The Topeka state journal., 1901-08-24

"a on the spindle side who at
14m M@ one time or another in the
past 200 years came over
from Europe in the steerage, and If on
arrival they had from any source the
kindly care and protection this United
States government today bestows on its
immigrant women. then let US be
thankful for them, even though they
be long since dead and gone.
Few of us native born are aware OF
the extent of that kindly official care
It makes US prouder than ever of our
country when we know that the gov
ernment practically holds itself respon-
sibIe for the fate on landing of every
steerage woman passenger that sets
foot on our shores
There are about 100000 women imnni-
grants to the United States annually,
and nearly half of them land at Ellls
island. in New York bay There the
offices of the immigration commission
er are; there every steerage passenger
must pass strict examination as TO
health. previous good character and
ability to maintain himself ere ne Is
turned loose on the land. Usually
about one-fourth or one-fifth of the
steerage passengers are of the feminine
sex, but sometimes there is almost
whole shipload of Irish and Scandina-
Wan girls who migrate hither to go out
to service. They are country maidens,
often pretty as a snowdrop or a rose.
The credentials of every one of them
are examined. Many have through
bought in Europe, to friends in
the west, with money for expenses on
the way These are allowed to go with
out delay Then there are those who
expect friends to meet them on arrival
in New York. Go, then, into the de-
tention room and wait till your friends
come" says the officer, and to the de-
tention room they are sent Matrons
and women attendants who speak the /
language of every immigrant are in the |
receiving building to attend on their
own sex These women government
must pass a civil service ex-
animation before they receive appoint !
ment A matrons salary is $1,000 |
year.
Human nature is human nature, and |
all flesh is grass. Sometimes innocent |
immigrant girls make the acquaintance
of persons on shipboard who for their |
own purposes pretend to be the girls
great friends. They know the govern |
ment regulations in regard to women's |
landing on our shores. They tell a girl
they know of a good place for her at |
once on arrival. The girl believes them |
They then instruct her to tell the Off |
GERS that she is a relative of the one
whose acquaintance she made on the |
ship so that she can get out quickly |
and go to the place. The steerage pec-
pie are landed at Ellis island. The girl
who has been taught her story is de-
tained till her friends come for her. |
The pretended relative arrives first. He /
tells the officials he has come, let US
say, for his niece, Ragna Jansen. Rag
ma Jansen is called and approaches |
smiling. her little luggage in her hand. |
She starts to go away with her uncle |
Here is the next scene, which I myself |
"Stop" says the clerk. Come this |
way"
Then he says to the man. This young
lady is your niece, is she?''
Yes answers the man gIfb1y, ssand
[ have come to take her home"
''Wel1.'' says the United States officer, |
what are the names of her father and |
mother?''
The pretended uncle bogg1es, hesitates
and is lost. At length he confesses he !
is not exactly the uncle of the girl, |
but he is her good, father1y friend, and /
he has a good place for her to work in 1
a boarding house.
"You can't have her" said the officer.
'Ragna, you must go back to the deten- |
tiOn room And back an attendant !,
led her, to await the arrival of real /
relatives, the fake uncle snnirking fool
ishIy as he disappeared, baff1ed, the girl
protesting vehemently. In the deten- /
ton room, like other silly feminines. she |
burst into tears, not knowing, poor fool |
It is not exactly a garden of Eden. that /
detention room full of the steerage out
pourings of all nations, and she did so
want to get outf
If nobody at all comes for a girl and
she has no friends or money, she is +
turned over to the society of the church +
to which she belongs, and this always /