Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1892-12-08
A Serious Problem That Sooner
or Later Must be Dcfin-
itely Solved.
General Ncttleton Thinks New
Methods Should be Adopted
At Once.
A System That Would DO Away
With Many ofthc Existing
Evils.

United states that at a very early
day the question of foreign immi-
grafton must become an uppcrmost
one in this country. Events not an
ticipatcd have resulted in rrecipi-
Eating this problem and calling to il
the interested attention not only of
our own people but of the civilized
world. The breaking out of Asiatic
cholera in portions Of the Old World
from which we were receiving many
immigrants, followed by the same
panic on both sides of the Atlantic.
and the adoption Of rigid quarantine
regulations at the several American
ports. has, in spite of an active polit-
zeal campaign, almost monopolizcd
Tor weeks the interest and attention
of the public,
The quarantine regulations adopted
by the United States government to
prevent cholera invasion and pro-
tect the lives Of our people has re-
suited in a practical cessation of i'm
migration for the time being The
great and perfectly equipped immi-
grant landing station at Ellis Island
in New York harbor is practically
idle. and the steamships plying be-
tween our ports and those OF Europe
are carrying no Storage passengers.
For the first time within the memory
OF the present generation there is
tc.npoiary, but complete stoppage of
fhe wonderful tide Of wcstward-mo
ing people. The migration Of nations
toward the setting sun has for Il
moment ceased. and THAT without
any previous intention on the part of
Europe or America.
1t is to be presumed that the rogu-
lations and limitations which have
borne this incidental fruit. and
which are necessary to prevent our
land from being ravagcd during 1899
by the cholera pestilcnce, will be con
tinucd with whatever thoroughneSs
ana duration may be necessary to ac-
complish the desired result. Public
opinion east. west, north and south
seems TO be absolutely unanimous in
demanding most vigorous and per-
sistent policy in the enforcement of
our sanitary laws. and certainly there
is no disposition on the part of either
federal or local authorities to relax
one jot or little of their vigilance al
the expense Of the public health.
From present appearances the
cholera episode Of 1892 will result in
diminishing the arrival of imm-
grants in III" United States during
the present calendar year nearl, one
third OF by about two hundred
thousand souls. This fact reminds
us afresh OF the tremendous volume
Of the incoming tide under ordinary
conditions.
Meantime with the brief period of
enforced suspension Of immigration.
and with congress about to Reasonable
under conditions which are sure to
turn its attention in this direction,
our people are given an opportunity
to consider with the advantage of a
wholly new light what should be the
policy for the future in regard to i'm
migration.
Speaking Of one citizen only, have
no hesitancy in saying that there
should be Il new departure in this
respect-not radical revolution, but
such sensible change in our method
of treating this great interest as eX-
pcricnce distinctly shows TO be ucccs-
sary to the public welfare. The
primary element in suclra departure
ought, in my judgment. to be the
transtcrcncc Of the principal work of
sitting immigrants from The port of
arrival in the United States to the
ports Of departure in Europe 1t is
unbusinesslike. ineffective and in
human to permit hundreds of thols-
ands OF poor people annually to come
from their homes on the other side
OF the Atlantic, spending in transit
the bulk of their little savings for
transportation. and then undcrt AXE
to wlnnow out those who belong to
prohibited and undesirable classes
and send them back across the seas
heartbrokcn and stranded. There is
neither time nor opportunity for such
a thorough inspection after arrival
at the American port us is necessary
to accomplish what the American
people demand shall be done. There
should be preliminary, and yet
efficient, examination of all intending
immigrants before embarkation at
the European ports. 1t would be
better still if this preliminary exam
ination or inspection could be carried
out in the immediate neiphbOrhood