Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-18
A NAfIo N AL EVIL
4 Correspondent Considers the Subject Of
Foreign Immigration.
Pertinent QueFfes ON an Issue That n
Recefvin9 Profound Attention
All Over the Union.
To the Editor Of The Evening Star:

cent editorial, entitled Cannot the Evil Be
Averted?" pertaining to the employment
by a certain contractor Of nonresident, and,
as have no doubt, alien or unnaturalized
| men. in preference to the legitimate and
worthy citizen Of the District of Columbia
All that you have written is, think. well
put, but as applicable to the country at
large as well as to the District of Columbia
we may favor the employment of local
| labor upon these works, but, notwithstand-
Ing this. what assurance have we that the
District contractor would not have en-
ployed these same Objectionable workmen,
| for the Identical reason, that it Is to the
advantage Of the present contractor to en-
ploy them?
Have we any law in this District or ought
| we to have one. unlike any that have ever
heard OF in this country. which would pro-
Eibit the present. or any local contractor.
from employing these workmen in this or
| any other jurisdiction. even to the detriment
OF what you consider legitimate employees?
Have we Chinese wall about the District
| of Columbia, which will actually prevent
such people from coming and performing
honest public labor? Can these people be
admitted to the United States and excluded
| from the District of Columbia?
Are not our gates open, as contend they
ought not to be? Have these people not
been invited thereby to come upon a tour of
| inspection. experiment and risk of obtain
| ing subsistence? Are they not here for the
| very purpose Of performing this labor
| winch. II is suggested, ought to be denied
them! III they are not allowed to work
what can they do after having been not only
permitted, but encouraged. to come? Is our
| legislature at fault. or are these people of
| whom we complain? Can We discrimina te ?
Is not the evil Of which you complain ma
uonaI IN It's character far-reachng beyond
| the District of Columbia, and extending
over this broad Land, and is il not felt every
where. now that We are beginning to realize
the true nature, effect and extent of this
national neglect to afford proper protection
and Of hu nit al
| States?
II we are to be able a hundred years hence
70 boast as we can now. Of our Union
ana rely then as We now do upon feel
lngs or patriotism Of our people to support
the same. and resist the evil Influences
WHICH are now al work. and we'll calculated
| 70 undermine not only our Union. our form
OF govern ment, but our institutions we
| must as nation protect ourselves; We
| must see that such laws are enacted as
VIII secure to the nation and the people
pr rta,s from undesirable competition
arising because Of foreign immigration
We all know that our progenitors were
foreigners The class VINO came here more
than twenty-five years ago was better and
the numDer less than since, and the object
! or their coming was different Then they
| came OF their own volition, for the bona
noe purpose Of becoming citizens with the
intention or adopting our customs. abiding
Ny anu supporting our laws, and therefore
| linhued with patriotic feeling
Recently as We all know they have been
| coming under other Influences. Offers and
| inducements made by corporations con-
| tractors in charge Of public and ouasi-puh-
| lie works and by organizers of land syndi-
| Gates and schemes. Inducements of every
| klnd are offered and promises are made on
! the other side, and too often broken on
| tnis; the result is, that We have Upon us
| thousands upon thousands of roaming H.
| iiterate, unwilling and disappointed people
Iuere exists another class. who are here
| perhaps not exactly In the same way re-
| Ter TO settlements in the west COMPOSED
| OF foreigners of various nationaiities who
| nave been hers for years. who are voters
| exercising all the rights Of citizenship and
yet they can scarcely. if a all, speak our
language. and they jealousy require their
children to learn their own. They are not
i lamhhar with our Constitution. they know
| ntte or nothing Of our Institutions they
| nave not adopted our manners and Gus
| toms, but on the contrary are actually do
ing all in their power to perpetuate their
| own. Is this in touch with the sentiment
| the republic? VI
Many will answer this question by say
! ing We could not otherwise have accom-
pllshed as nation such extensive deyelon-
! ments in our internal improvements. / am
not urging for the past or future that
| foreign immigration should be excluded.
| oniy mat II ought to be and should have
! Deen very materially restricted, and assert
That the class We have has proved to a
| great extent bad and undesirable
thinking Of the subject In behalf OF the
|
| development ought to have been 81 ran,d
| Other republics Of greater duration than
| ours nave fallen from some cause These
opJections this condition of affairs and
| tnese disadvantages may be a beginning.
with US. "a '''uDie
AS a nation. a hundred years ago we pur.
| sued certain course by inviting every
| able-bodied man and woman to come hit
| tfls is no reason. obviously. why We Should
| iholscrlminately pursue the same course
| new IEen we were without a common
| STOCK upon which We could RELY for a layitf
| mate and sufficient increase of the numha,
OF our people Then We had territory which
| we were anxious to people to a reasonab HE
| extent.
Then there existed every incentive. every
| reason why inducements should have been
| ohered to foreign immigra ton and mar
| t'cularly considering the number the Gle &c
tnat came. and the purpose, intention and
| manner OF their coming; but now and in
| deed, more than twenty-five years ago the
situation changed entirely, and it became
ana Is now. question in the interest of the
| liation whether or not we are growing TOO
last, whether or not We are taking in more
| than we can digest, whether or not IL is
| possipie Tor us to make good citizens of all
the people who are coming here whether
| or not we are giving our country simply to
| tnosc who ask for 1t, without knowing that
the recipients of our bounty would make
| sood' law-abiding, educated, self-support-
| ing, patriotic American citizens for the
| territory We are granting free and the
| rights, powers and obligations with which
| we are clothing them
were our feelings of patriotism strength
| ened. when twenty years ago We saw San
| francisco, and may say California. over
| run with Chinese and the citizens affected
| by their demoralizing Influences? The sim
| auon was alarming, and the effect il has
| mad upon not only the working class is
! known to all. "
Are our feelings of patriotism strength
| ened when We witness in Washington CITY.
| under the caves Of the Capitol building,
| upon one Of our principal streets, several
Chinese launiries on one square. MANY
others throughout the city? Does it indi-
! cate that We are sufficiently protected by
| cur government, when we find that We ire
not only surrounded by these but thou
| SANDS upon thousands of people of this
| and other nationalities, who are almost of
! the lowest order of human beings?
| May we not conclude that il many exist
| leg evils are not corr ected, and greater pro-
| lectlon afforded for patriotic Americans,
| mat men who are such in name only will
| come 10 the front and cause changes sun
| ported by people of their class and sentf-
! ment which will be calculated to seriously
| threaten the durability of our republico
| l.. p. s.
Treasury DeOarfmenf Cbonuas