New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-16
IMMIGRATION OVERLAND.
SENATOR CHANDLER PROPOSES \ SYSTEM
OF INSPECTION.
rI,tr- YET TO Re FRAMED UNDER THE ACT
OF MARCH g. 1s9l-THE CANADi"'
TIER TO BE CLOSELY WATCHED

Sir. The ma;n portions Of the Immigration ave-
of August ,, l-s2. and March D. i0'', ""'
contract labor acts Of February % 1000 d"u ioD'"
AIRY % 1887. apply only TO Immigrants 'o''i'"N
the ocean and landing from SHIPS III o"' p' t,a,
ar, however various important provisions WIN
touch immigration by rllroads a''
and Mexican borders 800 ,,uor-s.
soctor q NJ the act of March 3. 1891 j. a. loo"s
THAT any person who sha! bring INTO OF i'''u u,
,bc United states by vessel or other"isc'"' WI" '
aid 20 bring into or land in the thilcu ''dur,
sci or otnc;wisc, any alien not h"i"i'!
enter the United States, shall he ucc"''u -"'''
mi.demcanor and shall. on conviction be puh''"''
49, ,ro mn, exceeding one thousand dollars. or by
,mn,isonmcut for term not exceeding one year, Ut
by both such fine and Imprisonment
This section Is and WIS INTENDED 10 oc '"'''"'
broad and II heavily Furnishes any pciSo"' e''" ""'
rajlroad Official! who shall bring or ana III or"s'"s
into the United states any aliens forbidceh 10 ch'e'
by the first section Of the act. namely All iu''S'
insane persons paupers or persons likely 10 become
=, nnh,ic charge person, suffering from loathsom"
or dangerous contagious disease persons WHO nave
haen convicted of n felony other Infamous cilme
or misdemeanor involving moral turpitudc' ponRa
lists and also any person whose TICKET UT p"'"s0 -
pad for with the money Of another or VINO 10 hssS'
bv others 10 come. unless ii Is aiirlnatVcN anu S'
factorly shown special inquiry tha' SUI" p.' ~"
docs not belong TO one Of the foregoing eHoiuoco
'N'''-NN
by the act Of February 20. 1850
Tn. net az February 20, 1885, covers only contract
labor immigrants. but II applies to al inpor'a''ohs
by railroad as we'll n by sea
sections 1 and > make IL unlawful for any person.
co,onv partnership or corporation to assist or en-
conr,ge the immigration Of aliens under contract OF
agreement. parol or special express or Implied .
"a perform labor or service Of any knd III the '"'c
states its Territories. the District OF COLUMBIA
section 3 makes any person. partnership, company
mr. corporation violating the provisions oil Secuoh
liable 10 pay for each oifcnsc the sum 0i $l'oo''
In addition to the penalty for bringing continct
labor immigrants. there Is IN section VI ''o
amendatory act OF February 81, leo'' inc PRIV
that all such persons shall be sent back To inc
nations TO which they belong and from wh'h tntS
came The declaration in the same Secuon ''"'
,be expenses OF the return shall be borne by the
owners OF the vessels in which they came oo'N
not Apply 10 Corners by railroad but TINS omission
is supplied by Section IL Of the act oil March "' i0''
which is as follows;
That any alien who shall come INTO u'e n,"u
states i'm violation of law nay be returned rs Dy Ia"
provded at any time within one year thercsii'e'' ~
the expense Of the person or persons vessel "a"'
nortotion oompnny or corporation bringing such alien
into the United states, and II that cannot he dohc'
then at the expense OF the United states ana any
alien who becomes n public charge "ltilh o"c 'e'''
after his arrival In the United States rom oa'ac'
existing prior his landing therein shall be dee"eu
TO have come In Violation VI III" "''u ''''' ~ -
turned aforesaid
IL therefore appears that o. The principles Oh eN
cluslou Of Immigrants ~ the penalties for bringing
In unlawful Immigrants. and ~ the right to SEND
them back at the expense Of the persons OF com
pancs bringing them in, the same as Ia lmmlgra
ton by sea and the border by railOad.
