Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-04-08
Work of Congress.

The short session of the Fifty-second
congress signalized itself quite as much
by the important laws it did not pass as
by those which it did enact 1t die
nothing for or against silver, failed aftel
desperate fight to pass the antioption
bill an9 left the Nicaragua canal out il
the cold for the third time.
Of the acts that became laws the prin
cipal are the following: The automatic
car coupler bill, the Chinese exclusion
and registry act, the act restricting i'm
migration and the national quarantine
bill. One Of the most popular of the
laws passed by the congress that has just
expired was that permitting the ocean
steamers New York and Paris to fly the
United States flag The congress at its
first session enacted much needed law
pensioning army nurses. If this law had
been in existence before the death of
Walt Whitman, the old poet would have
been that much better off in his last days.
The law concerning national quaran-
tine simply enlarges the authority of the
marine hospital service so that it will
have power to take all needed precau-
tons against an invasion of cholera next
summer. Its authority is made para
mount TO that of the various state quar-
antine commissions.
Freight trains, under the new law per-
tanning to them. must use the automatic
car coupler
The last important law passed was that
restricting immigration. Under this act
1t win be almost as hard for steerage
passenger TO get into the United States
as to get into heaven. In view of the
threatened visitation of cholera, how
ever, and of the actual and present evils
of unrestricted immigration, the new law
is none too severe. Europe has only her
self to thank for it. If she had not made
it practice for the last half century Of
pouring upon us crime, pauperism, il
literacy and disease, merely to get rid Of
tt herself, then this law would never have
been passed.
Under the new immigration act the
masters and surgeons of vessels at the
port of departure shall make affidavit
that all the immigrants they bring to us
are eligible as good citizens. In addition
to this the immigrants are subjected to
a second rigid inspection at the port of
entry by United States officials, and if
they do not pass muster here may he
sent back. By the time the persons desir-
ing to come to us have been put through
the following examination at the port of
departure the undesirable immigrants
will be fairly well weeded out:
The emigrant must state the fun name, full
| age and sex, whether married or single, the
calling or occupation, whether able to read or
write, the nationality, the last residence. the
seaport for landing in the United States, the
final destination, il any, beyond the seaport Of
landing: whether having a ticket through TO
| such final destination, whether the emigrant
has paid his own passage or whether il has
been paid by other persons OF by any corpora
ton, society, municipality or government;
whether In possession of money, and n 70
whether upward Of 800 and how much II $50 or
less; whether going to Join relative, and II SO
what relative, and his name and address;
whether ever before in the United States, and
II 40 when and where.
II must also be stated whether ever in prison
or almshouse OF supported by charity; whether
polygamist, whether under contract (express
or implied TO perform labor In tho United
States, and what is the emigrants condition
OF health, mentally and physically. and wheth.
er defsrmed or crippled, and II 80 from what
cause.