Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-24
THE IMMIGRATION QUESTION.
Federal Supervision Has Kept Out Many
Thousand Undesirable Immigrants.
IAPERfEcTToNs IN THE PRESENT LAW THAT WILL
BE cAhLED TO THE ATTENTION OF coNGREss-
BAD EFFECTS OF THE SYSTEM OF TAXING
BoNDs-woRK OF TREASURY AGENTS.

Inc treasury Department il paving very
serious attention to the immigration question
ard has accomplished some reforms, though
efforts 10 keep paupers and criminals from
landing on our shores have been far from. a
complete success. 1t is said at the department
that the abrogaton of the contracts. with the
state boards Of immigration commissioners and
the placing of the responsibility for the en-
forcement OF the law in the hands OF federal
officials has resulted in keeping out many
thousand immigrants who would have been
permitted to land under the old system. There
still are, however. many gaps IN the law through
whlch objectionable Immigrants can get into
the country, III spite of the greatest diligence
Inc new law has been an improvement over
the old and the evidence of a serious intention
on the part of the United States 10 enforce it
has. 1t Is said at the department. led steamship
companies toeNcrcise more care and not TO take
passengers in foreign countries whom they
cannot land when they reach here. Reports
from abroad state that thousands of persons of
class which formerly made up a large pro-
portion OF the steerage passenger transportn-
uon are now refused passage on some of the
lines. 1t Is recognized by the department that
this question of immigration is one which de-
mands attention, and at the same time one
which must be handled with considerable deli
cacy. The report of the commission which was
sent abroad is awaited with interest, but from
work Will not be entirely satisfactory, largely,
doubtless, because ii is next to impossible for
nall dozen men to study the whole social
9! stem OF Europe SO as to come 20 an under
standing In three or four months of the condi-
ton OF the lower classes, who furnish the immi-
grants whom this government seeks to guard
against.
ADDITIONAL LEGISLATION To BE SOUGHT.
But whatever the work of the foreign COM
mission amounts to there will be an effort made
to get additional legislation this coming win
ter which will make more effective the work Of
the department. There are now some 400 OF
900 agents of the government working in one
way or another az guardians of our ports An
enort Is being made TO establish an effective
guard over the extensive boundary between this
country and Canada, which has been long prac-
tically unprotected. During this month an
agent away up in North Dakota has turned back
eleven undesirable Immigrants who went to
that point to steal into the country That
serves only as an evidence Of increasing ac-
tyity for the guarding of the boundary is still
very imperfect. The most effective service and
almost the only that lis effective is that at
the ports of New York and Philadelphia that
OF Philadelphia being the easiest and therefore
the best.
THE BONDING SYSTEM.
In spite of the best efforts Of the department
to restrict it, thousands of immigrants are landed
who clearly come within the prohibition Of the
law. and this is accomplished chiefly through the
system OF taking bonds that they will not be-
come charge upon public charity. Some time
ago the Attorney General rendered an opinion
that though immigrants might belong to one
of the prohibited classes they might be per-
mitted to land if they could furnish the neces-
sary bonds. Under this construction of the law
1t has been very easy for paupers to land, as
bonds are easily obtained, presumably for a
small consideration, which those assisting the
immigration are ready to pay, as the govern
ment never has and it is well understood never
will claim the forfeiture of any OF these bonds,
which are for the most part absolutely
without value. 1t is understood that quite a
thriving business is done by parties going on
the bonds of immigrants ana it seems that
great wealth Is not necessary for the business.
case has been discovered in Baltimore where
a man who has but 80 900 to his name Is on
bonds OF Immigrants to the amount of go 000
As long as this system of taking bonds for I'M
migrants who belong to the prohibited classes
Is continued it will be impossible TO effect the
purpose of the law.
The matter will be called to the attention of
Congress wLen the session begins and if the
abolition OF the system is accomplished it is
believed that 1t will result in very great re-
duction of the number of undesirable i'm
migrants.
CHINESE IMMIGRsrroy FROM CANADA.
A more serious question will be that of the
prevention of the immigration of Chinese
from Canada, who come, not as subjects Of his
celestial excellency, the Emperor of China. but
as British subjects. 1t is believed that the de-
cision of the court in which a test case was
tried declaring that Chinese coming from Cam
ada cannot be sent back to China cannot be
overthrown. as it is obvious that as the govern
ments jurisdiction does not extend bevond our
own boundary lines it cannot compel the Chi
naman to go any place he does not want to
after he is beyond the boundary. Considerable
trouble Is anticipated out of this question.