Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-08-18
IMMIGRATION RESTRICTION.
4 QUESTION which WIN Gene Again Before
consfess.

Washington, Aug. fla bill for the re-
strictfon OF immigration, through the SO.
called educational test, will doubtless bt
among the first submitted to Congress al
its December session. Such a measure
varlously known as the Lodge-McCall-
Corliss bill, 1t will be recalled, passed
both houses in the 54th Congress- was We
toed by President Cleveland. and was
passed over his veto In the House Of Rep
| resentatives, but did not reach action in
the Senate. Representatives of certain
labor organizations endeavored to nave
| the matter taken up at the recent extra
December will give early attention to the
general question.
1t Is remarkable how many changes in
SO short time have come over the I'M
mlgration question In IT'S relation to our
law-making powers. The Klondike gold
discoveries on the Canadian side of the
boundary line will doubtless make the
present Congress much more cOnserva-
tive than the last In regard to those feat
ures of the immigration bill generally
known as the Corliss amendment. These
provisions; originally Introduced as Il sep
arate Dill, grew out of trade-u union acti-
vities in Detroit. The laboring classes
there believe that they suffer much from
across the line daily to work in American
shops and factories. says the correspond
ent of the New York Post All along our
Canadian border there has been similar
"PPo'ieA'i " ihoWllS IdTH LdDOTeTS 10
come across the line to work during the
harvesting season. and then return to
their homes in the Dominion. To break
up these practices was the object of the
1t was readily observed that If We
should forbid foreigners to work for
wages here. without making plans tor
permanent residences. other countries
might adopt a similar policy. and our
laborers would be excluded from the rail
road service of Mexico. and from the
mines and canning establishments of
British Columbia. 1t was on this account
that Mr.. Carter and several other West
ern senators opposed the immigration
of the klondike discoveries. 1t is probable
that Congress would now go slow In leg
islation of this kind, unless a general sys-
tenn of retaliation against Canada is to
be adopted. In view of the proposed
added duty of 10 per cent. on goods
brought in bond over Canadian railroads.
and the probable Canadian retaliation on
account of our duty on white
year is out there may be considerable
legislative sharpshooting between the
two countries. If so, the Corliss idea
will certainly go into the new immigra-
ton bill. Otherwise Congress will think
twice on the matter.
The recent report of the commissioner
OF immigration. showing a surprising de-
crease in the number of foreigners seek
IHS tiilS country. Indy also nave an enccf
upon the general discussion. 1t Is OBJ
servable. as has always been maintained
by the representatives of the Restriction
League, That the desirable classes of i'm
migrants are decreasing rapidly, while
the undesirable. like the Southern It;,l-
ians Shcw great relative increase. The
falling off of German immigratio Is per-
haps the most noticeable of all the facts
brought out in the recent report. There
is no reason to doubt that improved in
dustrial conditions in This country Will
stimulate the immigration movement and
50 leave the general argument, so far as
it Is affected by totals, undisturbed.
Mr. Bdrtholdt of Missouri who w,s
chairman of the immigration committee
IN the last House, has by his own re-
quest not been reappointed. He is ma
tive OF Germany. and Is vigorously OPP
posed to the restrictive plans which met
the support of his committee and of Con-
gress. He was so out of sympathy with
the prevailing opinions. that he was OBJ
viously out of place as chairman of the
committee. He realized it. as did the
speaker His successor is in sympathy
with the sentiment for restriction But
a still greater change has taken place in
the Executive Mansion. President Cleye-
land vetoed the bill because he did not
cal departure from the traditions and
former practices of the country. Presi-
dent Mckinley. on the other hand. called
attention in his inaugural address to the
IihPti dtiNc llceu oI cneCklnS the tlue OF
immigration. and will doubtless sign
whatever bill Congress passes.
The strongest support of the restriction
idea comes from Pennsylvania where the
undesirable foreign element. especially in
the mines. has become source of seri-
Gus trouble. The labor rorganiza tons of
that state and the Junior Order of Amer
lean Mechanics are very earnest in the
matter. The greatest opposition TO re-
striction seems to come from the con-
servative old Democratic senator's of the !
South. nearly all of whom voted against
the bill in the last Congress.