The herald., 1893-08-14
TIME TO DRAW THE LINE.

We have received letter from per-
son residing in Los Angeles who says
that there are men living in this city
who find it very difficult to make both
ends meet; in fact, they find it hard to
keep body and soul together. This. we
regret to say. is lamentably true. 1t is
true of every city in the United States
today. With all the glitter and parade
OF the greatert exposition that has ever
been seen on the face of the earth, it is
true of Chicago. Garter Harrison.
the mayor of that city, says that there
are two hundred thousand laborers out
of employment. there now. In Denver
the whole working population is prac-
tcally out OF employment, and they
have been leaving the state in thous-
ands. In every city of the East and
West the same lamentable condition OF
affairs exists. Those who are located in
Los Angeles have at least the satisfac.
tion of knowing that their lines are
indeed cast in pleasant places, and that
the actual physical discomforts of life
are reduced to a minimum. 1
Our correspondent, however, strikes
another key, to which a strong popular
chord vibrates just now. He claims
that. with hundreds of thousands of
unemployed in the United States, a
stop should be put to the incoming OF
countless thousands OF immigrants to
this country. That this is a live issue
OF the day is seen by it's continual
thoughtful discussion in all kinds OF
publications. The daily papers, the
magazines. the reviews, and all avenues
open to public discussion, have been
full of this matter for years past. This
impartial and unimpassioned discussion
has absolutely nothing in common with
the old Know Nothing party. There is
neither bgotry of religion nor RAGS in
it. Up till decade or so ago, we prob
ably needed this immigration. Or, II
we did not need it, it. was then not
noticeably redundant. We readily alb
sorbed it, and much of it was OF char
acter that assimilated itself readily into
our body polite. But that has long
passed. We have more than the full
supply of labor needed by the present
development OF our industries, and the
natural increase of population in this
country will insure us an adequate sup
ply in the future.
That hundreds OF thousands of people
have been imported into the United
80 VI, ofl loto 10 ~ atrQ n
will not be disputed by intelligent men
who read the newspapers, and who have
followed the course of the several CON-
mittees of inquiry, congressional and
other, which have dealt with this sub
iect. There is nothing of intolerance in
objecting to the United States being
made ths dumping ground OF Europe.
In addition to the myriads who have
come into this country on labor con-
tracts, no end OF paupers and helpless
people have also been landed here, and
that, undoubtedly, by a sinister and
preconcerted effort of European people
to get rid OF their useless population.
| In every line the time has arrived for
genuine American policy by the Uni
ted States. Under the changed condi-
tion OF things, America for Ameri-
cans" has none of the old proscriptive
and hateful ring. 1t is relieved OF
everything that, in the Old days, was
calculated to insult very valuable ele-
ment of our population. 1t recognizes
all who are here now as in every re-
spect upon an equality with native
born citizens, and it aims at the protec-
ton OF the whole mass of our peo'
pie, native born and foreign born
Such programme will carry Irresistible
strength, because all men of aenae
whether born in the United States ol
out OF it, will desire a fair theater o
action for their children. Tney will no
wish to see labor degraded and Ink
American boy and girl shut out OF a fsi
chance in life by thronging myriadi
from Europe.
That such a departure is exigent il
shown by the fact that swarms of per
sons utterly Indifferent to, and incapa
BILE of, the demands of American citizsn
ship, are pouring into the United States
daily. 1t is high time that the abuses
from which this country has suffered
should be abated, and that American
labor should receive some OF that pro-
lection which has for 30 many years
been lavished upon American pig iror
and otner insensate objects, whose
profit ts have Injured to the iron and cot
ton barons.