Omaha daily bee., 1891-04-20
INVESTIGATING IMMIGRATION

The secretary OF tho treasury and
Senator Chandler, chairman of the COM
mittee on immigration of the United
States senate, a few days ago held con-
ference in New York on immigration
matters. The committee of which Mr..
Chandler is chairman is authorized to
make an investigation before the meet
ing of the next congress, but this may
not be necessary If the new law is thor
oughly enforced, and Secretary Foster
has assured the senator that this will be
done. He proposes that not only
shall all persons excluded by the
law be kept out Of our ports, but be pre-
vented from entering the country
through Canada. Both of these gentle
men are looking into the operation of
the new law, and it is not to be doubted
that the secretary of the treasury will
use all the authority at his command to
enforce it, 1t is understood that he is
in favor of restricting immigration even
beyond what is provided in the existing
law.
The final settlement Of this question,
which Senator Chandler refers to as one
of very great Importance, has not yet
been reached. Further agitation of it
is certain in the next congress, and it is
clear that the Italian incident has Gre
ated a sentiment more favorable to
stringent immigration laws than existed
before. Recently the Union League
club Of New York adopted an address
and resolutions calling upon the general
government and the several states to
use all lawful means that they possess to
prevent the importation of Objectionable
classes of foreigners, and urging that
IL the present laws are not suf-
ficiout to do this, others should
be passed that will be. The
eastern press very generally talks in a
similar strain, portion of it demanding
the most radical measures, even to the
extent OF applying the test of language.
Undoubtedly at no previous time in
our history was this question so thor
oughly considered in all its phases as by
the last congress, and tho result was
that the only prohibited class, in addi-
w,
are polygamists. The proposal to
require an educational qualiflca-
tion was confronted by insu-
perabe difficulties. A number
of bills were introduced requiring immi-
grants to bring certificates from the con-
suls, but very few congressman were
willing to make that a compulsory re-
quirement. 1t was proposed to exclude
socialists and anarchists, bu, this met
with little favor, for man might
theoretically be very much of either and
| yet not be a law breaker, and so, after
consideration and discussion. extending
| through two sessions, congress simply
| added polygamists to the excluded
| classes and made more stringent the
methods for keeping out these classes.
BIn an interview Senator Chandler said
that we have not yet reached that stage
in the country's growth when we want
to keep out good immigrants. We have
not reached the point, SAID the senator
OF saying ''you shall not come," and are
not likely to reach it for many years,
and therefore he could see no chance for
enlarging the excluded classes. Every
body who can take an intelligent and
unprejudiced view Of the question will
concur with Senator Chandler. The
present law goes as far as it will
be expedient to go probably for the mex
quarter of century at least, and hence
the agitation of this question is unwist
and harmful. 1t keeps alive a preju
dice which ought to be discountenanced
A rigid enforcement OF the existing law
which nobody can reasonably object to
will remove all just ground of complain
regarding immigration, and until tn,
government fails to do this the agita
| tinn of this snhiact il without axcnSa