The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-09-25
POWDERLY0A|MM
commissioner General Opposes
the Hordes From Europe.
REFUSE CONES TO AMERICA
His Efforts VIII BE "to Keep Every
Unworthy Person Out. and to
Csuse Europe to Take Care of Her
Own Anarchfsts"-An Interesting
Letter on Immigration.

New York, Sept. 25 Rev. Madissn n
| c. Peters. Of this cay. has received q let
ter from Terrence " Powderly. written In
| response To one from the clergyman. ouIt
| graduating Mr. Powderiy On his appoint
ment az commissioner general Of iumigra
ton. The letter, which IL dated Lebanon,
| Pa, shows that Mr. Powderiy has some
| very decided IDEAS on the character ID
many Of the Europeans who reach this
country By almost every steamer.
In his letter ur. PowderIy writes.
II shall be my aim to keep every I'M
worthy person out, ana To cause Europe
old saws: America IL the asylum OF the
oppressed" he refuge Of the Nations,
find little favor in my eyes There was
time when the oppressed could come
without depressing others, when the
United states could afford a refuge 10
the people OF the old world, but that
was before the oncomers became op-
pressors, and when the tide of fIuruiGra-
ton u this country was not a tideOr refuse
1t Is not bigOtry, race hatred or selfish
ness which prompts Inc To write thus,
the son OF an Immigrant myself, ] could
not consistently oppose others The con-
ditous which faced my father when ne
came to America in 1926 Offered
very much from those tnat face the 1fIirnl-
grant OF 1897.
Water, when it nolstens the earth as
rain, is welcome; IL gives new life and
strengthens life; but coming as IL did at
Johnstowu 10 destroys life-
Can we assiuilate, can we Amer1cdniZe
the vast horde OF immigrants THAT Is dump
ed on US? NO prophet voice need ten us
II we permit an unchecked stream or I'M
sifted Immigrants To flow upon Us. IL they
are oppressed at home let them deJhrOne
their Oppressors there and establish gov
ernmenJs of the people, for aud by the peo-
pie, across the Atlantic
III anarchists are born and bred beneath
the fostering wings of ill-gOveTned lands,
let them remain at home 10 WTeak ven
geance upon their creators, instead OF com
Ing here 90 turn the thoughts oil dissatisfied
men from the real cause OF their dlsSatl5
faction. The anarchist does not hate the
king or emperor ANY more than m does
president or governor. What ne strikes at
is authority, and authority vested By the
people Ia a presldenJ or governor As as dis
tasteful to nim as authority vested by
divine right In king or emperor
Our naturalization laws are too lax, and
We stand in danger OF being voted out Of
existence. | have seen, anu ~ have you
seen, no doubt, men standing AT tie polling
booths that could not read or write. Clothed
in the mantle or American citizenship,
which they rated no higher than auy other
seryile act which they might perform for
hire.
Inc words, Il am an American citizen"
have no meaning for them; they are voters
because some degener ate. American in need
or a vote Corralled ana Drought them IN 10
a court OF Justice. they are citizens because
they have an idea that somehow OF Otner
ii VIII enable them 10 make more money.
They are aliens at heart, and they VIII not
CiO single thing TO uphft the standard Of
citizenship.
| was asked by a Senator in Washing
ton the other day IL l did not think
that aliens should be- here twent y-ons
years before being naturalized- My an
swer was, mo. 4 would not confer cfIi
zenship at the end OF twentv-one years, or
one hundred salu twrnfy-Oii. ycsifs- 90 tIi-
applicant did not pass the examination
A man applies for naturalization, AMI
With 81 gees the right To vote IL he votes
not wisely or we'll his act may fasten
the rule Of dishonest rogue upcn the
eleCtOrate.
III it IL necessary that the applicant
for office pa ass a civil service eXalHsua ttOn
it Is more than necessary that the aspfrant
for citizenship pass an examination
posa lion. The aSpirant for Citizenship
elects the appointing power.
| contend tnat five years time y little
enough in which to learn what the genius
man at the end of five years can read
and write the American langrage. go into
the polling booth free from the scrutiny
of any other eye, and with ms own hand,
uninfluenced by any other hand, mark
his own baliotS III he can give an intelli-
gent answer to the questions, What caused
the writing of the American Declaration
OF Independe nce?'' What caused the
Revolutionary war by which the colonies
were freed from foreign rule?" In what
from other lands?" let him register his
ballot as an American freeman.
But, unless he can do these things, |
five, twenty-five, or one hundred and
TWENTY-FIVE years.