The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-03

| amendment he proposed to the tariff bill,
that immigrants be taxed 800 each before
being admitted into this country, would
be adopted by the Senate, but he no doubt
did expect that 1t would draw attention
to himself, and, also, to the evils growing
out of the present immigration laws. If
he could succeed in having these laws so
reformed that Objectionable immigrants
would be shut out of the country there
would be very little disposition to criticise
him for seeking to bring himself into
greater prominence In correction there
with
There is undoubtedly a deep-seated feel
ing among all classes OF people that we
are altogether too liberal in the admis-
sion Of immigrants. The coming of hun
dreds Of thousands of cheap laborers every
year is having the effect Of depressing the
labor market Native Americans are fore
ed either to accept the low wages for
which these foreigners are willing to
work. and hence to live as meanly as
they do, or become idlers and starve
These cheap foreign laborers have been
accustomed TO low wages and mean Nv
ing, and hence they can under5id native
American laborers in the labor market
without feeling they are enduring any
hardship.
But all OF the immigrants are not peace
and order-loving people seeking only to
better their material condition. Many, If
not the most of them, are imbued with
IDEAS which are dangerous to our govern
ment. They have been the victims of in
Justice so long in their respective coun-
tries that their hearts are full Of hate,
and they are anxious for opportunities to
express in acts Of violence their feeling
Of bitterness against those who are pros
porous.
Senator Titlman declared that we would
witness scenes Of violence on a grand
scale and attempts to overthrow the gov
eminent in the near future If we did not
put greater restrictions upon immigration.
In that declaration he but expressed the
bought that is on the minds of many of
The ablest and most conservative men OF
the country. The Debs riot in Chicago in
894 is an indication of the spirit that Is
abroad in the land. That riot would have
reached far greater proportions, and the
movement which gave birth TO it might
have become a serious menace to the gov
eminent If it had not been checked
promptly by Cleveland's strong hand. The
man Debs, however is still plotting. He
is busy building up another organization,
which is based upon ideas which are in
lmical to our institutions and our govern
looked that native Americans, being hard
pressed by this foreign labor. become
sympathsers with these ideas. As their
ability to earn the necessaries and COM
forts of life becomes less their patriotism
becomes weaker, and they are found in
the ranks of those who are ever ready to
make war upon those who are prosperous.
The republican party is engag ed in fran
ing a tariff bill, the main purpose of which.
according to the assertions of republican
leaders, is to protect American labor. And
yet nothing is being done by that party
to shut out cheap foreign labor, which
does more to degrade American labor than
any tariff bill. that can be framed can do
to protect and elevate it.
Are not the republican leaders incon-
sstent and insincere? Do they not deceive
American workmen by their talk about
protecting American labor when their
party takes no steps to keep out of the
country their greatest foe, the cheap for
eign laborer?
While protesting friendship for the ma
tive American workmen the coal barons
and iron manufacturers of Pennsylvania
have been virtually his enemy because
they have not only put cheap foreign Ia
borers in their mills and mines but they
have imported them under contract. The
state of Pennsylvania has felt the evils
Of this cheap foreign labor, and has en-
acted a law, which went into effect this
week, to counterfeit some of these evils.
The law puts a penalty of three cents a
day upon all employers who retain in their
service foreigners who are not citizens
or who have not declared their intention
Of becoming citizens. This law OF Penn
sylvania should be sufficient to show con-
gress that a wise restriction of immigra-
ton is most earnestly demanded by the
whole country. Desirable immigrants
immigrants who are thrifty and who pro-
pose making this country their home and
who respect and admire its Institutions
are wanted. but pauper laborers and those
whose minds and filled with anarchistic
teaching are not desired.