The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-12-17
He Says 1t Is More Profitable to Carry Freight
American Quarantine Regulations.
Suspension of immigration for a Year,
He Says, Would Not Keep OutCholera.
POstmosters Will Not Be Permitted TO Resign
and Turn Over Their Offices to Democrats
Mr.. Fellows Slaps Mr. Anderson.
Postmosters
NoT

An Agent Tells why the Steamships Will
Not Carry steeraee Immigrants.
Special TO the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16.-Mr. Vernon H.
Brown and Mr.. Gustav II. Schwab. along
with a number OF other steamship repro
sentatlyes. were before the joint commit
tee on Immigration. to-day. to protest
against the proposition TO suspend lmmi-
grafton for one year. Mr.. Schwab is the
widely-known agent of the North German
Lloyd Steamship Company. and is re-
garded as high and expert authority on the
subject of immigration traffic. To your
correspondent MIR. Schwab said, tonight,
in speaking of the position taken by men,
bers of the immigration committee. that
the purpose of the Continental Steamship
Association to suspend steeraRe traffic
was a bluff" 1.-The notion that the
measure suspending the transportation
OF steerage passengers from Europe has
been adopted by tho steamship lines as q
bluff at Congress, or at any body else. is the
sheerest nonsense. and simply exhibits the
ignorance of the person that enteriains this
idea. The steamship lines have taken this
action simply as o business necessity and q
question of profit or loss. The government
restrictions enforced on immigration, re-
ducing the number of steerage passengers
that can be brought here, render it unre-
munerative for the steamship companies TO
carry steerage passengers from Europe.
They, therefore, prefer to devote the space
to freight, and as the applications for Sec
ond cabin passage will be materially in
creased by the stoppage of the steerage
traffic. they will naturally increase cabin
- ~. I'D ana fo-Aa4 - nnaaAl
worlds fair rates.
The continental lInes," continued Mr..
Schwab have also taken this step to avoid
the risk of being obliged to forward steer
aye passen CESS booked at present steeraRe
rates in accommodation that may be much
enhanced in value by the threatened legis-
latlve measures severely restricting immi-
grafton. As for any idea of bulldozing
Department, the steamship companies
know that any attumpt at any game OF
that kin would be the utmost folly on
their part. They don't propose to try any
such picayqne business on the American
print. to-day, that the steamship Associa-
sion in question IS composed chiefly
of the Hamburg line. The writer of this
statement evidently docs not know what
be is talking about, for the North German
Lloyd has much larger heet than the Ham,
burg line. and is the chief member Of the
Continental Aesoclation. The North German
Lloyd never brought a case of cholera to
this country, in spite of the fact that they
carried far the largest lumber of passen-
gers LANDED in this country; and the other
members of the Continental Association
are the Red Star line. running from Ant
wcrp. and the Rotterdam line, from Hol-
land. both reputable and important steam
ship companies. carrying large numbers OF
passengers"
Before the committee. to-day, Mr..
Schwab argued against the prohibition OF
L mmiUrQtlOn for 0nA wear He az nrasla0
the belief that the magnificent developments
OF the material resources OF this country
was due to the enormous immigration of
the last half century. He argued that
Americans would not and could not per-
form the heavy manual labor and material
service required in developing the country;
therefore, immigration was essential. Sus-
pension could never be enforced. as the
northern and southern frontiers could
not be protected and the danger from
cholera would be increased, because q
quarantine could not be main tanned on
these frontiers. He held that SAM
duction of disease under tie present
system. announced the willingness of
the steamship companies to main
ain q quarantine Tor emigrants at
piled that the United States would he
guilty of q violation of Its treaty oblIga-
tons If it passed q suspension law. de
pronounced tho system OF consular lnspec-
property qualification as fatal TO the emf
grafton of the best class of northern Euro
pean people, and said that Colonel WebeT's
plan was the only feasible one. In brief,
that system provided for an examination
of the emigrants before departure by the
steamship companies, who are to be held
liable for improper entries. In conclusion,
MIR. Schwab denied that the steamship
companies had adopted restrictive meas
ures looking to the reduction of their sail
ings and refusal of immigrant traffic in
xny petty spirit of resentment. or that they
contemplated new lines to Canada and
Mexico to land immigrants, and assured
the committee of the disposition of the
companies to assist the authorities In en-
forcing any wise and equitable measure.