The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-12-10

est and efficient immigrant fitted SO
become an American citizen, every
immigrant who comes here to stay,
who brings here a strong body, a
stout heart, a good head, and a resO-
lutte purpose to do his duty we'll in
every way and to bring up his chill
dren as law abiding and God fearing
members of the community. But
there should be a comprehensive law
enacted with the object of working
a three fold improvement over our
present system. First, we should
aim to exclude absolutely not only
all persons who are known to be be-
levers in anarchistic principles or
members of anarchistic societies,
but also also all persons who are Of
a low moral tendency or of unsavory
reputation. This means that we
should require a mor thorough sys
tenn of inspection abroad and a o.
rigid system of examination at our
immigration ports, the former being
especially necessary.
The second object of a proper i'm
migration law ought to he to secure
by a careful and not merely per
~fuuctory educational test some intei-
1lgeot O. pacisy to appreciate Ameri-
can institutions and act saDeiy as
American citizens. This would not
keep out ali anarchists, for many of
them belong TO the intelligent crimi-
nal class. But it would do what is
also in point, that is, tend to de-
crease the sum CT ignorance, so
potent in producing the envy, sus-
picion, malignant passion, and hatred
of order, out of which anarchistic
sentimentinevitably springs Finally,
all persons should be excluded who
are below a certsin standard of Geo.
nomic fitness to enter Our industrial
field as competitors with American
labor. There should be proper proof
of personal capacity to earn an
American living and enough to in
sure a decent start under American
conditions. This would stop the in
fux of cheap labor, and the resulting
competition which gives rise to so
much of bitterness in American in
dustrial life and it would dry up the
springs of the presidential social oon
ditions in on great cities, where an
arobistic organizations have their
greatest poss, Dility of growth.
NO GENERAL TARIFF REVISION SHOULD
BE UNDERTAKEN.
There is general a~cquiesenoe in ~
present tariff system as a nations
policy. The first requisite to our
prosperity is the continuity and
stability of this economic poliCJ.
Nothing could be more unwise tin
to disturb the business interests q
the ooCutry by any general tariff
change at this time. DOUBT, appre
hensiUn, uncertainty are exact
what we most wish to avoid in the
int rcst of our Commercial and ma
terial well-being. Our experience in
the past has shown that sweepiTg
revision Of the iarif are apt to pto
duce oondi tions closely apprOacbiT.s
panic in the bU-iness world. Yet it
is not only possible, but eminently
desirable, to combine with the s
bil1ty OF our economic system a sop
ple1penr~ry system of reciprocal
benefit and " Ijgation with othe1
nAtiOns. Such reciprocity is an in
oident ard result of the firm estab-
lishment ard preservation of our
present economic policy. 1t was
specially provided for in the present
tariff law,
EFFECTS OF THE INTER STATE COM
MERGE LAW.
In 1882 a measure was enacted fol
the regulation of inter State rail
roads, commonly known as the inter
State commerce act. The cardinal
provisions of that act were that rail
road rates should be just and reason
able and that all shippers, localities
and commodities should be accorded
equal treatment. A commission
was created and endowed with what
we're supposed to be the necessary
powers TO execute the provisions of
this act.
That law was largely an expert
ment. Experience has shown the
wisdom of it's purposes, but has also
shown, possibly, that some of it's re
quirements + wrong, certainly that
the means devised for the enforce