New-York tribune., 1901-09-13
A READY MADE EXCLUSION ACT.

| In the effort sure 10 be undertaken Mt Wash
| ngton next winter to erect new safeguards
| against the crimes born OF anarchy and its
teachings Congress is likely 10 find one suit
able piece of legislation already made to hand
and subject 10 constitutional doubts or diff
culties This is the measure prepared I'm 1894
by John g. Carlisle then Secretary Of the
Treasury authorizing the exclusion and de-
portation of alien anarchists. In its original
form ii passed the House OF Representatives
! at the first session of the LIIId Congress. In
the Senate it was ampfed by the Committee
on Immgra ton, of which David b. Hill was
| then chairman and was reported and passed on
August o, 1894, by unanimous vote. Unfortu-
! nately in the rush and excitement Of the strug-
gle between the two houses then drawing to a
close, over the schedules of the Wilson German
Tariff bill, all lesser non-poltical leglsat tion
was crowded TO the wall and the Senate's sub
stitute failed to reach a final vote in the popu-
lar branch. In the next Congress the subject
attracted no attention. and the Treasury's
project Of stopping professed or suspected anar-
| chists of alien allegiance at our doors rele-
gated to the limbo OF legislative suggestions ad-
mrable enough in themselves, but lacking the
| vitality and urgency TO impress themselves on
the statute book.
The Carlisle-Eill measure simply seeks to in
clude among the immigrants already barred by
our exclusion and deportation law such persons
as may be properly classed as enemies of or
ganized society. No hard and fast definition OF
the term anarchist is insisted on; but evidence
that an immigrant asking admission into the
United States has belonged to any foreign an
archistic society, or has been rated by the po-
lice of the country from which he comes as an
anarchist suspect Is to be considered sufficient
TO Justify his detention ana deportation. unless
he can clear himself by controverting testl-
mony To gather the evidence necessary to
hold aliens Of anarchistic affiliations an ad-
ditionai Immigrant inspection service is created,
twelve secret agents being detailed TO watch the
lists at emigrant passenger ports abroad, and
with the aid of the foreign police to identify
such known enemies of established government
as may seek to make the United States base
for criminal activity. No invasion OF American
ideas of political or civil liberty Is contem-
plated by the bill; for it expressly exempts from
its operations political refugees political
offenders other than such anarchists and like
wise preserves to any immigrant arrested and
sought to be deported the right of applying to
the Federal courts for writ of habeas corpus.
To measure Of exclusion so moderate no
legal or political objection can well be raised,
while of It's practical efficacy there can be no
serious question. Experience has shown that
anarchy thrives only in centres where its
fanatical disciples can hudde together for SYM
pathy and support. Its spirit can live only In
the darkness of city slums; and to Its hiding
places in every country 1t can easily be tracked
by the vigilance of the police To reinforce this
vigilance In n natural and practicable way was
the aim of the exclusion bill of 1894. Congress
failed then to act on the sensible theory that
| an ounce of prevention Is worth pound Of cure.
| II 10 to be hoped the two houses will see their
| duy more clearly when they are next called