
case compares with the examinations made
at New York by the officers Of the Marine
Hospital service, as the epurposes are entirely
different, the purpose Of the steamship com
pany being TO pass, all that can be passed,
while the purposes of the Marine Hospital
inspection are to report TO the Superinten-
dent all cases thas are likely TO become a
public charge from permanent disability CT
present disease. 1t may be positively as
serted, without fcaf Of successful Contradic-
ton, that the immigrants bound to the
United States are not generally required to
undergo proper inspection"
Dr. Hamilton further says $50 far as my
observations extend, and so far as can
learn from the literature on this subject
there is no country in the world in which
citizenship is 50 cheaply obtained as in the
United States. The general question of re-
strictive measures rs against the incoming
mass is one Of the most important that can
be considered from an economic or political
standpoint, and, viewed from an American
standpoint, there is no doubt that the
welfare of the country demands more
restrictive measures than the present
laws seem to lie able to furnish.
The advocacy of restrictions upon immigra-
tions does not necessarily imply hostility to
foreigners, nVt legislation adverse to the in
terests of those naturalized citizens now in
this country. On the contrary, IL is believed
to he 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 in their interest not less of the natural
born citizen that further influx of persons
not bringing skilled labor or material
wealth to the country should be restricted.
1T is suggested that the law be amended
to provide that any person intending to emf
crate TO the United States shall produce, TO
the United States Consul nearest him, evil
dence from the proper local authorities satis-
factory tS the Consul that he has not been
convicted Of any crime; that he has not any
time been a public charge in the country
whence he comes, nor has he at any time re.
ceived public assistance; and, further, that he
also produce to the Consul certificate from
a legally qualified resident physician TO the
effect that such emigrantis at the time suffer
Ing from no contagious or epidemic disease
or disability such as would make him pub.
lie charge; that on the production of these
certificates TO the onsul, he shall issue to
the intending immigrant his certificate"