Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-07-25
IMMIGRATION LAWS.
Industrial Commissioners After
Pointers at New York.
CfHciaIs Sure That Padrone and Assist
ed immigration Continues.
Would Have Restrictions Doubled Especially
Regarding Contagious Disease.


of the industrial commission met here,
today, to investigate the immigration
question. Only three members were pres
ent, eX Congressman John NJ Farauhar
of Buffalo. Ellison A. Smythe of North
Carolina, and Col. Albert Clark of Boa
ton Senator Bots Penrose of tennsylva
mia, and Congressman l.. f. Livingston of
Georgia, We're unable to attend.
Commissioner of immigration Thomas
Fitchie was the first witness. He eX
planned the working of the immigration
law in detail. lie spoke of the great care
taken in the examination of the new ar
rivals as regarded their moral, physical
and financial condition. Notwithstanding
this, the commissioner stated that many
persons We're undoubtedly received who
were suffering from dangerous contagious
diseases. He mentioned the ease of a
woman who arrived here in the steerase
of a French Line steamship ana who was
suffering from n dangerous contagious
disease. She was deported. but arrived
here again on the next trip of the vessel
in the second cabin and again was sent
back.
Mr.. Fitchc suggested that the law be
changed as To impose IA fine on any
company landing or attempting TO land
any passenger suffering from contagious
disease. lie believed that if a specific fine
were imposed for each violation of the
law the steamship companies would be
more careful. Nine per cent. Of one ship
load of immigrants, he said, were found
undesirable ana ordered deported Mr..
Fitchie declared that IS cases of ira
choma were detected in single week.
besides many cases of favus, another
dangerous contagious disease. He plead
ell for more rigid medical examination
a the port of embarkation.
Mr.. Ftche was asked whether ne found
the operation of the civil service law ben
eiicial in his department..
''Emphatically no." he said. our de-
partlaent is a peculiar one ana | do not
believe any examination discloscs the
qualities needed in many Of our employees.
Honesty, determination and experience
are Il thousand times more serylceab!c
than civil service examination"
The commissioner said he believed i.
would be a good thing if all the officers
in his department We're taken gu; of the
civil service. To question as to how
good men were TO be protected under
such a condition Of affairs, Mr.. Fltcnie
said he believed the appointing power
would protect them.
The commissioner confessed that he
had known Of cases where valuable
men We're removed TO make room for
mere party workers. But he said that
while clerical positions should remain
under civil Sevrive rules. he could not
see that any examination could pro-
duce as good immigration inspectors as
| the commission could select.
Assistant Commissioner Edward F.
insolvency said it had been estimated
that as 4 result of the law of 1893. 80 900
persons who applied for tickets to this
| country We're refused transportation
| by the agents of the steamship COM
panes
Mr.. insolvency recited the difficult
| ties in enforcing the law regarding the
| exclusion Of undesirable immigrants.
| He said that any allurement offered to
anyone to come here to labor should
| be deemed sufficient to the immi-
grant He said it would be well to in
clude in the list of undesirables those
| birds of passage" who come here and
work in the summer months and so to
winter, returning again in the spring.
Mr.. McSweeney said he doubted
| there was any class as Objectionable
as these men who came here without a
dollar in their pockets. ready to take
any mans job at any price.
Mr. McSweeney believed the laws
should be revised. He thought that the
| whole family should be deported when
one member of it was found to be suf-
| fering from a loathsome disease.
DO you know that the padrone sys-
| tenn still prevails here?" asked Mr..
! Farquhar.
We are morally sure that it does.
| When people come here from Italy.
supplied with equal amounts of
American gold, we think there is some
| thing more than mere chance in the
coincident."
| The assistant commissioner said that
| he would recommend. that the head tax
be doubled and that the steamship
| companies be required to furnish
| guarantee that none of their passen-
gers shall become public charges for
| two years instead of one, as at present.
| He declared that the reputable com
| panies would support the enactment OF
such law. Mr.. McSweeney spoke of tho
| establishment at the landing bureau of
| an office Of the Italian government. ii !
| said: Il believe that while the Italian
| government continues its quasi-ofiicial
| supervision over it's immigrants the If
| spection of the United States government
| must be offset to some extent The es
| adjustment of such bureau tends to en-
| courage undesirable immigrants to come
| here because they feel they will be pro-
| tected. We believe that the objects for
which the Office was opened have NOT
| been accepted. The padrone system has
| not been broken; criminals from Italy
| have not been stopped from coming here
| and there is no good reason for its main
1 tenance.
| DO you still think there is assisted i'm.
1 migration into this country?" asked
| Chairman Smith
Yes, l think assisted immigration
| comes from many countries. but that 1t
| collects in one. and comes here generally
| through England via Canada. Charitable
| societies in England are continually NOV
ing paupers on. They are landed in Liv
! erpool, sent to Quebec and finally land in
| New York. W.
| Mr. insolvency said there were few
/ immigrant girls led astray now by the
pirates who formerly hung about the en-
trance to the landing station. "A number
of the pirates had been sent to state
prison and the girls were now hedge
about with many safeguards.