Evening star., 1902-08-25
CITIZENS ARE EXEMPT
IMMIGRATION LAWS APPLY
ONLY TO ALIENS.
Commissioner Williams Issues an
Order Which Removes Considera-
bic Misapprehension.

To remove the misapprehension which ex-
lists In regard to the law relating to the
| manifestation of first cabin aliens, Commits
sioner Of immigration Williams, at Ellis
| Island, N. T., has issued circular letter to
the steamship companies In which he says:
In view of the approach OF the season
during which You will be bringing to this
country cabin passengers in large numbers.
the following is issued in the hope that 1t
| may facilitate and improve the execution
of the laws applicable to incoming aliens
and lead to better general understanding
| Of the same:
i. The laws generally known as immi-
grafton laws relate. in fact, to all aliens
| coming to the United States Such aliens
may consist OF tourists persons coming
temporarily for business or pleasure. per-
sons IN transit to other countries, steerage
| Immigrants and others.
American Citizens Exempt.
%. These laws have no application what
| ever to a United States citizen
.. These laws require that You shall
Iurnish the government certain informa-
t1on therein specified concerning all aliens
entering the United States by your vessels
put they do not prescribe the method Ivy
which such information shall be obtained.
| IL may be obtained by inquiry direct or in
olrect. by hearsay, by observation, or by
any olHsi ueluOQ Inat seems most apprG-
pirate. The questions are to be answered
py the steamship companies, and the law
does not require that any particular ques-
ton be put to any passenger.
While you will naturally seek to pro-
cure some of this Information by direct
questions yet. as to a portion of the same.
TINS method may prove unnecessary and
indeed, in some cases. the least satisfactory
means of enabling you to correctly write
down the facts which the government re-
quires. If an alien is suffering from
dangerous contagious disease. or If he is
noted criminal, he will generally avoid ad-
mitting that such is the case. You are
none the less liable to a penalty for bring
ing him here because he may have stated
to you that he was in good physical condi-
ton or that he was an honest man.
THE law places upon you the burden of
correctly ascertaining and reporting the
facts in each case, irrespective of what may
be told you by the alien; but where 1t ap-
pears that you have made every proper ef-
fort to do this to cabin aliens this office
will not be disposed to enforce the penalty
provided by law for an erroneous statement
on the ships manifest.
Alien Tourists Must Be Manifested
~. Alien tourists must be manifested in
the same manner as are other aliens. Since
the government will not separately record
those who come here in the cabin for resi-
Dental purposes and those coming as tour
lists, it requires that as to all aliens of the
latter class, the word tourist be insert ed
in column IL, for they have no final desti-
nation.
"5. During the first six months of 1902
| additional head tax money in the amount
Of about s2,311 was collected at this port
by inspectors boarding incoming vessels at
the quarantine station from passengers
cabin and steerage) manifested as United
States citizens. but who, upon inquiry, were
found to be aliens. You should urge upon
your representatives in foreign ports the
necessity of making renewed efforts to
! cure correct information as to the national
ity of each Of your passengers.
"It will be seen that there is no law re-
quiring that any particular questions be put
to any passenger, and the immigration in
spectors at New York. although the con-
trary is commonly believed to be the case
are not directed by law to 'catechise cabin
passengers, nor have they done so in prac
tice
/ Certain Information must be furnished by
the companies as to each alien, but this
information they may procure in any way
they please, and must swear to the same
before United States consul on the other
side. If any annoying questions have ever
been put to caDin passengers this must
have been done by pursers acting under a
misapprehension to the law"