Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-09-01
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New immigration Laws to Shut Out
Foreigners Who Are III.
Washington, Aug. 29.-The general
subject of immigration is to come in
for serious consideration and debate
during the coming session of con-
gress. Commissioner General of I'M
migration Frank Sargent has num-
Der Of recommendations regarding
changes in the existing laws which
| he proposes to lay before Secretary
Cortelyou that will start people to
talking. He has given to the matter
mature elaboration and has come to
the conclusion that the only way to
treat the immigration evil is to adopt
a bold and firm policy. Consequently
he proposes to suggest certain restric-
lions and qualifications which immi-
/ grants must possess in order to Sc
cure admission to the country, that
will be both original and sweep
ing.
Mr.. Sargent is not prepared to dis
cuss his proposed recommendations
for publication at this time. He has
| talked about them in an informal
manner, and their general tenor is
| known to few. But he wants to
wait until he has fully rounded out
i his recommendation and put them
i into formal shape before discussing
them publicly. One of his proposals
has figured in past considerations of
the immigration question, but he has
another which has never been pre-
sented.
Protection For Public.
Steps have been taken to protect
the general public of this country
from two loathsome diseases with
which thousands of the lower classes
are trachoma, which attacks the eye,
the favus, which shows itself in the
form of sores on the scalp. Hundreds
of aliens are turned away from our
shores every year because they have
one or the other of these diseases.
Both are highly contagious and
are easily transferred from one to
another.
Medical officers of the United Stat
es marine hospital service are on
guard at every port of entry in the
United States, ready to single out for
eigners afflicted with either trachoms
or favus, and send them back to their
homes. But this plan has many
drawbacks, chief of which is that dur
ing the passage over to the United
States the diseases are communicated
to others, and this fact is not discov
cred until those infected have been
admitted to our ports and released. 1t
is believed that hundreds of persons
. with incipient cases of trachoma and
favus in. their systems are thus
turned loose on the public every
month.
. Examiners at Ports.
i Commissioner General Sargent re-
Gently called on Secretary Hay to OBJ
:. tain from the foreign governments per
4 mission to station his medical officers
at foreign ports, SO that examination
of aliens might take place before their
departure for the United States. This
scheme would save the non-infected
Immigrants from the dangers of the
disease while enroute to the United
States. Secretary Hay is now engag
ed in correspondence with the foreign
governments with a view to securing
the authority desired by Mr.. Sargent
1t is believed that no difficulty will be
experienced in getting this permits
sion, for the change would benefit al
parties.
One of the interesting chapters o
the forthcoming annual report OF Com
missioner General Sargent will bt
made up by Marcus Braun, who vii
relate his discoveries while travelling
through Europe as a special immigra
4 ton agent. He learned that PRACTICAL,
every one of the great steamship com
panies plying between European port:
and the United States is violating thu
local laws which prohibit the encour
agement of immigration. Eich of thu
big companies has small army o
agents who scour the agricultural dis
| Etricts. working up sentiment favorable
TO emigration to the United States
Handbills and circulars containin!
, highly colored statements of advan
tages to the poor in this country ant
the opportunities for making fortunes
are distributed everywhere. All o
this is prohibited by the laws of Ger
many, Switzerland and other continent
al countries Braun gives the name
of many steamship companies tina
have agents in the field engaged in en-
, terprises of this kind. Mr.. Sargent be
lieyes that the best way to remed.
these evils is to publish the facts, S;
| he proposes to incorporate Braun
| findings in his annual report, soon t,
, be issued.