The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-21
The Immigrant Bonding System-The
New Treasury Order.

A very important order for the guidance
OF the Commissioner OF Immigration at this
port has been issued by the Treasury De-
partment. 1t refers to the landing OF i'm
migrants under the bonding or guarantee
system.
Many thousands OF undesirable per-
sons" who would be excluded from the
United States by the impartial enforcement
OF the immigration laws have been per-
mitted to land here under that peculiar
system. 1t has been of special service to
those multitudinous refugees from Russia
who come under the clause OF the law
which provides for the exclusion OF "desti-
tute persons who are likely to become a
public charge" As soon as Hebrew immi-
grants of this description have reached our
port. the agents of certain societies have
offered guarantee. sometimes in the
nature OF bond, that they would
not become public charge, and
thereupon such immigrants have been ad-
mltted. The Masslia's passengers. for ex-
ample. who brought here the typhus fever.
from the ravages OF which the city has. we
trust. been saved by the vigilance Of the
health authorities. were landed under
guarantee: and those OF them who
were not sent to tho hospital on North
Brother Island had to Ike kept under super
vision for weeks. in order to prevent the
spread OF infection. The Commissioner had
ascertained by inspection that these pos
sengers We're likely to become a public
charge. yet they were admitted after bond
had been given in their behalf by an agent
OF tho United Hebrew Charities. which
draws its funds from Baron HIRscH.
In December last Acting Secretary NET
TLEToN issued an order from tho Treasury
providing for the better enforcement of tho
Z immigration laws and prohibiting tho adj
mission of any person under tho bonding
SYSTEM: but the application OF this order
was resisted by parties interested in that
system. and its enforcement became difficult
under an Interpretation OF the law given by
Acknowledgement MILLER. A practice even
looser and more baneful than that OF
bonding has prevailed since then. through
which undesirable persons are admitted
without as much as the pretence OF a guar
antee. 1t is on this account that Acting
Secretary NETrLETON has now sent to Com
missioner WEBER an emphatic order. which.
he says. must bc the "rule OF action In
every CASE"
whenever an immigrant is found upon inspection
to be likely to become public charge, you will not
land him because of any written oral assurances OF
any person or society. except upon distinct written
authorization from the Secretary OF the Treasury"
There Is no doubt that this order is In ac-
cordance with our immigration laws. Its
language ID explicit. and it cannot be easily
evaded. Commissioner WEBER Is bound to
zee that 1t is strictly enforced in the port
Of new York.
Senator CHANDLER. the Chairman Of the
Senate Committee on Immigration, has
been specially urgent In his demands for
the adjustment of the bonding or guaran-
tee business. He described its mischievous
operation in speech which he delivered In
the Senate last month. telling of the re-
monstrances against it which he had sent
to the Treasury. He deals with 1t In drastic
way in the new immigration bill which he
has introduced into the Senate. When the
Joint committee OF the two Houses for the
AA1sstigation OF immigration was here
aIortnignt ago. he urged his fellow members
OF the committee to obtain the facts about
1t. In the March number OF the Forum
magazine also he gives attention to 1t. and
shows the necessity of putting stop to the
nrantics Of admitting destitute immigrants