The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1903-09-24
Foreign *
- Immigration.

amount per capita, they apparently
had no friends or relatives to lend them
guiding hand, and aid them in estab-
fishing themselves in a country with
whose language they were not familiar,
and of whose government, laws and
customs they knew practically nothing.
Our present law contains many evils,
which OF late, I am glad to say, have
been modified largely; and the old
method OF using the newcomer as
voter before he had completed his al
lotted term of residence, and before he
was, therefore, legally entitled to vote,
is not practiced to the extent it form
erly was; but that the disreputable vio-
lation of the law is still in vogue in
some OF our most enlightened cities
Philadelphia for instance-we are all
we'll aware.
Criminals, paupers, insane persons
and persons whose labor or service has
been contracted for previous to their
arrival cannot be landed, and the
steamship company undertaking to do
so does it at its own risk; and in case
the foreigner fails to pass inspection,
or does not in every way come up to
the requirements he is returned at the
expense of the steamship company
bringing him.
This brings to mind the story of
Chlnaman who at present, unless his
legal status has recently been deter
mined, is upon the high seas between
the United States and China. This
Chink was banished from his own
country, and attempting to land in the
United States was returned to China
under our Exclusion Act. On arriving
there he was refused admission, and
returned here by that government. He
was again returned to his native land,
and by them here, and this will be kept
up indefinitely unless his wearing ap-
parel or patience gives way entirely, as
he IS under the protection of both gov
ernments, to the extent that each is
boundtosee that he receives proper food
and treatment from the steamship COM
pany. This, apparently an expensive
lesson to the steamship companies, will
teach them to be more careful in the
future in handling questionable class
of immigrants.
Foreigners, who have reached a GER
tain age, are barred from entering this
country with the intention of becom-
ing citizens, except under the Guaran-
ty Act, which the law prescribes, and
which in itself is comparatively simple.
Some relative or intimate friend goes
to the board of county commissioners
in this state, or to whatever body CORE
spends, be he resident of another
state, and makes application for the
admission of the person, and attaches
to this application his guarantee that
the person referred to will not become
public charge. If in the opinion of
the board the guarantor is financially
responsible, or is person who usually
discharges his obllgations-th ques-
tion is largely one of discretion-the
application is duly passed upon and Ger
titled to by the board, and forwarded in
part to the proper officials where the
immigrant will land, and in part to the
prospective citizen.
1t will be seen there are five restric-
tions placed against foreigner land
ing with the intention of becoming a
citizen:
1st. Applicant must possess stipu-
lated amount of cash, and pass phys
ical examination.
End. Paupers or diseased persons can
not be admitted.
3rd. Criminals, persons with a GRIM
inal record, and possibly persons whose
former political record has been bad.
4th. Persons who have passed the
age limit except under the conditions
as noted.
5th. Foreigners who have contracted
their labor or services in advance of
landing. This fact must be proven or
admitted by the person attempting to