The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-11-16
A Serious Question for Congress.

The fact that nearly 1000 storage passen-
gers from Europe have been admitted to
this port within o week past does not show
that the restrictions imposed upon immi-
grafton by President HARR1soN's order OF
tho LIST OF September have been removed. or
that the order is not hereafter to be en-
forced. The several steamships that have
landed their passengers on Ellis Island
we're authorized to do so by the Treasury
Department, which has granted the same
privilege to number Of other ships that
are now on their way hero with
clean bills Of health and laden with passen-
gers who had teen booked before the issue
OF the Presidents order. But that order.
which imposes quarantine OF twenty days
upon all immigrant-carrying ships. has
never been rcscinded. and Surgeon General
WYMAN has informed our Washington cor
RESPONDENT that it will DO enforced. except
in special cases. as long as there Is any
danger that tho cholera will be brought
here from foreign ports.
The stoppage Of immigration for period
OF more than ten weeks. under order OF the
President, is an incident without precedent
in our history. 1t took place Mt time when
the volume OF immigration was extraor-
dinarily large. The number OF immigrants
who arrived Mt our port during the eight
months Of this yearending with August last
was twelve thousand greater than the num-
Der who arrived during the whole OF last
year, or Az. G19 against 43O. 1884, It is very GER
tain that, but for the restrictions imposed by
the Presidents order. fully 900 foreign
ers would have been added to our popula-
ton within the current year. When the
bars were put up the stecrages OF the
whole fleet OF immigrant-carrying ships
were crowded to their utmost: and we had
abundant evidence from Europe that this
state OF things would continue for an in
definite period Of time
The steamship companies are now exceed
ingly anxious to resume the immigrant
traffic. In which they have found profit.
They arc FESTIVE under tho restrictions to
which they are subjected. and are striving
to bring about their removal at tho earliest
possible moment.
The question Of the regulation OF immi-
grafton is OF vital Importance to the Amer
lean people. and must be taken up in n
serious way at the opening OF tho coming
session of Congress. TWAS trltled with all
through the last session. Bills about it
were introduced: debates upon it were
held; committees to investigate it were
appointed: and Commissioners were sent
abroad to gather facts rrgarding-it. Tho
Senate adopted bill to which tho House
would not agree the House adopted bill
to which tho Senate did not agree: and
thus the enactment OF any measure OF any
kind respecting 1t was prevented Some Of
the members. both Republicans and Demo-
Gratis. were afraid to range themselves upon
the question in tho year Of a Presidential
election.
1t Is not g question for party division or
for partisauship. It's n question OF states
manshp. and OF patriotism, and OF the pub
lie welfare. 1t is Il question OF exceeding
gravity.
Our patriotic citZcns OF foreign birth nro
not averso to intelligent legislation for the
better regulation OF immigration. 1t is as
much to their interest as to the interest OF
native Americans that there should BIO
practicable and proper laws against the ad-
mission Of undesirable immigrants" such
as have come here without restriction dur
ing the past few years.
We trust. therefore. that this great and
pressing question will be taken up by Con-
gress In IL business-like way. rs soon as IL
assemblies next month with the guiding
idea that as things are to-day the inds-
crimlnnte peoplng OF this country by tho
poor. the o pressed. aud the criminal OF
other countries is goin. on too fast for the
good Of the United States.