New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-01
INSPECTION OF ALIENS.
AZ EUROPEAN PORTS.
Immigration Bureaus PIat, to Keep
ont Diseased FOREIGNERS.

washington July i.-There is authority under
the immigration Law passed at me las: session o.
Congress, in the opinion Of the officials charged
with the administration o. that act. establish
at foreign ports complete system OF medical in
specio1 o. departing aliens destined for the United
states 10y medical officers of the Immigration Blu
reau The establishments Ct this system OF inspec-
ton IS seriously contemplated by Commissioner
General Sargent, who now has the matter under
consideration The necessity for rigid med
lcaI examination OF the hundreds o. thousands OF
aliens who are brought the United States in the
course Of 4 year Is shown by the fast tnat last
year LIS aliens afflicted with dangerous contagious
diseases were turned back. II is pointed out that
these aliens were on shipboard with thousands o,
others who were allowed to land in this country
out had been subjected to contamination on the
voyage having been thrown unavoida bly, INTO prox-
unity to the afflicted aliens. Tha: these exposed"
1i'ei's oeNeioped the disease after landing in many
Instances. is believed be demonstrated bv the re-
cent report o. DR.. Chester Of the New-York city
health authorities who declares that there are
z'''" cases o. trachoma in the borough OF Man
h""an and 800" cases in the borough OF Brook
lyn at the present time. Trachoma is the prevail
lng contagious disease or the immigrant
AUTHORITY FOR THE INSPECTION.
IN order 10 find the authority for the proposed
medical inspection abroad it is necessary TO con-
strue two sections of the immigration law to-
ge'heT The first one Of these sections provides;
~ dEat the Commissioner General OF immigration
TTeasury me appFoDai Of the Secretary OF the
49, - onlherce and Laoor), whenever in his judy
the purposes OF this act. detail immigration ofcers
Io@ temporary service in foreign countries
Under Section i OF the act officers of tie public
health and marine hospital service are made avail
aoe as officers OF the immigration service This
secuon also makes it possible for the Commissioner
General OF immigration to avail himself Of the
serVl4e OF civil surgeons should the medical men OF
me marine hospital service be not avaiIa bic The
law officers OF the bureau. therefore make the in
depreciation that if ii should deemed necessary
10 accomplish the purposes of this actr marine
hospital or private surgeons may be sent to Euro
pean ports and there charged with the duty of
making strict medical examination all in
tended immigrants to the United States before
their deba rkation for this country
Inc Commissioner General IS not yet ready to
announce that this course will be followed but he
ADMITS the necessity for some restrictive measure
10 cuTtatl the departure from Europe OF the multi
'uoe OF undesirable aliens who to have set
'helf races toward the United States in ever in
creasing stream. A medical inspection made be-
lore these aliens are allowed go aboard ship by
competent medical officer whose interests are
not identical with those OF the steamship com
panles, II Is believed, would do much toward cur
ia me disease which IS constantly increasing
IA me ever growing multitude of unwhoesome and
unqeslTa pie foreign population.
Of intended immigrants 10 this country at ports Of
T!i Dai ma Lnder the old law consuls Of the
LAlted states were required TO sign manffests
settlng forth the number OF passengers on board
or instructions to make an nae aut2orty
class OF immigrants being shipped they simply
signed the manifestS and received pc the
service This system was changed on the recon-
rendatlon OF the immigration officials because the
shlPs passenger list was always increased after
the consul had 81 gned the manifest. many pas
been sent to the consulate for signature The
present system; which is declared to be much bet
Ter. requires the manifest be made out after
the ship sails. It is required contain the Ger
uhcate of the ships surgeon s TO the physical
condition of the passengers and is to by the
captain or his chief officer before the immigration
ohicial boarding the ship when she reaches the
United states. In this way manifest is
secured, which was never possible under the old
system.
with the addition of the medical inspection at
European ports by officers Of the service now CON
templated. ii is predicted that only will il be
possible to prevent the departure diseased aliens
Tor TINS country. but that many who come
here only TO become public charges also ap-
pretended before their departure The plan in
this direction is regarded radical but decidedly
important forward step in restricting immigration
and. under the present decision. il can put into
effect Immediately, without additional legislation