The San Francisco call., 1897-06-19
THE IMMIGRATION QUESTION

The plan recently advanced in the upper
house of the National Legislature by Sem
ator TIL Imam of South Carolina 10 impose
a head tax Of 500 upon every immigrant,
to the end thet American labor may be
better protected against the assaults of
the army OF low wages from foreign lands
has merit in it, and some measure, having
for its object the greater restriction of i'm
migration, will undoubtedly before long
be enacted by Congress into law.
Examples of the need of such a meas
ure are everywhere numerous, but an in
stance from the State of Pennsylvania will
serve 10 amply illustrate the extent 10
which this foreign gn-labOr-im migration busI-
ness is being carried. A Shenandoah
newspaper is authority for the statement
that a number of Italian agents are in the
anthracite coal regions of that State try
ing to induce resident Italians TO advance
whatever money they have laid by for
the purchase of passage for poor friends
who are still in Italy.
In certain parts of the regions the
agents, it is said, have been quite
successful, and, therefore, immigration
from Italy will be largely increased.
Poles and Huns arc brought over
here in like manner, and they come at a
time when multitudes OF American labor
ers are idle. Sucn immigrants do not rep
resent the well-to-do classes in the coun-
tries from which they come. No matter
from what country such an element comes,
its influence is most baneful and its ad-
vent to be deplored. In Pennsylvania
they are to be dumped, in the case above
noted, INTO a region where the supply al
ready greatly exceeds the demand. They
wait around probably for months to find
work, and are only too eager to accept
work at figures that would mean little
short of starvation TO native Americans
and their families.
That these foreigners are rapidly replac-
ing American labor in the coal fields is an
easily demonstrable fact. The Phila-
delphia Inquirer states that "an authority
of the Reading Coal and Iron Company
recently admitted that about one-half of
the men in his company's employ were Of
foreign birth. This is in the SchuylkiI
region" The newspapers of the Wyom-
ing region in the Keystone State are pro-
testing against the importation of other
foreigners in a district already over
stocked with them. And the same is true
The "business" of these agents" is
quite legitimate. They are believed to be
in the employ of foreign steamship COM
panies, which derive big profits from the
boom thus created in steerage receipts.
tax of $10O per head on every immigrant
would tend largely toward the settlement
of this matter in favor of this country's
interests.
Senator Tillman proposes still another
plan. the substance of which Congress, we
feel certain, will favorably consider at the
proper time, when the tariff and currency
measures are disposed of. 1t is TO make it
a misdemeanor. punishable by fine and
imprisonment, for any person to enter
the United States for the purpose of en-
gaging in trade or manual labor without
intending to become a citizen. The sug-
gestion is not a new one, and it came
originally from a Republican source.
The thousands of Orientals and others
who look upon this country as gold
gathering field TO be abandoned for their
''home" country Ito which their allegiance
remains unshaken) as soon as their greed
of gain is satisfied would fall under such
a provision; as would also the foreigners
who daily troop over our boundary lines
TO make livelihood for themselves and
families within the borders of the United
States, paying no taxes to this Nation
and having no intention of becoming citi-
zens of this country. All these measures
viii come in due time. First we want the
tariff bill, however. The present admin
istration is making splendid progress.
The necessary restrictions to immigration
will certainly be made as soon as it is
practicable for Congress to give the sub
iect the consideration Its Importance de-
mands.