The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-02-17
OUR IMMIGRATION LAW.
Col. F. G. Harris Reads thoughtful
Paper.
OUR DEBT TO EUROPE lessons.
We Are Getting Now Too Many of the
edies Proposed-Other Newport Notes.


last night at Claiming Church parlors
when two papers were read, one by
Charles ID. Mueller on "Gambetta, the
Statesman OF France" the other by Editor
Frank G.. Harris of the Newport Observer
on the question of Immigration. Col.
Harris said
THAT is undoubtedly plausible answer
which tells us that the old world has given
TO America its ne'er-do-wells and vagrants.
but the short-sghted policy which has
admitted them will have 10 he eXpiated by
the wise philanthropy that deals with
the existing evil without ignoring its
magnitude and with u firm determination
90 profit in the future by the experience
OF the past.
"These words were penned shortly be-
fore the opening of the new year by a dis
tinguished visitor TO these shores, whose
advent among those most deeply inter
ested in n certain great work. which the
worthy, patriotic women of America have
taken i'm hand, was the source OF unusual
pleasure, because her deep sympathy in
philanthropic affairs, her intense longing
TO give practical assistance TO any effort
which had for its object the ameliorati)n
of mankind, had long been known aud
appreciated here as elsewhere.
81 refer, of course, to Lady Henry SOM
erset, who prefers, evidently, to pass her
life in helping TO encourage the disheart-
ened, lift the down trodden, plead with
those wandering from paths OF honor and
OF rectitude, rather than devote her time
TO selfish pleasures so common among
those within the fashionable circle TO
which, by force of circumstances, she be
longs. This very excellent woman had
been in attendance upon the meetings of
the Woman's Christian Temperance
Union, which recently held its grand Ma
tional Convention in Boston, and Judging
from the public press, her presence and
her utterances had most inspiring
effect.
Lady Somerset had been asked to write
her impressions of the slums of the en-
pire city which she visited, and endeavor
to account for the awful pictures of pow
erty anS-crime which there met her eye.
You have her own words in reply and they
are well worth pondering over
The subject before us is one that di-
rectly or indirectly affects every man, wo-
man and child within the boundary lines
of this country. Like every other it has
two sides; its advantages are many, its
disadvantages, under some of the circum-
stances which this very day confront us
are almost innumerable. Whatever evils
have been forced upon the country by the
indiscriminate landing upon our shores of
people of every nation and cline, are, in
my Judgment, largely the result of dis
elimination on the part OF the governing
masses.
"ro insist upon the adoption of heroic
measures and the passage OF stringent
legislation against its continuance, lest if
be said by the upholders of monarchial
form of government. that the principles
upon which this nation was founded were
not such rs to warrant the prediction that
the republic would continue TO enjoy that
marvellous commercial, social ana politi-
cal prosperity which il has experienced for
over century. IL was religious bigotry
that drove the Pilgrim Fathers from their
native land, and their settlement in the
new world was practically the first step
taken in the direction of founding ma
tion which was to be- was one of its car
dinal principles clearly expresses il, and
which patriots and politicians have re-
peated and emhellished for over hundred
years the asylums for the oppressed of
every other part of the world.
The grandest country on the face of the
earth; its institutions are the freest in the
world magnificent in the extent of its
freedom because ii welcomes the oppressed,
the down-trodden of every race anu every
land. These are somewhat familiar words;
we have heard them from many n Fourth
of July orator and. we shall hear them
time and again during the impending
presidential contest. i take no exception
to them at all, but do say that the spirit
and in consequence we are brought face
TO face with an alarming condition of
things; n danger, which il permitted to
exist and increase, will become a greater
menace to our institutions, and a much
more insidious foe TO true liberty than the
most determined inciter to civil war and
rebellion could ever be.
"a hundred and more years ago the
down-trodden and the oppressed of the
world were invited TO make this their
home AS matters have turned out, the
invitation proves TO have been To profuse
with promises of generous hospitality;
there should have been direct saving
clause, as it were. preserving TO the gov
ernment the right TO say who was and
who was not oppressed and down trodden.
"What has been the result? A vast
amount of good without doubt. Tens OF
thousands OF skilled artisans have helped
TO built up the country; many more immi-
grants, representing uhskiiled labor, have
done much towards its development. IL
this was the only picture to be drawn then
surely the American people may consider
themselves blest But, unfortunately it
is not. These men have come not because
political conditions in their various native
lands bore heavily upon them, but they
emigrated for no other reason than that
they were ambitious and believed that the
new world afforded a greater opportunity
for success than could be obtained in their
own country. Such men would he an
acquisition TO any place, for with laudable
ambition and properly directed energy
they could not fail TO make desirable
impression.
"But what else have wep Why, men
arriving 10y the hundreds, nay, thousands,
each year, whose Vicious natures, whose
sedtious doctrines, aud whose murderous
tendencies have made their presence in
their native lands absolutely unbearable.
These men profess TO believe they are
oppressed, they tell their simple auditors
that they are down.trodden. These are
the Anarchists and the Socialists thous-
ands of whom have dared TO come here
aud, by their disregard of all forms OF
law, unblushingly substituted the word
license for that OF liberty.
MEN OF this stamp do not, unfortu-
nately, keep themselves together in one
neighborhoOd or center. Their infdmies
remind one OF the seed of consumption
working out its end slowly but surely un-
less torn out root and branches i'm the
early stages. These men would have you
believe that the world owes them "A living
and they are determined TO have IL at any
cost, except that OF personal effort and
labor.
"The Pilgrim Fathers based their claims
TO Divine assistance very largely upon the