The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-05-08
SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE.

The notice given by Herr Mssaryk in the
Austrian Reichsrath TO the effect that he IN
tended interpolating his Government - 70
the charge that (. lot of Austro- Hungarian
subjects were beir & treated like slaves IN W.
einia. and asking what measures OF redress the
Government should demand if the charge were
true. is apt to set this country to think
ing. especially as this proposed Austrian
demand Genes 80 Immediately upon the heels
Of that recently made by Italy. II Is begin
ming 10 look very much as If the United
States Government, in its generosity IN offer
inc nm asylum TO the starving, suffering and
oppressed Of the world. had made mistake
and that all this time we have been sowing
the wind and Just now are beginning to reap
the whirlwind IL any class Of people,
residents Of this country, arc being
treated as slaves it is in direct violation OF all
law. both Federal and State, and all such
ofenses should be promptly taken cognizance
of in the States in which they occur; but TINS
way Of being constantly called on by foreign
countries with imperious demands for re-
dress on any and every prete1t IS getting
somewhat monotonous, and the necessity Is
daily increasing for something TO be done 70
remedy the evil. OF at least, annoyance.
There seems to be no doubt that our imnl-
grafton laws need very material revision. II
they cannot be so reformed altogether rs to
absolutely prevent undesirable immigrants
from entering the country. they can certainly
be so amended as TO require all foreigners VINO
settle here and go regularly into the business
of making q living to declare within
reasonable time their intention OF De-
coming naturalized This would at least
prevent any more demands upon us by foreign
mowers in case of summary punishment
when like the New Orleans Malta, these i'm
MIGRANTS abuse the liberty guaranteed them
under our generous laws, and attempt to obey
only their lawless and disorderly instincts 1t
would also prevent the possibility Of de-
mand for redress if they are roughly dealt
with when. like the Hungarians in Pennsyl-
vania, and like foreign Socialists and An
archists in Chicago and elsewhere, they mis-
take liberty for license and seek to create
trouble and commit all manner Of outrages
upon society.
Then again it would, doubtless, be well for
our treaties with foreign countries to be so
amended as to exclude all criminals and
mischief makers who attempt to defy laws and
subvert society from being protected by
treaty obligations" This, too, would GER
tainly be step in the right direction. and
would 90 very far towards preventing-wh
is reallya humiliation to this great Republic
the likelihood of our being called to account
by all sorts of Governments for all sorts Of
offenses, real and imaginary, upon all sorts of
occasions.
Immigration from other lands to this is
steadily on the increase, and it is predicted
that the influx of foreigners to the United
States will be greater in 1891 than in any year
in our history AS immigration increases the
chances of such snnoyances as we have al
ready experienced at the hands Of Italy and
are threatened with by Austria will increase
in proportion.
The attention of the people has already
been very generally aroused on the subject of
a revision of our immigration laws, and the
press of the country, without regard to sec
ton or party, is practically unanimous in
urging such revision as recent events have
shown to be necessary. In all likelihood the
demand for wholesome changes will be so
great by the time the Fifty second Congress
assemblies that it cannot longer be ignored.