The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-19
SARGENT'S FIRST REPORT
IMMIGRATION STATISTICS PRESENT
ED BY THE COMMISSIONER.
Several Important Recommendation
in Regard to Chinese and Other
Undesirable Aliens.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1S.-The annual re-
port of the commissioner of immigration
was made public to-day. 1t shows that of
the 64S,743 immigrants who arrived in the
United States during the last fiscal year
466, 500 were males and 1S2 ,374 females. OF
the entire number of arrivals Italy supplied
1853 an increase of 42.379 over the num-
Der for 1901: Austria Hungary, III. 1889, an in
crease of 1859, and Russia 1O7. S47, an in
crease of $1,000. Most European countries
showed an increase, but there was a falling
off in the arrivals from ireland amounting
to 1,4S3, the total from that country being
p, 13S. The figures concerning Asiatic immi-
grafton show a decrease from China of S1o,
the total being 1,649. and an increase from
Japan Of 1901, the total being 1870, or 10
per cent. OF the entire number arriving
162, 1sS were unable to read or write, but
74.06S were under fourteen years of age.
Commenting upon this circumstance Com
missioner Sargent says: 1T can be roughly
estimated from the foregoing figures how
effective In excluding aliens would be IA
reading test such as that proposed during
the recent session of Congress-, which would
not be applied to children under fifteen
and adults over fifty"
The total number of aliens refused per-
mission to land was 1874. or about two
thirds of l per cent. Of the total arrivals.
OF these 1874 were paupers 709 had loath-
some diseases, nine were convicts and 25
contracted laborers. Referring to the re-
lection of those coming under contracts the
report says: Although immigration has
been largely increased, the number refused
admission during the year as alien contract
laborers has decreased as compared with
those barred upon similar ground last year.
from 327 to 275. The assumption which
might naturally arise from these figures
that the successful administration of the
law had checked attempts to gain access
to the United States in disregard of its
provisions is inadmissible in view or the
frequency of the complaints which have
reached the bureau upon this subject during
the year under consideration"
Reference is made TO the alien contract
labor bill pending in the Senate, the COM
missioner expresses the hope that 1t may
pass during the next session.
Mr.. Sargent finds that the %sanguine view
expressed in the last annual report OF the
bureau as to the effect of careful examin-
alton by the United States marine hospital
surgeons upon the transportation lines
has not been confirmed by the experience
of the last year. He adds: 1.-The increase
of alien immigration has been not quite
One-tDlrQ over t1dt VI lJl, Dul the CoIh-
parative increase of diseased aliens for
the same period has been more than two
TO one. The same races which exhibited
the largest number Of diseased persons last
year maintain their -pre-eminence in this
respect for the year under consideration
These figures show conclusively the neces-
sity for legislation which shall infiict upon
transportation lines, who have the means OF
protecting themselves from the effect OF
a violation of the law by competent medi-
cal inspection at the port of foreign en-
barkation, a penalty proportfoned to the
gravity of the risk TO the health of the
American people for bringing diseased
aliens to ports of this country. The pres
ent penalty is the mere return OF the
diseased alien at the cost of the offending
alien. This, however, is virtually no PEN
atty" He strongly advocates the provt-
sion Of the pending bill on this subject.
pronouncing it the most important item 10
the bill.
Speaking of the enforcement of the
Chinese exclusion laws Mr.. Sargent says
many obstacles have been encountered, and
he thus enumerates some of them. An ad-
ditional year of experience in the enforce
ment Of the Chinese exclusion laws has
served to confirm the opinions expressed in
the last annual report as to the gravity OF
the difficulties inherent In the character OF
the Mongolian race to be met and sur
mounted. II Is but just TO say that other
causes supplement the steady resistance
Of the Chinese to the requirements both of
the laws and of the treaty of 1894. The
transportation lines, whose financial inter-
ests are affected. are large and Of great
Importance, and In some cases exhibit a
lack OF sympathy with the administsatfo b