The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1893-04-29
HERMAN STUMP,

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HERMAN STUMP.
among laboring foreigners. And these
three questions are connected in a most
intimate manner just now, for immigra-
ton has already set in heavily for 1898,
the cholera is certainly reviving in east
ern Europe, and if it gets here it will, as
Sam Wilkinson said of the Beecher scan
dal and a certain religious book, "knock
the Worlds fair higher than Gilderoys
kite"
There is touch of the comical in the
way public opinion suddenly shifted on
this question. Since 1874 the immigrants
have never been less than 100, 900 year,
and only in the "hard times'' of 1863
did they fall below 100000 year. Then
the number suddenly went up beyond
precedent since Israel left Egypt, reach
ing 1888, 992 in 1882. The labor organiza-
tions cried aloud and were laughed at.
In the decade Of 18S0-9O the newcomers
were far more than twice as many as in
any previous decade and almost doubled
the number of foreign born in the coun-
try. "Cheap laborers'' by the hundred
thousand came from Italy, Russia, Po-
land and elsewhere. Still the labor organ
izations were scarcely listened to. ALI
at once the cholera threatened. An ele-
CANT steamer loaded with the elite of the
"Four Hundred" had to suffer miser-
able quarantine, and, 10, as Samuel Com
pers laid, IA shrek from swcllGom to
shut out every demd immigrant, don't
yer know!'
The net result has been law which
on its face is ironclad, trick proof and
perjury tight. Previous laws secured
by the labor organizations were rather
stringent, but this one, which went into
effect at the close of the last congress, is
simply 'corker." By it the intruding
immigrant must under oath tell all about
his race, name, age, sex and condition;
where he came from, whittier he is going
and what he is going to do when he gets
there; whether he has money, and, if SO,
how much; whether he has ever been in
prison, hospital or quarantine; whether
he is a polygamist or thinks Of becoming
one; whether he is vuccinated or pock-
marked, skilled or unslSilled or under
contract; whether he is a thief, a pauper
fugitive, a cripple, an idiot or Il habit
ual drunkard or is conscious of inclina-
tions to become either of such.
Of course this is only summary, but
it is really no exaggeration. In addition
to all this, nine experienced surgeons Of
the marine hospital service, appointed by
the president, have gone to the principal
foreign ports with almost despotic pow
ers of inspection of immigrant vessels.
These are: Surgeon George Purviance of
Philadelphia, assigned to Liverpool;
Buffalo to Southampton; Assistant Sur
geon M. J. Rosenan to Antwerp; Passed
Assistant Surgeon J. II. White of Savan-
nah to Hamburg; Passed Assistant Sur
geon R. M. Woodward, now located at
Cairo, to Rotterdam; Assistant Sur
geon E. R. Houghton of Vineyard
Haven, Mass, to Havre; Surgeon Fair
sistant Surgeon R. W. Brown Of San
Francisco to Genoa; Assistant Surgeon
G. B. Young of Pittsburg to Naples.
When all this is got over, the burden
is next laid on the immigrant vessels.
They must not sail from any infected
port or any that has been infected for
some time If cholera appears on board
a few days after they sail, they must
turn back; but if they arrive on this side
with cases or suspected cases on board,
then their real trouble begins. To the
eight quarantine stations previously in
use three have been added, the larger
ones with disinfecting apparatus, elab-
crate baths and quarters for suspects
capable of accommodating from 400 to
1000 each. And they are very comfort
not intend to make the suspect mlser-
able, but it does intend to make him
mighty clean and safe.
In addition to all this, 13 vessels have
been designated to serve, if there is need,
as floating quarantine stations, and all
the officials have been granted extraor-
binary powers. Of course the men in
trusted with such powers-powers in
their very nature arbitrary to the verge
of despotism-should be above suspicion,
and the new appointments have there
fore been most vigilantly scanned. Su-
pervising Surgeon General Wyman's rec
ord and experience are too well known
to need detail. He has recently prepared
an elaborate code of instructions for all
quarantine officials Oh our own and for
eign coasts, and in consultation with
physicians from various cities is prepar-
ing another for inland application, for
there is to be also an inland quarantine.
mixed state and federal.
Ex-Congress1nan Herman Stump, re
Gently appointed superintendent of i'm
migration, vice William D. Owen, re-