The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-03
AN IMMIGRATION PROBLEM.
treasury Department officials I,
Meet Canadian Autb,rr,ic.

Meet Canadian Authorities.
There is fight on between the Amerl-
can and Canadian steamship lines. The
American companies have filed with As
| sistant Secretary Taylor of the Treasury
a request to be heard on the question OF
immigration through Canada into the
United States. and this Is the reason
The Canadian lines are killing the i'm
migration business of the steamship lines
entering American ports. and it is possible
for them to do this because the Immigra-
ton Bureau is powerless, under the pres
emit system Of Canada inspection, to pre-
vent aliens coming into this country
through Canada, no matter how objection
able they may be. AS consequence great
ho-des OF European and Asiatic immi-
grants are taking passage to Canadian
ports. though destined for the United
States. and the Canadian lines have spread
the report in foreign parts that it is the
easiest thing in the world to get into the
United States if only the right route is
known.
Assistant Secretary Taylor Will leave
here today for Montreal to confer 9th
Canadian Government officials and to find
out how this Government can best prevent
the wholesale smuggling of objectionable
aliens and foreign contract laborers over
the border. Mr.. Taylor will go 20 New
York and take lighthouse tender to Bos-
ton, where he will be Joined by Commits
sioner General Powderly. OF the Immisra-
tion Bureau. next Tuesday These two
officials will proceed to Montreal in the
private car of Charles s. Hamlin. formerly
Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, aud
now counsel for several American and
Canadian railroads which are anxiousiy
watching to see what the Treasury De-
partment Is going to do to get control OF
and govern the advent OF aliens into this
country through Canada. o1sE
The system of inspection. as it Is carried
on now at Canadian ports by inning at.cn
officers. Is admitted to be a farce. 1t Is
conducted under u sort Of agreement that
this Government has with the steamship
lines for the latter TO help the Unit
States to administer 70 laws. This agree
mem is now carried out on suffranee, so
far as It is pretended to be kept in force,
either by the steamship lines. railroads. Or
the Governments inspectors. Canadis
ports are not in the jurisdiction Of the
United States, and the Canadian Govern
ment encourages all sorts OF INN g alo1
to that country
For the mcst part aliens who have any
doubt in their minds as to their eligibility
to come into the Un.tzi States pretend that
they are going to remain in Canada. They
really need not pretend anything Of the
sort, as this Governments inspectors have
70 rights in the matter OF prev ntiTg Their
landing in Canada under any conditions.
They land and at their convenience come
over the border into the United Safes, and
the system Of watching them 10 meet them
when they get here is simply inadequate to
ditions. Practically. none are sent back.
and, if they are, ali icy have to do is to
await favorable opportunity to return to
the United States.
For three years Commissioner General
PowGerly has been reiterating the TecoTn-
mendation which he made when he first |
took charge of the immigrat on bGre al, tn {
inspection stations should be established
along the border at certain points 10 be
designated, through which alone immi- |
grants to the United States will be per-
nitted to enter this country from Canada |
His predecessor. Herman Stump believed
IN the agreement method now in force,
and in his time that was considered the
only manner of dealing with the question
Assistant Secretary Taylor has taken up
he subject, and recently asked the Solic-
tor Of the Treasury IL it would be within
The law for the Treasury Department to
designate certain points on main railway
lines at the border for inspection stations
70 be established. The Solicitor was OF the
opinion that the Treasury could establish
such stations.
Then the railroads stepped in and en-
leaYored at conference held here to |
show that this would cost an immense |
mount of money and be inpracticable. |
rhey claimed that it would be unfair to |
establish stations on preferred lines. and |
unless injustice were done some OF the |
lines so many stations would have to be |
established that the cost would be enor- |
NOUS They intimated, also. that legisia- |
ton would be required to authorize the |
Treasury to take such step.
At the same time Mr. Hamlin. repre-
sentinS half dozen American and Cana
lian lines, came forward with an agree
ment Of a strict nature on the part of the
railroad companies and the steamship
lines to make the United States job of
turning back objectionable immigrants in
Canada just as easy as it is to turn them
back at such ports as New York and Bos-
ton, sending them nome on the steam
ships on which they came.
Mr. Taylor Looked with favor upon Mr.
Hamlin's proposed agreement and enter
ed into correspondence with the Secretary
IF the Interior Of Canada to see whether
mat Government Nould not cooperate
with the United States in some manner
with a view of mutual benefit in examining
etc. Mr.. Hamlin proposed
that Mr.. Taylor and Mr.. Powderly should
go to Montreal and Quebec and look into
the question and confer with officials on
he subject.
1t was when the matter reached this |
stage that the American steamship lines. |
not believing that the Canadian lines !
agreement would be effective or that it |
could accomplish what this Governments |
avs require filed a request with Mr. Tay- |
or asking to be heard on the subject be-
ore a decision is reached. The American |
ines would like to see the Canadian bor-
Ter walled up with Government inspectors !
20 tight that no alien. who could not stand |
he test the law provides. could possibly |
inter this country by this route. The in
erests Of the Canadian steamship lines
Is well as railroads crossing the border. |
ire, for obvious reasons. in the line Of lax
Inspection in Canada and at the border.
Mr.. TAYLOR and Mr.. Powderly will be in
canada about week.
Anarchists in hmcricn.