The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-12-23
IMMIGRATION RESTRICTIONS.

One of the most urgent questions be
; fore this country at present arises fror
the almost universal conviction tina
: something must be done to restrict tn
flood Of immigration from Europe.
, The n. Y. World which is enterprisin.
in regard to everything except the silvel
question, thought the matter of so much
: interest that it asked the governors o.
several states to give their opinions fol
publication. These are as varied as the
characters of the men who gave them,
and as they cannot fail to be of interest
to every thoughtful American we sum-
Marie them here.
Governor Merriam. of Minnesota.
said:
In my judgment no immigrant should
be allowed to land on our shores who
does not hold a certificate of the consul
from the point of departure that he has
never been guilty of crimes against his
W government. is possessed Of sufli
cient education to read and write and
enough means to provide for his W
support, at least for a year after he en-
tiers our ports.
Governor Brown of Rhode Island takes
this view:
| believe in restrictive immigration as
regards class, but not as regards mum
bers. | think the country is large
enough to absorb and assimilate for
many years to come all that Europe can
send us Of her honest laboring people.
Governor Tillman of South Carolina
says:
am in favor of such restriction being
exercised in the matter of immigration
as will prevent the entrance into the
United States of anarchists. communists
and paupcrs. The south has room for
million of any law-abiding class
of white men who are willing to work for
a living.
Other replies were as follows:
Governor Wiley Of Idaho considers
unrestricted admission of paupcr and
labor from the south of Europe
the greatest present peril Of the Ameri
commonwealth. Governor Wiley,
who is IA republican himself. blames the
'%epublican party in IA measure. because
while 1T has endeavored to protect the
of American Industries if has
not protected labor itself"
Governor Chase of Indiana says that
We need to restrict an immigration whose
mmensity was never dreamed of.
Governor Stone of Mississippi fails to
zee any way of excluding an objection
BILE class without violating our forms of
government and placing us in danger Of
urning away the better classes.
Governor P~ennoyer of Oregon looks at I
he matter from the standpoint of money. I
lie says if we are to be restricted 30 a .
arrow gold basis. it will be necessary, in
to have money enough to 90 around. I
OF only to entirely restrict immigration !
ut TO eNpatriate some of our citizens. {
Governor Mellette Of South Dakota. f.,
no is a republican. says that American !
,bor has the same right to protection as 7
merican capital. and that it should he 4
by the same Legislative r~cstric- a
on. p
Governor Joseph W. Fifcr Of Illinois. J
ngarding the subject of immigration of V
} much interest that he thought an off !
and statement would be inadmissible u
Governor William f.. Russell of Mass p
said that he had not given the 0
sufficient attention to express a n
considered opinion upon il.
The governors who refused to commit 4
lemselves by saying anything on the :,
were ID. Il. Francis. Missouri: y
T. j. NOrthen. Georgia; Leon Albeit. u
ew Jersey, Osborne, Wyoming; w. Ii
ckinley. OHIO: +. &. Jones. Alabama;
r. Pattison. Pennsylvania. and H. p. u
New York.