The evening times., 1900-02-14
THE Tide EMANCIPATION
A Pereeptible Decrease in Arrivals
From Foreign Countries.
Testimony Given before the Indus
trial Commission Compiled and
published In Pamphlet FORM
Value OF Restrictive LegisIHtiOn-
Steamship Companies More Careful

Testimony before the Industrial Com
mission on October 70. 1899, in which the
relation Of immigration to crime and
wages, and the tide and character Of i'm
migration 10 the United States are en-
bodied, is the subject Of a pamphlet that
has just been issued By T. Y. Powderly,
Commissioner General OF immigration. The
testimony was that given by DR.. Joseph
r, Senner, former Commissioner.
The statements in the paper open by
saying that the immigration TO this cOun-
try for the year ending June 30, 1899, was
3iI.701. while il was 10 per cent greater
in 1896 and from 1880 to 1898 very much
larger. II is claimed that the almost
Unprecedented business prosperity follow
ing a successful war should have brought
10 tnis country almost twice as many i'm
migrants as actually landed The large
decrease is accounted for by the restrictive
force Of the law OF 1898. which no; only
prevents the landing Of immigrants. both
desirable and undesirable, but operates SO
as 70 deter them from taking passage for
this country. This is done by .ne imposi-
ton on the steamship companies OF heavy
responsibilities, such as to compel them
NOT only 20 incur the risk OF having to
maintain depOrted immigrants and return
them TO their port Of departure. but 10 be-
come sponsor for them should they be-
their landing in the United States. On The
other hand, the companies compelled their
agents 10 assume personal liability for
those 70 whom they sold tickets, the re-
suit OF which has been that a ticket will
not now be sold TO any possible deportee
unless sound guarantees are forthcoming
or a deposit made 10 cover any loss. Thou
sands Of intending immigrants have been
refused tickets by the Italian agents, that
country during the past few years supply
ing the far greater portion OF the foreign
population Of this country. This Is con-
sidered a wholesome and beneficial Ie-
striction, but OF the other Dr. Senner
saws.
Quite different. however. is the second
more indirect and harmful effect Of re-
strictiOn caused by the law OF 1888 and
can speak OF it SO much more freely as il
is universally recognized that during The
four years and four months Of my terms as
Commissioner OF immigration at the prin-
cipal American port. / have faithfully en-
forced the law.
And n the admission OF any immigrant
be In any way questionable. IL has become
Qube usual that one or more weeks pass
before the immigrant. whether male or fe-
male. adult or child, is landed This fire.
queutly extended period OF detention dur
ing which the immigrant Is practically
treated as a prisoner, and by no means as
well as an inmate Of a modern and huu.ani-
tartan prison. brings forth so many and
manifold hardships 10 the immigrant that
people belonging 70 nations OF higher civil
lizauons keenly resent IT, i have called
these vexatiOns uneQualled. and as a mat
ter OF fact they have no equal in any clv'-
lized country in the world.
The principal objections against .4.
Lodge bin rest in the necessarily enormous
increase in these veXations and in its nat
ural influence on immigrants from nations
OF higher civilization. Il has been repeated
ly stated with some pretence OF surprise
that Americans OF German. or Bohemian, |
or Scandinavian descent are unanimously I
opposed to the Lodge bill although they
are with hardly any exception fully able 10
pass its examination
Il wish 10 state that our opposition 10 I
the same is principally based on our con- (
viction that the proper place for such an /
educational test IS at the naturalization 4
and not al the admission to the country.
We further regard its application TO women 4
not only generally unjust. but practically
also as severe aggravation 10 our much /
veXed servant girl question. We believe I
that It's introduction for immigrants stands 4
in rather curious contrast with the pres
ent policy Of expansion and its consequence I
as 10 wholesale reception OF illiterate IL 4
not savage. CO-Citizens. And. finally. as a 1
protective measure Tor American working
men the Lodge bill would be simply a I
farce. because the skilled laborer. whose 4
organized labor wishes 10 re- .
strict could at any time pass any such ex- I
The report says that the Italian iILmi-
grants rapidly become Americanized and \
add TO the consumption Of home goods as
well as their native born competitor. and 4
as class. they are much preferable 70
the Chinese whose places they have taken I
in the building OF Western railroads Ii
mentions the city Of Buffalo as a Polish
centre, and declares that these people are
a very desirable class Of immigrant. and .
SAYS.
"As a people, they pay their taxes more
promptly than any other nationality not
excepting the Americans. They take great
interest in informing themselves as 70
American institutions particularly as 10
American politics. and for foreigners they
are remarkably well informed as TO our