New-York tribune., 1899-07-25
ITO GUARD IMMIGRATION.
OFFICIALS TELL OF THE NEED OF NEW
LAWS


LAWS
The s,hcou,roittee of the United States Indus
trial Commission began it's hearings In this CITY
at the Chamber Of Commerce yesterday afternoon
Only three members were present-ex-C Congressman
John NJ Farquhar, Of Buffalo Ellison n Smythe,
of North Carolina, and Colonel Albert Sialk' oi
Boston. Senator Boies Penrose. OF Pennsyivana'
and Congressman L. +. Livingston oi DeV's~'
were unable to attend. .
Commissioner Thomas Fftchie was the nrst VIII
ness examined He explained the WORKING Oh 'he
Immigration law in detail. and spoke OF the great
care taken in the examination OF the new arrivals
both as regards moral. physical ana nnancia'
conditions Notwithstanding this. the Comms-
etoner stated many people were undoubtedly re-
sceived with contagious diseases in their systems
Commissioner Fitchie suggested that the law be
changed imposing fine on any company lanohg
Cor attempting to land any passenger suffering
from CONTAGIOUS disease He thought II specific
fine was made for each violation OF the law the
steamship companies woul6 be more careful. Nine
Der cent OF one shipload OF immigrants. he said,
were found undesirable and ordered deported.
Mr. Fitchie was asked whether he found the
operation Of the Civil Service law beneficial In his
department.
'Emphatically no." he said. "Our department
is a peculiar one. and do not believe any exam
snation discloses the qualities needed in many OF
our employees. Honesty. determination and e1pe-
rience are a thousand times more serviceable than
Civil Service examinations. think II would be TO
the advantage Of the service II some were taken
out I think 1t could be improved. In clerical
places II does good"
To Colonel Clarke the Commissioner said he be-
lieved It would be good thing II all the ofiices
IN his department were taken out Of the Civil Ser
otce To a question as TO how good men were
TO be protected under such a condition OF affairs,
Mr. Ftchie said he believed the appointing power
would protect them
The Commissioner confessed that he had known
r>la Mod
room for mere party workers. But he suggested
that while clerical places should remain under
Civil Service rules he could not see that any
examination could produce good immigration In
spectors as the committee could select
Assistant Commissioner Edward F. McSweeney
gave a succinct statement Of immigration matters
since 1890 when the Government took the business
out of the hands OF the State authorities MT. NC
Sweeney said 1t had been estimated that. as a re-
suit of the law OF 1896. fifty thousand persons who
epped for tickets to this country had transporta-
tion refused 10 them by TIE agents VI INC SWAIN
ship companies.
The Commissioners listened with the closest at
tention to Mr Mcsweneys recital OF the difficulties
in enforcing the law regarding the exclusion OF the
various classes OF undesirable immigrants. He
said that any allurement offered TO any one 10
come here to labor should be deemed sufticent 70
bar the immigrant He also said Il wonla De hd We.i
TO include in the list OF undesirables those plrds
of passage who come here and work In the sum- sum-
@ IN se Sna Mae 60 to in spring
AZ The same time Mr McSweeney said he doubted
Men nnSfs %so came here Without dollar in their pOck
cts ready TO take any mans job at any price. .,
Mr. McSweeney said that he believed the ume
had arrived when the laws should be revised. he
thought that the waof N @ VAN am} }oand TO be suffering
from q loathsome disease. He thought theTe was d
"leak" somewhere persons shipping on sailing YES.
sells and ocean liners being allowed TO land without
examination. - ...-. ..u, ~-a
s'Do YOU know that the padrone system sui pre-
walls here?" asked Mr.. Farquhar. , -.
1--WE morally sure that II does. MneIi PeVp,S P.
Of American gold we think there Is something
more than mere chance in the coincidence
In answer TO questions the Assistaht -.
er said re would recommend that the head tax De
doubled, and that the steamship companies De re-
0uircd TO furnish guarantee that none OF lts pas
sengers shall become pubic charges Tor Two years
reputable companies would support the enactment
of such a law. Mr.. McSweeney spoke OF inc
establishment at the landing bureau OF an once oi
the italian Government, and also descrlped the
work OF the Austrian Governments agents mere
Regarding the former he said: -, . A., "a,
"Dr Egisto Rossi the representative or the Ital-
he man but believe that while the Italian Gov
ernment continues its quasi ocial @
its immigrants the inspection OF the United STATES
Government must be offset 10 some extent ny @
estabshment of such bureau tends to encourage
undesirable immigrants TO come mere because '.sS
feel they will be protected. We believe that tne
objects for which the ofice was opened nave not
been achieved The padrone system mas not oeei
broken; criminals from Italy have not Deen stopPeu
from coming here. and there Is no eood reason ioF
maintenance
70 this country?" asked Chairman Smythe. -.
yes I think assisted immigration comes irori
many countries, but that II collects IN one, ano
comes here generally through England. py way Oh
The Commission will meet again to-day.
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