The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-07-21
Telephone No. 6e.
IMMIGRATION DANGERS.

With Improving times the old danger
of unchecked immigration returns with
all the attendant errors. During the de-
pressed financial period, immigration, like
everything else, fell below it's previous
records, and among the many unfortun-
ate conditions which prevailed we en-
joyed the one good of immunity from the
previous influx of undesirable population.
The publication OF figures showing how
immigration had declined in the two
years OF depression led many people to
suppose that ut had been permanently
checked and that some radical improve
ment had taken place, either in the ma
ture or the enforcement of our immigra-
tion laws. This ds a wholly mistaken
idea. The rules for the exclusion of
undesirable immigration are mo more
rigorous and are enforced with no more
vigilance than they were three years ago.
Our country is still open TO the invasion
of diseased, pauperlzed and morally pes
BGent foreigners.
AS long as IT rests with ahe officers OF
the steamship companies to decide who
shall enter and who shall not, there is
likely to be little br no Improvement.
These officials may be men of average
integrity, but they are working for the
interests OF their companies, not for the
interests of the UNITED States. They are
put upon bath tnlaIt their passengers do
not belong to 1.-The excluded classes and
are required TO put the applicants for
passage through formal examination,
being THUS dependent for their informa-
tion on the word of these people them
selves, who are naturally as much inter-
ested as the companies in being able TO
pass the rules. a slight medical examln-
aftion is also required. This is probably
sufficient to shut out contagious dis
eases and perhaps insane people and
idiots. The Boston journal calls ntten-
tion to several popular misconceptions OF
the requirements of our immigration
laws, some of which are too frequently
cited. namely THAT the Immigrant Shall
be able to read and wH'lte, and that he
shall possess $50 in money, Neither stipu-
lalion appears anywhere in the laws of
the United Skates as regards immigra-
ton. They do appear In lthe steamship
companies formula, i'm the shape of
questions to be put to the Immigrant
But 'uhey are there for statistical pur-
posses, not 10 act ais barrier for shift
less and illiterale immigrants,
1t Is therefore as important as ever
more important in this critical stage OF
our histbry-ahak our Immigration laws
should be revised and that their enforce
ment should be made obligatory upon
some set of officials who will have an
interest in sedng them properly carried
out. Obviously this can only be done
by placing THE lrst responsibility In the
hands of oflloars at foreign ports, and
u naturally foicows that the consuls
should have the supervision of immigra-
tlon added to their dutges, being allowed
some extra assistance IL necessary. Every
consul thus empowered should be in
structed to demand of each intending
immigrant certificate from line officials
OF the distinct from which HE came, stat
irg MS condition, mental. physical and
flnlncral. There should also be at his
service Ehe advice OF competent phys.-
clan TO examine the Immigrant just be-
fore oIabavkation. Whaeever the rules
Of exclusion may be. they can only be
carried out in some such way as this.
That THEY should be more severe than
they are now is mot to be questioned,
while the results of their enforcement or
non-enforcsment are SIMPLY tncalculable
IN the future of our country,