Los Angeles herald., 1891-11-19
THE FLOOD OF PAUPER IMMIGRATION.

me ELOOR ~ a n y = In ARA IN AZ ~ N ASA''
Some time since the government sent
a secret commission to Europe for the
purpose of finding out whether the pau
per immigration, which was coming
here in such great numbers was aided
by the governments, or by any organ
lied system in the countries which were
furnishing the great bulk of it. One of
the commissioners, named Schultse, has
Just returned, and his report is calcu-
lated to confirm the general opinion
that much of this class of immigration
is shipped to the United States by So
called emigration associations that are
in direct touch with the authorities
whose interest it is to shift the burthen of
their pauper support upon this country.
Mr.. Schultse reports that he went
through Italy disguised as pauper
seeking aid to emigrate. He found that
in the overcrowded districts there were
all sorts OF agencies at work gathering
pauper emigrants and forwarding them
to the steamship companies. In Hol-
land and elsewhere he found the same
activity in shipping the undesirable
element to America, and then he carried
out his plan of investigation in the
London slums, and found that aid soci-
eties, acting with great caution and
much secresy, and evidently counte-
nanced and helped by the parochial
authorities, who in turn were encour-
aged by the highest official bodies, in
their work of thinning out the pauper
element and sending it across the
Atlantic. Mr.. Schultse found that
there was great deal OF mys-
terry in the mode of proceeding,
and that the utmost precaution was
used to prevent the discovery OF any
connection between the emigration aid
societies and the local authorities or the
superior governments. In order to get
at the true inwardness of these aid soci-
eties, he presented himself to one OF
them as one who wished to be sent to
the United States. He was closely
questioned about his condition, but
when he said he was weak, sick and
unable to work, and would have to 60
to the poorhouse unless he could get
transportation to the United States, he
was soon ticketed on steamer to New
York. His description of the passage
in the steerage, crowded with paupers
ticketed like himself, and with the low
est representatives of all parts OF Eu-
rope, is picture almost as replete with
horrors as the middle passage in slave
trading times.
Here is a revelation OF facts which
everybody has suspected, but which no
one could positively aver until Mr..
Schultse made his searching inyestiga-
ton into the way in which Europe is
dumping her paupers upon as. The
other commissioners have not yet re-
turned. :. but they will all be here in
time to make their reports before con-
gress meets. The European govern
ments will, Of course, deny any COM
plicity in the matter; but it is plain to
be seen that the municipal authorities
are encouraging the emigrant aid socie-
ties, and that the governments wink at
their proceedings.
But whether the governments are re-
sponsiblefor the transfer of paupers and
criminals from their poorhouses and
prisons to the United States or not, the
fact remains that they are getting here
in great numbers, and that instead of
the natural, voluntary immigration OF
desirable classes of foreigners we used
to have, we have become the dumping
ground of the human offal of Europe.
We do not care whether the European
governments are or are not responsible
for this immigration. 1t is inflicting an
injury upon our country wide-reaching
and permanent, and we should not
permit it to continue. No one
wishes to see our ports closed
to the decent people of Europe who
want to come to the United States. But
if there is no way to keep the pauper
and criminal classes out of our country
without enacting a sweeping measure OF
exclusion that may also operate against
desirable immigrants, we'shall be COM
PEELED to adopt the most stringent course.
The stream of human poison that is now
flowing in upon our country, ii per-
mitted to continue, will in the end cor
rupt the very fountains OF society, and
leave us nation overwhelmed with an
unbearable proportion OF the worst ele-
rments that afflict the great overclowded
oenters OF population of Europe.