The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-04-30
QUESTIONING COL. WEBER.
THE JOINT COMMITTEE MOURNING
mo OUR IMMIGRATION.
A Attenpt 20 show that the Restrictions
At Present Imposed by Law are Neither
severe Enoush Nor strictly Enough
r,foroed Against the Tide OF Arrivnis

Immigration met yesterday morning In tho
United States Circuit Court room 1t was dis
covered that Col. Weber had not received the
committees notification In tmo TO prepare
himself for the particular limo OF Investigation
proposed. Scan adjournment was takon until
the afternoon. when Col. Weber. who Is tho
Commissioner Of immigration. went upon the
stand and was held by continuous fire OF
questions until $50 o'clock. Senator Hilwho
is Chairman OF the committee. was present in
the morning. but did not rcturn in tho afternoon.
Senator Chandler took his place. and he ard
Congressman Hermann Stump OF Maryland
did most OF tho questioning. The othcrs pres.
ent wero Senator Redfleld Proctor OF Vermont.
Senator Fred +. Dubois OF Idaho. Congressman
James W. Covert OF Now York. Congressman
Jacob A. Gessenhaincr OF Now Jersey. and
Congressman Myron u. Wright OF rcnnsyl-
vania-
The investigation. outside Of a Few questions
as to the typhus foyer and tho Massllia. had to
do entirely with the problem ofrcstricting I'M
migration. Tho mombcrs OF the committee
seemed to be united In looking for sor.o
means OF restricting immigration. and Col
Weber stood out strongly for the excellence OF
the present system.
Senator Chandler asked especially ms to tho
200 Jews from whom the typhus fever patients
came Col. Weber described their wnndcrinGs
and their misfortunes. They were jews.
who were Turkish citizens. and they had set
tied In tho ncghborhood Of Odessa" he said
"As understand the situation. tho Russian
Government hns ordered all Jews who are
Russian citizons to 60 to n certain province in
the empire and has ordered all Jews who arc
not Russian citizens t, leave the country
While was there an American jew. who had
settled in Russia got orders to leave. and has
never returned to America
Tho work OF tho Hebrcw Charities Associa-
ton camc up. and Col Weber said That that
society had guaranteed several families. and
upon this guarantee ho had let them go. al
Over; and Is dssdod ;hat tns SnarqpNtsss
been taking guarantees that immigrants will
not become public charges instead Of bonds.
eses nG In ssS Sm but mefe em
Senator Chandler then took up that famous
the iormnliirs OF Fills Island. Col WcIer
was very proud CT this day and did not ut first
suspect the suspicious attitude OF tho COM
,,"IISw many inspectors havo you?" asked
Fourteen. They were all at work that day.
And how long did it take to pass all those
morning and were done ct $3.50 al night"
epection. how the i'm migrants nro let through
In eight streams and how the SUSPICIOUS PER
sons sons g. ere , atterTara carefully examined Sen
81 on hs
~ have some statistics on illiteracy." said
scandinayians over 10 years OF nGe-by Scan
dlnavian mean Swcde. Norwegian. and Dano
could not road and WRITE or tho Germans
over 10 years OF age one nrr cent. could not
Eead and write. ct The immigrants from Great
the Russians ton t per cent coud not read
sRd write q the Ausfrnns I'D ilunigrans
cent. and OF tho Poles 90 per cent"
fereRt pationalities,., said senator FToct3r..
We have no statistics on that. We divide
tGe9e Having si less than 16S G!' 'An Sio0 anu
Have you any information ms TO the way
the mine operators OF, Pennsylvania send
money abroad and hire lnborers to come. un-
der the Etreten,ce. thas the mGEey is sent BY
No e have not d" Us said sIit Go" Weber 1hayo
neyer sent inspectors Is I'M there to find out by
We nave let through at the island"
..Have not such inspectors been sent?"
reports those inspectors have made"
ta ed dlty was it to soad inspectors to
.Isuppose ought to have done It,"
tors. sent from Washington. did ind out 'h hut
i thsud % i! operators were perpetr"tne this
NO. I have heard SO. but don't know
Senator Chandler returned to tho question
Se y Da't tell 'h nn Ssmsrant
Who is likely to become public charger
We'll. by his physical appearance; by his
clerk Or booEkeepcr by sliins and md WIZ" Gf' Of
S S T ss5sd I'll h sS S fh s5
%and should let the abarer "snH:a even yen
q man with a few hundred dollars. and the APP |
ps Pa sdU Of bum And tho habits Of bum,
In one way or anothc seoe man Wit sio Is
really no better off than man with 81. if he |
h 1M. not tho desire for work. Now. there is
k ahSr Bureau is behind in its orders for farm
Aa t"neressman stump and Senator Cbora,.r
now began uron the system by which SO many
were let through and So few barred. Senator
three months several hundred thousand DIP per- r.
sons wore let through. and only +a5 barred.
nnay y0n say that our ct
may appeal whereas II he is not barred tho
agree with the Inspectors decision. admitting
thls N man to the country have no representn-
other words. it all depends upon the in,
-. Yes" said Col Weber "But these inspec-
tors nre competent and con scicntious men"
But, after all said Senator Proctor. n
days he may be soft hearted and may listen
% the pleadngs Of the cmigr!lnt or of The
societies which want to get him 10. and on
other days he Is hard hearted and bars the
emiSrant and ,1 listens to n? MI cal"
NE nre al human. said Iol. Wehcr.
Butt" said senator. Chandler. you must
Know that there is an Impression w.iespreni
through the country TINT immigra,on ought
TO b. RESTRICTED. And You must admit tiat
sendinE .; iso nmiErants through in orc dny
would lead people To think that ii would ia
{mpo;ss ne Tor 80 maay to pass in such u short
~ think" said Col Wei.r. Tint liz. r',in.
~ at large does not understand about these
Hmigrnpts. mistaken idea hu- rUnr r'mI
FIAT this country Is tho dumping grnunI Tor
Europe. anu that "miGrnti"n j. practically nm
5estricteh Asa matter 81 Tact Il much intt"r
class oi imm isrnnts Is coming nov than cans
formerly. and that Is the reason why SO few
are barred compHI ntively." "
4, Col Weber told how II story had gone abroad
that there were 81 paurrrs ut Buffalo Mo had
lust DnSSe1 throuph thu lItC -I,,.,i W.