The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1892-12-23


tract laborers during the fiscal year
have served in a large degree, to deter
contractors in the United States from
furthur efforts to evade the law.
The distressed condition of labor
throughout Europe, the report asserts,
tends to increase immigration to Amer
lea, and the number of landings, it !
saws, would have increased enormously
but for the restrictive features Of the
law, adopted March 3, 1891. But for
that, according to the statements OF
ship agents, there would have been
so 900 more immigrants than were re-
ceived rhe character of the immi-
grants arriving during the past year
was greatly superior to that Of many
previous years.
The report furthur shows that 60
900 Canadians enter the United States
every spring. The expenditures here
are severely economical, while they
return to their homes in the fall, to
spend the very considerable savings
from their earnings in this country.
1t may be advisable, Mr. Owen
thinks, to extend the 50.cent head tax
to all immigrants coming over our
northern and southern borders, and to
provide some prohibitive features
against these so-called "birds of pas
sage" who make annual incursions
into our labor fields with no intention
of becoming a part of us, but for the
sole reason of seasons profitable
work.
Continuing the report says:
Labor has been losing ground for
thirty years in its conflict with capital
in Great Britain and on the continent,
which has resulted in steadily in
creasing volume of immigration to
this country. The existing immigra-
ton law was framed to sift the incom-
erS, to draw u division line between
the desirable and the undesirable.
The law prohibits the landing of all
paupers and of all persons likely to
become paupers or public charge, all
idiots and insane persons; persons suff-
ering from loathsome or dangerous
contagious disease; persons who have
been convicted of felony or INSIDE
meanOr involving moral turpitude,
polygamists; any person who's pas
sage is paid for with the money of
another or who is assisted by others to
come, unless it is affirmatively and
satisfactorily shown on special inquiry
that such persons does not belong to
one of the excluded classes; also all
contract laborers. l take it that ii is
not the serious intention of the gov
eminent to prohibit immigration, but
from time to time to prohibit the peo-
pie who, experience has demonstrated
fail in some important direction in
entering benefcially into American
citizenship.
The very large per cent Of the for
eign born over the native born popu-
latiOn in the unfortunate classes of the
states having the great immigration
ports directs attention to these classes
1t appears that the majority of these
unfortunateS came here without money
and without skill as wOrkmen, and
oftentimes adversely, such as sickness
or inability to secure work, soon turned
the women into asylums, and the mer
after eking out an eXistance ut ode
jobs, or rs tramps, landed disappointed
or diseased in the poor house or be
fore the courts. Immense numbers Of
women are landed annually on oul
shores, and except in cases of young
girls, who are fitted to 90 out for do
nestle service, their life here is try
, ing one.
1t were thousand times better TO
the alien who falls into misfortune il
this country to have remained at home
, for his trouble here is doubly burdel
, on both mind and body. Our foreigl
admirers need to be disabused Of tn
idea that this country is an Ell Dorad
+ where the poor live in luxury and tn
, indolent receive enormous wages. l
is important for them to learn that tn
great wages of this country are onl
secured by skilled workmen, and tina
the alien unacquainted with our lang
, uags and habits is at a serious disad
5 vantage even under the most favorabl
4 circumstances.
+ Sixteen per cent of our immigrant
t can neither read nor write in thei
I own language. This becomes an add