Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-08-18
OUR IMMIGRATION LAWS.

How They are Respected Abroad by the
Parties Most Interested, the Steamship
Companies, According to the Personal
Observation OK Assistant Secretary OF
the Treasury O. T. Spaulding.
WASHINGTON. Aug. 40. I. Spauld--
ing, assistant secretary of the treasury,
has returned from a trip to Europe,
where he spent five weeks investlga-
ting the compliance by steamship COM
panies with the law in regard to the
transportatio of emigrants from for
eign countries to the United States. In
addition 20 returning with increased
health, Mr. Spaulding brings back with
him store of information touching inn
migration matter obtained by personal
observation. During his absence Mr..
Spaulding visited Hamburg, Antwerp,
Rotterdam, London and Liverpool, at
all of which ports he made per-
sonal visits to the emigration
depots and observed the caution
used by the various steamship
transportation companies in the hand
ling of emigrants. He found as "a
rule little to criticise in the present
system as now in force by the steam
ship companies. These transportation
companies, Mr.. Spauiding said, have a
wholesome dread of the law, and
seemed to be anxious to comply with
all the requirements and exactions inn
posed by the United States through it's
officials. Not only this, but from pru-
dental reasons, selfish to themselves,
these transporta ton companies did not
want to bring infected or pauper emf
grants to the United States, in the
former case for the reason that it would
breed sickness on shipboard and in the
latter instance because such pauper
emIgrants would have to be returned
at their own expense.
At Hamburg, which Mr.. Spaulding
said was perhaps the port where the
largest number OF emigrants coming
to the United States were shipped, the
transportation companies had built a
large and commodious building. run by
the companies and at which the emf
grants, previous to their embarlsa ton
were lodged. There the emicrants
WEI examined by medical officers of
the company with view of ascertain
ing if any of the emigrants had an
infectious disease. This examination
was very thorough.
All em!grantS hao mere. also, prior
to their departure, thoroughly to
cleanse themselves in the bath rooms of
the building and while they were in
the bath their clothes were taken out
and thoroughly fumigated and air ed.
In addition to this as the emigrants
boarded the ship they had to undergoa
further inspection by two medical Of
ficers, approved by the United States
consul and in the presence of the
United States vice consul.
The same state of affairs practically
exists at Amsterdam, Antwerp and Liv-
erpool. Mr.. Spaulding, on his return
trip, visited the Storage of the Spree,
which had on board about forty pas
sengers. He found that they had am
pie quarters, fresh air and good food
we'll cooked. HIS observation in this
direction extended no further than the
Spree, and he could not say whether
the same conditions existed on all
steamers transporting emigrants. His
impression and belief, from what he
heard from United States officials
abroad, was that the Republic steam
ship lines provided proper accommoda-
tons for the emigrants.