Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-23
MMIGRAT LAW
Some Interesting Features
Set Forth.
HEAD TAX INCREASED
INCOME FROM THAT SOURCE
WILL BE DOUBLED.
Three Specifications to Glasses Of Pro-
hibited Immigrants Added-Pro-
vision Against Anarchists.



In the general furry Of the last few
weeks Of Congress and the tension over the
statehood bill and the two treaties, atten-
ton was distracted from the passage OF an
important act in the closing hours OF the
session. A new immigration law was
placed upon the statute books. containing
some Interesting features.
1t cannot be said that the new law VIII
materially lessen the tide OF immigration
pouring into the Countrywide railroad and
steamship companies took good care that
this should not be done. 1t will, however,
make it a little more difficult for some OF
the Objectionable classes to get in. There
are not enough of them to seriously affect
steamship traffic. so no unusual obstacles
were placed in the way Of these features
Of the law.
The new act is mainly Of an administra-
tive character That Is, 1t perfects the
law relating to the admission of aliens,
stops up few locpholes and gives the i'm
migration bureau added power to enforce
the law. The larger part OF the act Is
taken up with provisions fixing fines and
penalties for violation Of what is already
on the statute books
The Head Tax Raised.
In word, while the act will not further
more effective the edict against those who
are prohibited.
The head tax on immigrants is raised
from 81 to ST. Last year. at 81 head, this
tax amounted to about 100000. The 81 200
600 expected to be raised next year Will be
applied to improvements In the tmmigra-
ton stations at New York and elsewhere.
The commissioner general of immigration
has just returned from visit to Montreal
to arrange with the Canadian railway and
steamship officials about the increased
head tax, and stated to Star reporter 20
day that there would be no difficulty in en-
forcing the new law on the Canadian
border.
For many years the fight for restriction
Of immigration has been waged. Every
step Of progress has been won over per-
sistent opposition from the transportation
companies who make profit on the car
rying Of immigrants and against certain
pro-foreign sentiment in this country which
Is averse to barring out any class OF immi-
grants, however undesirable. Politics and
denagoguery have entered into the fight
at every stage. The influence Of the Ital-
Ian vote or the Polish vote or the Scandtna-
Wan vote or some other supposedly powerful
naturalized vote has been held up as a
scarecrow and bugaboo to the timid legis-
lator by the transportation companies that
were actuated solely by mercenary mo-
tiveS.
Educational Test Defeated.
Even the present mild and emasculated
law could not have been passed If the ad-
vocates Of restricted immigration had not
yielded on every point that threatened to
curtail the volume Of immigration. All eff
forts to raise the standard Of intelligence
among immigrants by prescribing educa-
tional tests were defeated. Plain notice
was served that the retention Of the educa-
tional test clause would defeat the bill
and it accordingly was dropped from the
bill in the final settlement of disputed
points.
The new law adds three specifications to
the classes Of prohibited immigrants, name
ly, epileptics, prostitutes and anarchists
The law against the admission of professed
anarchists Is stringent and elaborate. 1t
may readily be imagined that the receipts
of the steamship companies will not be
materially decreased by the prohibition OF
The immigration bill which the Senate
passed fixed an educational test for the ad-
mission of immigrants by providing that
they should at least know how to read
and write their own language and to pos
sess at any rate almost human intelligence.
That provision might have barred quite a
number of prospective steerage passengers
and 1t went out Of the bill.
Provision Against Anarchists.
The provision against the admission of
anarchists is in the following words:
THAT no person who disbelieves in or
who Is opposed to all organized government
or who Is a member Of or affiliated with
any organization entertaining and teach
ing such belief in and opposition to all Or
ganized government, or who advocates or
teaches the duty, necessity or propriety of
the unlawful assaulting or killing of any
officer or officers, either OF specific individ-
uals or of officers generally, Of the govern
ment Of the United States or Of any other
organized government, because OF his or
their official character, shall be permitted
to enter the United States or any place or
territory or place subject to the jurisdiction
thereof" Any one who aids or assists any
such anarchist to come In can be fined
IS 900 and imprisoned for five years. Fur
thermore, no anarchist or person processing
views hostile to government can be natural
lied, and the court shall make special In
Quires along that line.
Going Over the Law.
The immigration officials are going over
the new law to draft such additional regu-
lations as may be necessary. They are
not particularly enthusiastic over IT as a re-
strictive measure, but are gratifed at the
administrative changes and improvements
The scope Of the bureaus work may be
enlarged by the section of the law which
provides that the words United States" as
used in the act shall be construed to mean
the United States and any waters, territory
or other place now subject to the jurisdic-
ton thereof. The bureau interprets this
to include Porto Rico, Hawaii and the
Philippine Islands in the provisions of the
law.
1t would also seem to include the Panama
canal strip when jurisdiction is obtained
over that section, and II so would prohibit
the employment of the negro cheap labor
canal.