Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-26

families who are among the classes express
| ly excluded by the immigration laws, this
evil being one OF increasing frequency, and
the means of detecting and punlSh1ng
frauds perpetrated with this object in view
| proving from experience to be inadequate.
Extension of Laws to New Possessions
To obviate the embarrassments which
may be anticipated in considering the right
| OF residents of the territory recently ac-
quired beyond our coasts to land at ports
| of the United States, unless some provision
| is made for the examination of aliens adj
mitted TO such territory, efforts were made
| to extend the application of the immigra-
| ton laws and regulations to Hawaii and to
the islands of Cuba. Porto Rico and the
Philippines.
a bill was prepared to accomplish this OBJ
ject as to Hawaii and presented simulta-
neously in both houses of Congress, but
failed of enactment. Unofficial information
has been received that, since the annexa-
ton of the said territory, July 6, 1896,
25,oO0 Japanese coolies have been imported
to work its sugar plantations, and its local
government is now securing Portuguese
laborers for the same purpose and trying to
effect an arrangement to secure from the
Italian government a number of its sub
jects.
military occupation, as a result 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
which would otherwise arise in this connec-
ton.
More Authority for the Secretary.
In addition to those already referred to,
number of important amendments are
urged, among them one to extend the au-
thority of the Secretary of the Treasury to
the arrest and deportation of aliens in this
country in violation of any law, as we'll as
to such as have landed in disregard of the
provisions of the alien contract labor laws;
to extend from one to five years the time
within which aliens who have become
public charges or inmates of penal or re-
formatory institutions may be deported,
upon condition that those seeking relief
from the burden during the four additional
years defray the expense Of the deported
alien to the port of departure, the bureau
defray1ng the cost of steamship transport
tauon; to allow the preparation OF mani
tests of cabin passengers on the voyage
and their certification on arrival at an
American port before an immigrant in
spector; to prevent a defeat of the pur-
poses of the laws through the claim of
passengers to be visitors merely, and not
immigrants, by express enactment extend
ing the laws to all aliens, including seamen
on foreign vessels after discharge at a port
of the United States.
The Head Tax.
For the purpose of providing a sufficient
luHu 10 ueITdy lHe lnCTtdScu outlay re-
sultant from the enlarged duties of the bu-
reau it is recommended again that the
head tax be made not less than s.
The total cost of enforcing the alien con-
tract labor laws was SS7, 725.OS. and of the
immigration laws, S2SS, 002.26. A balance
OF S41S, 43 remains on hand, subject to
deduction of s290, $50, appropriated to pay
the cost of constructing the new imni
grant station on Ellis Island, New York,
leaving s12T, 4T6. 49, and from this sum and
possible future accumula tons there is also
appropriated by act of Congress a further
sum of 100000 for the same purpose pay
able in four equal installments at inter-
walls of one year, beginning July 80, 1900.
These appropriations disbursed
through the supervising architect of the
treasury, who has exclusive control of the
construction of the Ellis Island buildings.
and the commissioner general urges, both
upon humanitarian grounds and essen
tial to the administration of the law, the
Importance of their speedy completion and
the transfer to them from the cramped and
unsuitable quarters at the barge office Of
the officials of the New York immigrant
station.