The record-union., 1892-12-01

the immigrant shall not be admitted who
cannot read and write, except he is a
member of family; that each immi-
grant must have at least 800 IN money,
or its equivalent: but a head of a family
may send for other members of the
family, if he or they possess S25 for each
member; that all intending immigrants
must bring certificates from United States
Consuls; that all who seek final natural
lzation papers must give notice of inten-
ton to apply to the court, and thereupon
some official of the Government must in
vestigate the application and report
thereon. The suggestion to wholly sus-
pend immigration for one year, except
from North and South American coun-
tries, is under consideration.
This latter proposition might well be
based upon sanitary necessity and regard
for the public health, since it is the belief
Of those best qualified to judge that the
cholera will renew its assault in the Old
" "a ~ III bIC COiAAnS year, anu WIFI
greater virulenee. As quarantine is only
measure of resistance to assault, while
exclusion is a measure of prevention,
and has been demonstrated in Spain and
iu Italy to be the best means of prevent
ing the plague from entering a country,
suspension of immigration during 1893
might be defended upon that ground
without involving any political reasons.
The proposition that on final applica-
ton for naturalization papers notice of
! intention to apply shall be given, and
some one shall thereupon appear and
represent the Government at the hearing,
is one that the RECORD-U UNION long ago
advocated. 1t at least ought to be re-
ported to Congress and by that body
adopted. The application is proceeding
that should not be ex parte. True, the
naturalization laws now require the court
to represent the people since it is COM
manded by the law that the Judge shall
examine the applicants and be satisfied
upon certain points. But, as everyone
knows, this is a provision more honored
in the breach than in the observance. and
if court is satisfied there is no appeal
from it, though it may be ever so clear
that the grounds for satisfaction We're un-
substantial.
AS to the other propositions said to be
agreed to, it is very doubtful if Congress
will adopt them, meritorious though they
are. We very much fear that the
House will antagonize any such action
by the Senate in the matter. The
common politician never takes
much account Of the distant future. He
will find in the proposed regulations only
blow aimed at a source of present profit
sympathies of the least desirable of the
newly-made citizens who will deem tie
restrictive clauses unjust. The element
that holds this country to be no more
than dumping ground, and insists that
it is the design of Providence that who
ever will should be permitted to come in,
without lei or hindrance; the intelligent
class-and il is not an inconsiderabie one
that holds the policy of free entry to be
the only wise one, and that there is no
danger whateverIn IN it, because the foreign
element is so rapidly assimilated, and in
the second generation is practically lost
in Americanism-these will all resist the
propositions named. The willy dealer in
the foreign vote will before Congress
adroitly mass these opposing forces to
secure the defeat of all such propositions.
They may succeed in the immediate
present, but not for long. The American
sentiment is rapidly augmenting and will
certainly arrive at the point of regulation
indicated by the propositions named.
More than that, the sentiment of the peo-
Pile upon this subject will extend to radi-
cal reformation of the naturalization laws.
in the extension of the probationary
period, and the requirement that the ap-
plicant shall be afIirmatively shown to be
free from entertainment of doctrines in
fmical to our form of government, and
the perpetuity of American institutions.