The record-union., 1894-04-28
RESTRICTING IMMIGRATION.
w. II. Jeffrey, in the american Jola'na
of Politics, says:

w. Fl. Jeffrey, in the american Journal
Of Politics, says:
The only satisfactory and just restriction
that can be placed on immigration is TO fix a
moral, physical and intellectual standard by
which proposed immigrants must be rated or
refused admission to the country. Congress
should pass an Act requiring all persons who
desire to emigrate TO the United States 10 pro-
vide themselves with a certificate Of character
from the chief executive OF their city or town,
stating that the person named in the certlf1-
cate is of good moral character, and the num-
Der of years he has been a resident OF the city
or town. The law should require that the
certificate have three Endorsements; first. by
the Chief of Police stating that the person
named has not been brought before the courts
on any criminal charge for u period OF not
less than five years, and that no charges are
now pending against the said person. Sec
the person named is IN good health, and that
no contagious diseases have been reported in
his household for period OF not less than
one year. Third, by the chief otlcer OF the
poor, stating that the person named has not
received any assistance from the poor author
ties for period OF not less than five years.
This certificate should be signed by the pro-
posed immigrant and witnessed by the chief
executive oticer of the town where issued as
an evidence OF the applicants ability to read
and write, and upon his arrival at the port of
sailing the certificate should again be signed
by the person holding it, in the presence of
the duly accredited agent of the United States,
as a means of Identification; after which it
should be countersigned by said agent. Upon
the immigrants arrival in this country the
immigration authorities should take up the
certificate of character and a certificate of ad-
mission which should contain general de-
scription OF the person, together With the
statements contained ia the certificate OF
character.
This certificate should be deposited with
the Board of Registers located In the city or
town where the immigrant desires to locate,
and IT, prior to the expiration OF the five
years residence necessary for naturalization
the immigrant desires to locate in still some
other town, the Board OF Registers shall issue
a permit containing all the statements that
were in the original certificate OF character
and the certificate OF admission. This system
once in full operation would result, hrSt. in
giving US better class OF immigrants. Seo-
Ond, il would make It possible to exclude all
undesirable persons. Third, 1t would pre-
vent illegal naturalization, as the various GER
tincates would show the exact time the pro-
posed had been in this country. Fourth it
would make it possible for the police authori-
ties to keep full and complete records OF all
foreign law breakers, as each time any offense
was committed 1t would cause an indorse-
ment to be made on the deposited certificate
of admission. The certificate of admission
being conditional Rdmission--an admission
on probation.
The Jeffrey plan is not new; it's detail,
however, is to be credited to him. 1t
provides too cumbrous a system and too
elaborate procedure to justify belief that
Ii will serve the purpose intended. Here
and there conscientious, independent and
fearless officials might be found, but, as a
rule, the called-for certificates would be
found to be unsatisfactory and mislead-
ing.
We should certainly have little faith in
these csrtifcations without affirmative
proof of their reliability. We should
fear that they would represent the desire
of the native land to be rid Of the in
tending immigrant, or the purchase
money paid vensl and weak officials. or the
command of superior authority anxious to
be rid of an undesirable element, or that
refusal to issue certificates would be the
rule for all of the element we might deem
most acceptable, and which the home
government would be likely to desire to
retain.
The most of the intelligent foreigners
consulted regarding this plan agree that
the certificates of home officials would be
of little value In the great majority OF
cases.
The requirement of three Endorsements
does not add to the scheme much strength.
Nor does it follow that if the intending
immigrant is of good moral character,
free from the taint of crime or charge OF
crime, is not a pauper and comes from a
house free from contagious disease, that
we therefore want him. It is not only
the low, vicious and deplorably ignorant
we would exclude, but those also who are
not in sympathy with our system; those
who entertain views hostile to our social
| edifice, and those who are related by be-
lief or activity to radical socialistic and
anarchical organizations or acts aimed
for the undoing of the law, the overthrow
of order and substitution of wild and
fanciful ideas of unrestrained personal
liberty. Then, again, there is no cer-
tainty that soon the question of numbers,
regardless of qualifications, will not cut