The machinery ana methods for enforcing the laws
against unlawful Immigration however different
.rH tla
by railroad
ruu and explicit provisions Of law define tn rules
for cumming. OBTAINING. and returning Immigrants
from across the ocean. As to immigrants by land. thv
law Is rs follows;
That the secretary OF the Treasury may prescribe
rules for Inspection along The borders Of oaI"u"
British Columbia and Mexico. "a not to obsrTict or
unnecessarily delay, impede, or annoy passengers III
ordinary traycI between said countries (sectlon :.
act OF March .. Is9l)
Tie difference IN The rules FOR Inspecting Immigrants
bv land and bv water Is based upon the fundamental
and unchnngeable difference between ship arriving
nj a seaport and Il railroad train crossing 9r bqd"rs.
From the ship the great Of Passengers can be- 81
lowed 1, land white the Questionable immigrants are
detained for full examination Bui the passengers
ON railroad train must all wait until all are hnalI
e,amnnd The train cannot BE- detained ior m inu"h
mite time without danger 10 Itself and other trains
There would Infinite expense and annoyanc" III u
tanning pected Immigrants until lat"i tram INC
seaport Immigrant station, are ie~ one In Ne"
York accommodates about nine t"ntls OF I'll the lh'n
yfant- but thcrc hIndreds of railrad CROSSINGS
OF our international border. and the cost OF maintain
ing an immigration station ~ each would lie great
beadaX Of 30 cent, l. collected account OF each
alien entering our scapOTs from Europe, whether u
stay or return. and from the fund thus created the eN
penses OF enforcing The grafton laws are paid
Int no head tax Is imposed upon Immigrants coming
by land or coming by water from American ports.
Under these circustancc, the secretary OF The
Treasury has yet framed and prescribed his rules
under section OF the act Of March >, lool. for the
inspection of imnlrrant, along the borders Of Canada
British Columbia and Mexico. The subject is a live
one What shall his rules be shall they be looS" and
formal or strct and searching! DOUBTLESS he would
| Ike suggestions on the subject.
My opinion 4, that the secretary should arrange
with the Canadian auhoritlcs aud the Canadian rail
roads for an ns pectOn Of Immigrants which shall BE-
an extension of the present system Of examining The
| bacc; re of pas ,cngcrS coming from Canada 10 III
states Under the direction Of Collector Benedict The
able and efficient chief customs officer at ST. Adams
| VI and some of our other collectors OF Gus
toms on the border. baggage Is now examined at Mon
trca sealed and allowed TO come forward across 0ui
lines without furthe' examination. capable and
courteous corps Of our Inspectors. nuder the
vision of Inspector Twohey In the railroad station al
Montreal perform the necessary work with expedition
and without annoyance to travellers. The baggage
| Of immigrants coming 10 Canada from Europe. 81
their way 10 our Northwestern states, Is there also
anlned and IS allowed 10 cross without trouble oui
frontier at Detroit sault Ste Marie This excellent
| and unobjecuonable system should he extended u
the inspection Of immigrants themselves All h'
cusoms inspectors should be instructed to examine I'm
| migrants as well baggage. only few additiona
officials will be required and these will be needed
| that the incoming steamships may be visited. The
| work would be done mainly at Montreal In the sum
| ,ner but should be done when necessary at Quebec
| and also at Halifax III the winter, when the ST. Law
| renee 1, closed by ice 10 navigation
| Tbis proposed extension Of the present system o.
inspecting and passing baggage 70 the supervision
| Immigration from Canada or by way Oh 'anhda. %
course cannot he adopted without the consent Of thu
| Dominion authorities. This Will be readily accorded
| Collector Benedict apd Consul ucn"idi 'hares l.