The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-12-13
EYES On FRONTIER
Undesirable MexicanS Flock
ing Into America
ACCORDING TO SERGENT
In Testimony Before the u. S.
Senate Committee.

Washington, Dec. 12.-The hearings on
the immigration bin by the senate com
mittee on immigration were concluded
today The testimony taken today was
largely in the interest Of legislation and
a willingness was manifested on the part
of important witnesses to submit TO the
elimina ton of the provision for an edu-
cational test should such action prove
necessary to secure the success of the
I bill. Commissioner General OF Immigra
ton Sargent said that. while he would
prefer the retention Of the educational
| requirement, he recognized tina fact that
that feature could be sacrificed without
destroying the efficacy Of the bill. With
the other portions Of the bill unimpaired
he believed that most of the undesirable
nliterates could be kept out under other
restrictions.
Mr. Sargent made an urgent plea for
the retention of the 50 head tax, saying
that with the increased vigilence neces-
| sary more money would be required to
meet the expenses of the service. he
| spoke especially of the necessity for in
| creased vigilance on the Mexican frontier
and said that he recently had secured
information by personal observation OF
the smuggling into this country of large
number OF the most undesirable element
OF Mexico, poems Who We're willing 10
work at from > cents to s. cents per
day. These people. he said were fed
from troughs, as hogs might be. and
We're treated just as slaves. They were
finding employment in the mines of Col
orado and New Mexico. We did not want
such labor as that. and the Mexican from
tier is long and hard TO guard, rendering
the work expensive. Mr.. Sargent de-
clared that there is now in this country
plenty of labor at the proper remunera-
ton. He declared that the plea for I'M
limited immigration is from the trans
portation companies alone, and not from
the manufacturers and farmers.
He had not general fault TO find with
the transportation companies, but he had
complained of their success as to evasion
Of the law. On this account ne appealed
TO iron clad requirements.
Among the more important witnesses
of the day was Robert Watchorm, in
charge of the United States immigra-
/ tttA SCI vice III Odiiohd, Will Utd444dA-
tiers at Montreal.
He supplied the committee with great
deal of information concerning the oper-
atoms of the inspection system on the
Canadian border. He favored the elm
nation of the provision OF the bin ex-
cepting railroad lines entering the United
States from contiguous territory from
the penalty for bringing in insane, dis
eased and idiotic aliens. He said the
bill would be improved if all the provis-
ions relating to Canada should be
stricken out except section %. placing
the entire regulation OF border immigra-
ton in the hands of the immigration bu-
reau. He said that at present the Cana
dian railroads coming into the United
States are prompt in complying with the
requirements of the inspectors. but that
this compliance was Que 10 the penalty
imposed. Without that penalty it would
be impossible TO secure their compliance.
He said that owing to the strict require
ments made by our laws Of steamship
lines coming into the United States there
rad been almost entire elimination Of I'M
desira BILE immigrants landing at Ameri-
can ports. but that the reverse was true
Of immigrants coming into the United
States through Canada, the percentage Of
diseased persons coming through Canada
being 50. while Of those coming direct to
the United States the proportion was
only one-tenth Of / per cent This. he
said. was the result of design and not of
accident. the immigration agents in Eu
rope furnishing badges to immigrants
showing them TO be diseased or not
Commissioner David Healy. with head
quarters at Victoria. 3. g. gave similar
testimony concerning the necessity for
guarding the northwest frontier re
spoke especially Of the danger from an
invasion OF japanese coolies. He said
this threat had been temporarily avoided
by an edict issued by the japanese en-
peror. but he predicted that as soon 49,
the japanese authorities learn - the
ease with which the immigrants from
foreign countries find access 10 the Unit
ed States they viii demand privileges the
same as those granted 70 those countries E
r. IT, Fuller. Of the Brotherhood -
locomotive Engineers. and James a
Sullivan. representing the cloth eugrav-
ers and printers. asked for the passage
Of The bill as il now stands. and Richard
X Campbell. chief Inspector for the inn
Migrant bureau suggested a number ~
an1e uluerts looking % the improvement
OF the administrative features II the bin (