Los Angeles herald., 1892-10-03
ABUSE OF A NATIONS nosPIrALIrY,

The statieticisn, Hon. Francis u. Walk
er, has revised his opinions OF q year ago
with reference to the Chinese exclusion
act. and now believes that not only the
Mongoian immigration should be
stopped, but that the immigration from
eastern and southern Europe should be
checked. At the rate that Austro-Hun-
gary, Poland, Russia, Italy and other
countries of the continent have poured
their most undesirable people into the
United States, he thinks that in the
next decade this new element will form
a very perplexing, if not dangerous
factor, in politics. However this may
be, immigration from the classes of Eu-
rope who are the most undesirable from
the standpoint of their ignorance and
low social position, have assumed pro-
portions that have thoroughly alarmed
the country.
The attention of the people has been
turned with peculiar earnestness to the
character and proportions of this immi-
grafton by the events that have trans
pired in New York harbor within the
past two months. The arrival OF
steamers crowded with immigrants, and
bringing with them the cholera scourge,
threatening our whole country with the
deadly pestilepce, hss shown US that we
may at any time have to pay dearly for
our liberality in giving free entrance to
these hordes of strangers. The next
session OF congress will, without doubt,
take this subject into serious considera-
tion, and the question Of how it can be
effectively dealt with, without too vio-
lently reversing our traditional policy,
will engage the profound attention OF
our most intelligent minds.
Mr.. Walker makes suggestion which
is worthy of consideration. He believes
sufficient check will be imposed upon
the immigration OF Objectionable classes
by requiring each immigrant to deposit
500 with the government as euaran-
tee againt their becoming a public
charge, and if in three years they have
not done so, the deposit would be re-
turned to them. A MEASURE of this
character would, beyond question, at
once put very effective check upon
pauper immigration from the countries
that are now furnishing the bulk OF it.
The law would be apparently harsh and
violative of our traditions, but self
preservation is the first law of nations
as we'll as of nature.
1t must not be forgotten that the news
of country where high wages are paid
for labor has now reached the dense
population of Eastern Europe, and that
the great steamship companies are bet
ter enabled now than ever they were to
transport immense numbers to our
shores. 1t is no uncommon thing for one
of their steamers to bring over one
thousand passengers in the steerage
on trip. The craze to come
to America acts upon the inn
poverished hordes of Europe like the
discovery of new and rich mining
country operates upon the general
mind. There is universal desire to go
to it. Even the authorities are enlisted
in the work of sending us their redund-
ant populations, and the passage money
is often contributed by the town treas
uriea. for it is considered cheaper to
pay out small sum at once to get rid
OF the paupers than to continue to keep
them as public charge. Evidence of the
systematic deportation of criminals to
the United States has been gathered
by our agents in some parts of Europe.
1t is about time that we should do
something in self-defense to check this
abuse OF our hospitality. Mr.. Walkers
remedy may not be the best, but the
whole subject is now launched upon the
sea OF public discussion, and out of the
variety of suggestions that will be made
we should be able to select the method
that will best accomplish the purpose of
placing check upon this very danger
ous irrupfion