The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-07

usual interest Is reprinted In contravenIlou OF
the practice of the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES on &C
count of large number OF requests which nave
been made for SO doing. Several minor errors
in the article as first published have been cor
fected.1
SEATTLE, June 8, 1891.
To THE EDITOR: Many of my CO.
iaborers and union associates nave ques-
toned me as to my opinion of the contin-
nous outpouring of the scum Of Europe
into this country. l presume that be-
cause of the fact that I was born and
reared in Galicia, province in Austrian
Poland, whence the most Objectionable
immigration is derived, and further, per-
hans. owing to the fact that my friends
know that allow no man TO question my
patriotism to this, my adopted country,
they wish to know my opinion on this
question wish to reply TO my fellow
worKingmen through the medium of the
public press.
In my opinion the most important pub
lie question and the one nearest 10 the.
heart of all the people is the question
of unrestricted immigration. am aware
that in making the above statement am
antagonizing nearly all the isms, and con-
sequently the leaders of these isms will de-
spise me for belittIing their various pet
salvation schemes, but since | am not
blessed with sufficient greatness to be
leader and am supporting myself and fam
ily by actual toll, can well afford to ex-
press myself in opposition TO the advo-
Gates of single tax, fiat money. govern
ment pawnshops, socialism. anarchisfn or
any other ism.
An intelligent discussion of the subject
resolves itself naturally into considera-
ton of three questions: l, Is the present
influx of the worst elements of the popu-
Iation Of Europe to this country an evil?
2, what is its nature? and 5, how can it be
remedied?
As to the firrt question, is it an evil?
answer yes! Because the same reasons
that this country has for the protection of
its industries, ii has to protect its industrial
masses and since nearly everyone acknowl-
edges that immigration should be re-
stricted and both great political parties
have passed some restriction laws and had
congressional committees inquire into the
matter, proves beyond all doubt that my
answer to the first question is correct.
The second question needs analysis be-
fore we can arrive at any conclusions. !
am not at all alarmed at the quantity of
our immigration, but | am exceedingly
alarmed at the quality. ! hold that this
country is large enough to support ten
times its present population, but its re-
sources need development, and to do
this we need men and women not only
Of strong muscles, but also of well-bal-
anced and independent minds. In this
country we have no monarch to do our
thinking, to spend our earnings, to build
for US penitentiaries and insane asylums,
10 arrange war for US to kill us off when
ever there happens to be too many of us.
No. We must do our own thinking; in
word, the people must do everything, and
Consequently the people must be free and
not slaves, like the present immigrants
are.
But are European immigrants slaves?
Let us see My readers will
understand that | am treating a gen.
eral matter which admits of singul ar ex-
captions. Not one in twenty of the emf
grants get TO this country through their
own exertions. that is, pay their own fares.
Let us take the three Polands; namely,
Austrian, Prussian and Russian, Italy, Bel
GUM, Hungary, Bohemia and part of
Sweden and we have pretty well covered
the held from which the objectionable inn
migration is derived. The steerage fare
frcm these countries to New York is at
least SIS of American money. The wages
earned by a common laborer and low
grade mechanic in these countries does
not exceed 40 cents per day. VIII some of
my readers kindly figure out how much
man can save from 40 cents
when he has to board, lodge and clothe
himself and then how long will it take
TO save up $25 or $50. Unfortunately for
as the men that save that amount of
money do not come here because of two
reasons: First, he is considered rich, and
prefers to enjoy his good fortune at home;
second. ailurements to marriage are so
plentiful that man with a good coat on
his back and $25 in his pockets can hardly
escape it, and once married his chances of
paying his and his famiIy's fares to Ameri-
ca are very slim indeed.
general impression prevails, especially
among the workingmen, that these immi-
grants are wholly brought out by Amer
lean corporations, and while | am very
sorry to come in collision again with
many of the speech-making labor leaders.
inasmuch as | am about TO rob them of
the very text of their speeches, Icannot
help it-truth must prevail The immi-
grants are not generally imported bv cor
porations. Ii may be true in isolated
cases, but from an actual knowledge of
European emigration / assert unhesitat
lngly that the emigrant does not get here
by corporation aid But how does he get
hereP He cannot save enough TO nav his
own fare. Corporations do not bring him
over, the steamship companies do not
give him passage for nothing. Then how
does he get here2 One emigrant simplv
pays the fare of the other. Permit me to
explain: In all of the large Eastern
cities, as also in San Francisco. Den.
yer and Omaha. We have a class of people.
no matter their nationality, it is
,,namaserial to this argument" that are too
,a]y work, too ignorant to do legitimate
BUSINESS, but they are always on the alert
70 neece the unsophisticated and the
,o,'lnueo Improvements in trans
'4ausic steam navigation have created a
very neree competition amongst the steam
sup INES For this reason these usurers
ouy from the transatlantic steamship com.
pa,hes' s'ecrage tickets, including railroad
.cAe's from and to points inland. for from
fio 10 SAo each, at wholesale rates. Then
.hey oesiege the emigrant in the workshop.
An 'le railroad yards, in fact. eyervwhere
'hey can ma him, and there the rascalitv
commences. First let us analyze the
immigrants condition of mind ne
arrived recently and obtained EN-.
p'oyment at what seems to him
magnificent rate of wages ba.a,,ss,
the least he gets in this country !. 81 os