The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-06-12
RESTRICTING IMMIGRATION.

There was a time when we desired a
large immigration from Europe. We
were not particular as to who came. I'm
migrants are desirable now, but we have
| more choice in the matter. We had in
the earlier periods of immigration a bet
ter class of immigrants. BY degrees
they have grown worse. The authori.
Ties OF the countries of the old world
nave discovered that it is good policy to
dump their paupeTs and petty criminals
into this country. This practice is in
creasing our burdens and iniurinp the
peace and prosperity of society. In 1880
we had very few paupers. Since that
period they have not only increased
rapidly, but that class which is only one
stage removed from paupers has grown
enormously. The coming in OF a large
class of poor labOrers not only depresses
prices, 1T increases the number of idle
workmen. 1t becomes necessary to do
something to protect our industrial in
terests. 1t is no good to us to place du-
ties upon certain classes of goods manu-
iactured by the pauper labor of Europe
SO that we can help our own laborers if
that pauper labor is coming over here to
compete with our laborers We defeat
the end we seek. During the present
season thus far, there has been a larger
immigration than usual, and this immi-
grafton has been of most undesirable
class.
1t was thought that the trouble in
New. Orleans might check the Italian
Immigration but it does not seem to have
produced that effect. On the other hand
tlere mas been steady increase of these
most undesirable immigrants. Our i'm
mlnr1ntg 70, ho r -
the Southern nations of Europe. We do
not want any more of this class How
shall we stop them? We have done
something toward checking the Chinese
Immigration and there is nothing to pre-
vent applying the same methods to check
that from other countries. We have
laws regulating these matters and what
we need is a more stringent enforcement
OF them. This matter has aroused the
attention OF the government and meas
ures are being taken to ascertain the
true state of affairs. DR.. Foster, the new
Secretary of the tTeasury,is looking after
the enforcement of the law. A commits
sion has been appointed, consisting of
Hon. Chas. II. GrosvenOr of Ohio, DR..
Walter II. Kempster of Wisconsin and
Joseph Powderly of Pennsylvania to 90
to Europe and during the coming sum
mer study into the question of immigra-
ton, ascertain how far governments and
municipalities are engaged in sending
undesirable classes to this country.
From what they have been able to
learn before going to Europe they can
make some startling disclosures. Steam
ship companies are evidently in collu-
sion with civil authorities and bring
paupers and poor at very cheap rates
and call it a good stroke of business.
They have already been compelled to
take back some of their passengers. 1t
is plain that the authorities at our vari-
GUS ports of entry under instructions
from Washington are looking after this
business more sharply than heretofore.
Whether any appreciable measure of
success will attend these efforts remains
to be seen. There are so many party in
terests involved, this raw material is so
quickly manufactured into voters that it
is the rather sought after than turned
aside. Party leaders may change their
tactics, however, when the rank and file
discover that the incoming multitudes
are taking the bread and butter out of
their mouths.
Let us look at the statistics of immi-
grafton for April: $1,000 foreigners
landed at our ports; this is 10000 more
than came in the corresponding month
of last year OF these 5000 were Ger
mans, 1900 Italians and 1900 Slavs.
The United States consul at Gibraltar re-
ports that during the past four months
2O,O65 Italian immigrants have touched
at that port on their way to this coun-
try, while the consul at Naples writes
under recent date that there is an un-
do ,NnI I,
this, and that some districts are becom-
ing almost depOpulated of men in conse-
quencc Some who sought homes in
South America were dissatisfied and
turned back, but for some reason they
take altogether too kindly to us.
We are in danger of being Overrun by
a new army of barbarians, even though
we have an ocean between us and the
breeding place of these migratory
swarms. The thing for us to do is to en-
force the legislation that we now have
until the assembling of Congress, and
then insist that Congress shall do some
thing to check what has already become
a great evil and which unchecked will
grow into mOnstrOus proportions. We
believe in Americans ruling America.
We have so large population that its
natural increase will soon fill up the
country. If the census of 1900 should
not show the increase of a single soul
above the present number, we believe
the country would be much better off
than it now is. We should have res
pite during which we could mould into
civilized condition portion of the ma
terial that now burdens us. We must
push the gates together, put up the bars,
fill the moat and take up the drawbridge
and save ourselves from the enemy that
creeps in under the insignia of peace
West Randolph Herald and NeloS.