The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-04-13


1t must be that the excellent Repub-
lican leaders who spoke Saturday even
ing in the House caucus cannot appre-
ciate the magnitude of the evil OK the
immigration which has started up since
January. If they did they would not
think that immigration is a subject
which can lay over until the next ses-
sion or the next Congress. The objec-
ton made by Representative Payne, to
the effect that the Republican platform
does not warrant such restrictive meas
ures as the bill imposing an educational
test. is scarcely a plausible one under
present conditions. The Republican
party stands pledged to protect labor by
legislation. What legislation can afford
a greater protection to the common
labor of the country than law which
will keep out Of the market for such
labor two or three hundred thousand
foreign competitors? Such legislation is
the basis OF protection-protection to
labor, protection to the taxpayer and to
society generally.
The report comes from New York that
the increased immigration comes from
the lowest strata Of the population of
Italy. flying from that country to escape
service in it's foreign armies. 1t must
be that Congressional is, the House Of
Representatives-has heard of this. Con-
sequently. 1t causes genuine surprise
that a House which has given so many
evidences of intelligence and capacity to
legislate fails to see the greater impor-
lance of legislation which shall turn
back the fiood-tide of immigration and
pauperism which is now pouring itself
into the leading ports. This immigra-
ton from southern Europe is much more
harmful to the country than would be
the coming Of an equal number Of
Chinese
Already the advance of this army of
wretchedness has reached the cities of
the interior. Within a few days beggars
of foreign cast. who declare in broken
words that they cannot speak English,
have appeared in this city. Unless their
coming shall be interrupted by law
which will turn back the most of the
harmful immigrants. such foreign beg
gars will become numerous by fall.
The time has come when the United
States must close it's ports to the pau
perism produced by such systems Of gov
eminent as prevail in southern Europe
The American people cannot be bur-
dened by such immigrants, and Amer
lean labor has a right to demand pro-
lection against competition with such
degradation. The passage of the Lodge
or Mccall bill. prohibiting the immigra-
ton Of persons over fourteen years of
age who cannot read and write the Ian
guage which they speak, will exclude
thousands of the worst element No
weakness which has passed under the
guise Of humanitarianism should longer
have influence in this matter The duty
OF the American Congress is to protect
the country against the flood of ignor-
ance and pauoerism. Let governments
like Italy build fewer warships and
maintain smaller armies until they can
afford some sort of relief to the wretch
edness which their misrule has created.
There is no hope that these governments
will undertake to care for their subjects
until dire necessity forces them to do so.
So long as they can send 100000 of their
poverty stricken and ignorant people to
this country, so long the present wretch
ed systems will continue