The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1892-05-26
sAUK CENTRE HERALD
THURSDAY, May &c, 1892.
IMMIGRATION.

The HERALD believes firmly in the
principle OF protection of American in
dustries, but believes that the policy of
the government should be consistent.
The whole idea of projections based up
on the economic principle of fostering
manufacturing interests for the benefit
OF labor and the upbuilding of home mar
kets for agricultural products. In order
to do this tits necessary to protect labor
from foreign competition at home. To
admit a horde of immigrants to under
bid our domestic labor and to enter into
competition with our agricultural clas-
ses is to practically nullify the principle
ofprotection against imported manufac-
lures. Our immigration laws are too
loose. The lines should be drawn much
closer. The anti-Chinese bill is illogical
unless the eastern sea points be restricted.
To admit vast hordes from Europe while
absolutely excluding immigrants from
Asia is clearly illogical and indefensible.
The policy of misunderstanding
ism is not tenable, is not desirable.
But certainly it is the height of unwis-
dom to practically exercise no supervision
or restraint as to either the quantity or
quality of immigration. 1t is high time
the government give this matter little
more vigorous consideration. Upon this
subject, the following from an eastern
paper will be read with interest:
The Importance of the adoption by
congress of some measure to put an effec-
tual stop to the rush of class OF very
undesirable emigrants to this country
has often been alluded to in this paper.
it appears that the laws already in ex.
istence are not properly enforced.
A letter from Washington imparts the
following encouraging information:
The arrival at Baltimore of the biggest
slnpload of immigrants eyer brought to
tins country is stirring up the immigra-
lion committee to considerable activity.
Il think" said one of the prominent
members of the committee to yonr cor
respondent, that we shall report bill
very shortly which will accomplish more
in the way of regulating immigration
and restricting undesirable immigration
than anything that has ever been offered
in congress"
What will its provisions be?
at will be intended more to enforce
the present laws than otherwise. The
laws as they stand today are all right if
they could be properly enforced. But it
is impossible for an Inspector or a set OF
inspectors to 60 aboard vessel with
. $500 immigrants on her as the one just |
landed in Baltimore had, and determine |
whether all those people are fit to come
in under the immigration laws, that's to
say whether there are paupers or insane |
or feeble-minded persons among them, or
persons who are by any reason liable to
become pvbiic charge"
In connection with the aboye the fol-
lowing statistics are interesting and
suggestive:
The total number of arrivals in the last
fiscal year was $50. $40 and the indica-
lions are that the number of the present
year will exceed that figure considerably.
1t is calculated that the number of i'm
migrants who have come into the United
States in the last 100 years, is in round
numbers 100000, or the equivalent
to one-tourth the present population of
this country. Of this number nearly
100000 were from Germany, 3, 5OO,-
600 from Ireland, 100000 from Eng
land, nearly 100000 from Sweden and
Norway and nearly 100000 from Italy.
The Chinese immigration from 1855 to
the time of it's prohibition in 1882,
amounted to about 275,OOO. Since the
passage of theexclusion act lin 1882, the
number known to haye come in under
the law is but about 500, though it is
asserted that large numbers have come
in bv divers methods in violation of the
the law.
Of the 100000 immigrants who came
i'll lest year 3,431 were persons having
professional occupations such as actors,
artists, clergymen, LAWYERS, musicians,
physicians and teachers. The number
having skilled occupations such as black
smiths, bakers, butchers, carriage-mak-
ers, miners, shoe-makers, tailors, etc,
was 54.951. Those with miscellaneous
occupations nu nbered PAT SOC.
1t is probable that of the $50, 900, not
less than ten per cent are persons who in
some way haye to be supported by the
labor of our people.