Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-02-22
DEFECTIVE.
The Present System Of "BOnd-
ing" Pauper Immigrants.
Its Numerous Imperfections
Plainly Shown

by the Recent Correspondence Between
Senator Chandler and the Treasury De-
partment-Legislation on the Subject
May BE Looked for Before Long-An
Russians Not Hebrews.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 22.-The recent
correspondence between Senator Chan
dler and the treasury department con-
cerning the evil results of the present
system of bonding" pauper immigrants,
whether Russian, Irish or of any other
nationality, has served to bring out
very plainly the disfavor with which the
system is regarded despite the fact that
it has been approved by opinion of the
department of justice.
Legislation May BE Expected.
1t is expected that before long some
legislation will be enacted which will
render the bonding system impossible.
Meanwhile the local commissioner in
charge of the immigration at every port
has been instructed to bond as few as
possible. Mr.. Owen, the United States
superintendent of immigration, is pre-
pairing a statement showing the total
number of bonded cases, and the results,
it is said, are appalling.
Various Methods Suggested.
Various methods have been suggested
to protect the government against the
possibility of supporting pauper immi-
grants. The most efficient seems to be
the adopted by Commissioner Stock
bridge at Baltimore. For some time
past Mr.. Stockbridge has declined to
bond immigrants in the manner here
tofore practiced. He has adopted an en-
tirely different plan. Convinced of the
illegality of The old system, Mr.. Stock
bridge now permits the helpless immi-
grants co-religionists to guarantee the
government against him.
Some time ago in response to his sug-
gestion, a committee of one of the most
powerful Protestant denominations in
the United States notified Mr.. Stock
bridge that that denomination would
make itself responsible, financially, for
any immigrant of their sect landing at
Baltimore. The Catholic church, too,
has signitied its hearty readiness to take
care of any Catholic immigrant, who,
under the law, threatens to become
public charge.
For instance, some weeks ago q girl
just landed at Baltimore. 1t was evi-
dent that she should have been met at
the landing She gave the name of her
intended husband and his address. The
facts were laid before the church au-
thorities; the magnificent organization
of the Catholic church showed itself.
The Baltimore dignitaries wrote to the
city where the man lived. Before even
ing the clergy of that city had located
him, and a telegram was sent to the i'm
migration inspectors, notifying them
that the bridegroom would start for
Baltimore that night. Under the rigid
letter of the law the girl would have
been shipped back to Europe.
Many Russians Centilcs.
A most interesting fact has been dis
closed by the results of series of care
full investigations by the inspectors of |
one of the principal ports of immigra-
ton. AT this point every Russian i'm
was asked to name his religious
faith. The result of the inquiry extend
ing over period of several months dis
closed the very surprising fact that the
majority of the Russian immigrants at |
the port were not Hebrews but Gentiles.
1t seems to be a universal belief that |
all the unhappy Russians who are land
ing on our shores are Hebrews, and that |
to be a Russian immigrant is synonom-
Gus with Russian Jew. The figures |
show that the majority, ON the contrary,
are Russian Mennonites, or Protestants. |
The religious intolerance of the Russian |
government, it is evident, is not limited
entirely to the Jews.
From the statements of the Men
MONTE immigrants it appears that the
Russian police authorities enforce
against their dissenters from the state
religion (Which is the Greek Catholic
church,, the nihilist assembly laws,
they are unable to gather in
above three for any purpose.
This, of course, makes congregational
worship impossible and thou
sands of the sturdy Russian peasants
prefer, like the pilgrims of old, to leeve
their homes and enter some country
where they can worship God as they
please.
ClIRED nv PRAYER