Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-04-06
&c MANIFESTATIONS PROBLEN.

I FF~
Z a restriction that will restrict wo nun
dred dollars would not be an excessive mi
tiation fee-InteiiigeHcer.
Tn this connection the paper Of Hon.
JOIN d. WEBER, United States Commits
sioner of immigration, in the current
North american ReUje'c, is highly inter-
estine and valuable. He takes precisely
the opposite view. He considers the
following points:
Is this country made the dumping
crouuds of the refuse material of the Old
World. and, ii so, 90 what extent do the
authorities aid such movement. DO we
wish 70 reject the bad without reference 10
It's efect upon the good
What system, If any, can be devised
which will enable US TO sift the grades, &C
cept the desirable, aud reject the undesir-
able.
Isit wise TO stop all immigration or to
diminish its volume by methods that DO
not materially affect the influx OF the IN
productive kind. and vet decrease tnat ele-
ment which by reason of age and ylgor IS
them0st productive!
Mr.. WEBEE has investigated the ques-
ton in an the countries OF Europe from
which we receive immigrants, and he
denies that paupers, criminals, or other
defections are directly or systematically
transported 10 the United States. "The
European vagabond," says he, "does
not emigrate." He favors the free adj
mission Of the proper classes OF immi-
grants, and says:
Our resources have hardly been touched,
certainly the point of exhaustion has not
been approached. so that development is
feasible and desirable. We are told, how
ever. that the cities are Overcrowded and
that "a vast army willing TO labor is un-
employed. The precise or reasonably close
approximation of this number is difficult of
entertainment IL is as easy 10 state IL at
two millions as az one million. That there
should be any considerable number of I'M
employed is deplorable, but il IS
condition which, IN greater or
less degree has existed as far back as / can
remember, and probably always Will exist
at certain periods. particularly IN the large
cities Immigration contributes TO the
overcrOwdiug of the city of course, although
two-thjrds OF the arrivals continue TO 20
West most of them TO farms. In point OF
fact. the chief immigration into the cities
is due 10 the emigration from our own rural
districts. This condition exists in Europe
as Wei IS here, and so alarminglv has 1t
grown there that in Germany legislation
% check and prevent 70 Is talked OF as PROB
able this winter. There is something III
cougru0us Jpn the statements published In
the same edition OF an American news
paper. that farms are being abandoned IN
New England. that an army Of men willing
90 work are unemployed in the cities, and
that the grain crop is so bOuntfui in DakO-
"a that farmers are Offering from g % TO
s. 90 per day FOR haryesters. There is a
faultinCss ina the distribution Of labor, auu
this demands and should receive early at
teutiou and consideration.
Is there not abundance OF truth in
this? Is there not room in the great
West, Northwest and South for double
our present population? Mr.. WEBER
makes the following suggestions:
Perfect existing statutes where they are
weak
Continue a rigid inspection at our ports;
guard the frontiers, especially on the north,
for the putting up of bars az our seapOrts
will drive the current Of undesirableS TO
Canada only 90 come across the border.
Place the expense of all returned immi-
grants upon steamship companies, whom
self interest VIII force % look Tor reim-
burscmeut 70 their sU6-agents, who have n
personal knowledge of the qualifications Of
intending immigrants better Than any one
else. and who would have direct pecuni-
airy concern i'm the return Of defective;
make sub-aCeuts In this country response
ble for the sale Of prepaid tickets, esti-
mated % be nearly 40 per cent of the
whole, then up 70 the time of their
acquiring citizenship hold all
aliens liable 10 compulsory return
% the country TO which they
owe allegiance, or % the ports from whence
they came; eXpeuing those convicted
abroad of crime, upon discovery, those
convicted here, after serving sentence, and
paupers. as soon as they reach the implied
condition; this status 10 continue until the
burdens Of our citizenship have been as
sumed aud its privileges obtained. At
present an alien may enjoy about all the
benefits and protection OF our citizenship
while avoiding its heaviest obligations.
"For many years" says Mr.. WEBEE,
"the tide oi immigration has set this
way, during which time our country
has challenged admiration wherever
our history was understood and our
progress known" The American has
been the boss" and foreigB labor has
done the heavy work Of development.
Says be:
First the German did the digging going
bacS 90 the time when ] began 20 take no
tiCc Co the evolution Of natiOnaiitieS in this
country, then the Irishmsn crowded him
out o.. The ditch, not downward, however,
fr, u ffrhnrs InK-1' rhnr tho
Pole and the Hungarian SiOvak, and the
lrlsbman was advanced. Following these
came tnC Italian, C.evatlng his pcedeces-
sors. and. as we have drawn the line on the
Ch.uamau he ,the Italian promises TO re
main COR time the newer OF wood and the
drawer of water. Stop this stream, and
where Will the supply come from TO make
good not only the waste By death, but the
needs of the continued expansion and 6evel-
Opment of our still hardly touched natural
resources
Mr, WLEER concludes with this warn
INK answer 20 the question:
Natural increase Will not furnish IL. for
Americans do not raise families and such
IS tue remarkable influence Of association,
such the powerful effect OF contact with
American civilization, that foreigners soon
learn that ~ is not the proper thing 10 be
bothered with children. This IS an evil
destructive both Of morals and health, and
attention 70 10 would have been forced upon
rs long before this. had 10 not been for the
new blood that makes Up the loss France
is at a standstill because Of this evil, and
her statesmen are justly alarmed. Deduct
from the increase of population for the last
decade. as shown by the recent census, the
NUMBER OF Immigrants aud their increase
after landing during taat period, sud our
boast over The growth of this COuntry-for
the statistics 0i ,a,i vlttiou always figure
ia thCsc c.Hms-woald be changed TO a
wall
Congress viii hardly amputate the foot
tc oct ria NJ a eorn