The Topeka state journal., 1899-10-26
A HORDE OF
ILLITERATES.
Immigrants Who Could Neither
Read Nor Write
Coming From Europe Last Year
Number go, ,446.
WITH LITTLE MONEY.
Those Having Less Than $50
Numbered 1858.
Whole Amount Shown to Offic-
ers Was S5, ,414,462.

washington, Oct 26.-In his annual
report to the secretary of the treasury
Commissioner General PoWderly OF the
immigration bureau gives the total ar
rivals for the year ended June 80, 1899
as 311, 715, an increase over the next
preceding year of 82.416 or &c per cent.
The opinion is expressed that at least
25, 900 persons were not listed IN thls
number, through a defect in the law
as well as an indeterminate NUMBER
from Canada and Mexico Who are uoS S
under existing regulations, accounted
for. The increase over the ngufes L1i
last year is reported largely py hnIlI- h
grafton from Europe, specifically from
Italy, Austria, Hungary and tuSSld'
which show gains respectively OF Io,oVo'
%, ,694 and 81, ,154 OF the total arr1VafS 1G
Europe supplied 29l ,349, ASA oSta'
Africa 81 and all other countries 5,343:
The distribution as to sex was l90, ~
males and 116, ,438 females; as to age 49,
9S3 were under IA; 24S,1S1 from IA
AS to illiteracy, 6O446 could neither
read nor write and 1 ,022 could read puI
were unable to write. AS to amount u
money brought, 39,071 had each $50 or
over, and ia 613 had each less than $5o;
The total amount of money eXh1plteo
to officers was So, 414,4 1852 There were
returned to their own countries W!thll
one year after arrival 2,632. In ADDITION
to 1876 pauperS and 32O alien CONTRACT
Iaborers debarred on the Canadian ana
Mexican borders, there were refused
admission one idiot, ~ insane peTSOhS'
2 599 paupers or persons likely to be
come public charges, 34S diseased per
sons, eight cOnVictS, 81 assisted 1nlInl-
grants and 741 contract laoorers, mar l5-i1
ing a total of 8, 1913. The number OF con-
tract IabOrers debarred last year ex-
ceeded the number for the next preced-
ing year by n per cent.
Legislation is recommended to en-
able the commissioner general to have
investigations made at the centers OF
, Iabors in this country to which contract
Iaborers are destined. The TecOmmen-
dation of last year is repeated as to the
necessity for transferring the 1nrnlgra-
tiOn stations at Canadian ports to GER
tain designated points on our northern
boundary which shall be the only ports
of entry for aliens coming through the
Dominion. This recommendation is sus-
tanned by figures showing that the I'M
migration through Canada has largely
increased and that the care exercised
by the officials at the American ports
is merely diverting the tide of inm1gra-
tion through a channel Offering little
obstruction. 1t is also recommended
that information be collected showing
the number of aliens annually leaving
for foreign. countries; also that the
authority of the bureau be extended so
as to include the subject of naturaliza-
ton to such extent as may be necessary
to prevent fraud. A severance of the
connection between the customs and
immigration branches OF the govern
ment is urged.
With regard to the islands now held
under military authority as an outcome
of the war with Spain the opinion is
expressed that the prompt extension of
the immigration laws to them, by order
of the secretary of war will avoid many
embarraSsments. It is also recon-
mended that the authority of the sec
retary of the treasury be extended to
the arrest and deportation of aliens in
this country in violation of any law,
as well as to such as have landed in
disregard of the provisions of the alien
contract labor laws: to extend from
aliens who have become public charges
of institutions may be deported, upon
condition that those seeking relief from
the burden during the four additional
years defray the expense of the deport-
ed alien to the port of departure, the
bureau defraying the cost of steam
ship transportation.
1t is also recommended that author
ity be granted allowing the manifests
of the cabin passengers to be made up
during the voyage and their certif1ca-
ton on arrival at an American port
before an immigrant inspector. It is
also recommended that to prevent a
defeat of the purpose of the laws,
through the claim of passengers to be
visitors merely and not immigrants
that the laws be extended to all aliens,
including sean5en on foreign vessels
after discharge at a port of the United
States.
The cost of enforcing the alien con-
tract labor laws during the year was
$S7. .725. and of the immigration laws
$28S, ,o02.