The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1891-05-15

Tie massacre of the Italian Malta at New
Orleans was an act of lawless violence
which our love Of law and order compels us
to denounce. Yet viewed In its various
aspects 1t presents some very startling sug-
gestions, and among these the condition OF
social and civil life In New Orleans, where
one organized gang of fereign cut-throats,
the very slum and filth of the earth should
subject, by lawless violence whole city to
their sway, and finally In pursuance Of their
plans, should deliberately murder its chief
of police. This surely was bad enough, but
vastly worse and more startling were the
facts that. Notwithstanding the appalling
nature OF the crime and the abundant alb
solute proof of it, yet so low are public
morals I'm New Orleans and so constantly
are the municipal laws administered In the
interest of crime and disorder, that 1t seem
ed sort of necessity that the people-the
mob, should execute swift punishment upon
the mlscreants which the constituted author
tiles, in their venality or otherwise, had
| failed to reach.
We should be proud and happy people
ii this condition of thiEgs existed only in
| New Orleans. But In more or less degree,
1t may be found in every city in the land.
Every careful observer has noticed with
what impunity mild evasions of law, what
outbreaks of disorder are tolerated even in
our quiet little city. Do you remember that
when the camel got his head into the win
dow by permission of its owner, he was soon
in possession of the whole shop? Have you
forgotten the other and more impressive
lesson that ''whie the husbandman slept
the enemy sOwed tares?"
But it seems possible, probable that some
good may come out of this sad affair. Pub
lie attention is attracted, as it has not beeh
for years, to the vast bulk and character of
our foreign immigration. 1t Is scarcely
possible to read any issue of the great dailies
without finding reference to and vigorous
protest against the European policy of
emptying their pO0rhOuses, hospitals and
prisons upon our shores. And L am con-
fident that within the past week, not less
than one hundred of this class have been
sent back. II this shall prove only the be-
ginning Of a persistent policy, widespread
and sweeping in its operation and wise and
beneficent in its effect, we may with some
reason hope that our children's children
shall dwell in peace and safety, in land Of
law and liberty.
But, while under the operations of law
recently passed by congress and taking
effect the first of April an hundred have
been sent back, ten thousand have remain
bulk of them two years hence to be helping
to determine the nature of our government
for the next four years. Some of them,
doubtless, intelligent, worthy people, whose
coming will be a help and a blessing to us,
but vast number of them ignorant,
visciOus, idle candidates for the poor house,
the Jail, the penitentiary.
The great majority of the criminals who
voluntarily or upon cOmpulsiOn leave Euro
pean ports, come to this country. AS long
ago as 1869-have no official statement of q
later date-Of forty-nine thousand persons
who were imprisoned for crime in this
country, thirty-twO thousand of them were
of foreign birth; almost two to one. If such
a terrible condition of things existed more
than twenty years ago when thugs and
anarchists and communists were scarcely
known, what is it likely to be at the present
time? The red flag of the murderOus an
archists parading the streets of Chicago
upon the Christian Sabbath, may afford
partial answer. The presence of these men,
in places of trust and and emolument every
where, may afford still farther answer to
this terrible question.
What are we doing, what do we propose
to do In view of these facts, the bare men
ton of which should make every lover of
this country and her free institutions tremble
with anxiety? / do not know what are the
provisions of the act of congress by which
one hundred of the worst among ten thou
sand have been sent back, but it is safe to
conclude that it Is entirely inadequate to
meet the present pressing necessity. | have
given the subject much thought and have
plan, crude and imperfect. of
course, but yet possibly basis upon which
to erect code of laws which may meet
this terrible exigency.
All persons who come to this country
should be protected by it, laws or subjected
to punishment for their violation. But no
such persons should be admitted to the right
of citizenship, no such person must be en-
trusted with the tremendous power of the
ballot till he has been here during ten years
of continuous residence. And as another
qualification, he should be able to speak, to |
read and to write the English language in
diligently. 1t may be urged that in the
case of aged people, who, by reason of fail |
ing memory, this requirement could not be
met, the same reason would prevent them |
from becoming sufficiently acquainted with |
our institutions to enable them properly to |
discharge the duties of citizenship. 1t |
should be farther provided that IL during |
these ten years of waiting. Of pupilage, he |
shall be convicted of grave penal offense, |
he shall at once be returned to the country |
from whence he came, and be forever de- |
barred from residence among us again.
This may seem harsh and unreasonable, |
and would be If Europe treated us fairly, !
but when it is clearly proven that the gov |
of those countries have persistent |
ly made this country the dumping ground |
for their dangerous and pauper classes, it |
may well become us to seek such remedies |
as the desperate nature of the disease de- |
mands. We have been fooled and deluded |
almost to the verge of ruin by the specious |
cry of manhood suffrage" Let us first de- |
termine who and lwhat the man shall be, |
before we put this tremendous engine of |
destruction into his hand.
There are other reasons why this move,
Or something similar, should be made at |
once. When this shall have been accom- |
plisheu, the occupation of the demagogue is |