Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-13
WANTS LARGER FORCE
COMMISSIONERS SARGENT ON Elk
ANIMATION OF CHINESE.
Recommends That His Bureau Be
Given Control Of Certificates Issued
at Asiatic Ports.

One OF the most important features in the
forthcoming annual report of the commits
sioner general OF immigration, Frank p.
Sargent, will be a renewal of his recon-
mendation to Congress for better facilities
for the examination Of Chinese wishing to
enter the United States.
The law for the exclusion of the Chinese
specifically provides that certificates shall
De the sole right to enter the country. These
papers are made out at the point of depart
ure and generally vised by the consular
agents of the United States. The reason
for the attitude Of Commissioner Sargent
on the question is that in many cases these
certificates are improperly made out. de-
tails omitted and Chinese who have not the
right to enter are sent to this country.
Immigrants Held Up.
Detention naturally follows when the i'm
migration officials at the port of entry take
up the certificates for examination and, in
many cases, bona fi1e merchant who has
every right to re-enter the United States is
held at the port Of entry for from four to
eight months before the papers can be re-
turned to China and properly refilled out.
Mr.. Sargent maintains lat this is a dis
t1nct injustice both to the Chinese and to
the United States and has asked Congress
to provide his bureau with special agents
who may be held responsible for the cor
rectness of all certificates and who will be
held by the Department Of Commerce and
Labor to strict accountability for the
proper performance of their duty under the
law.
Asks for Foreign Officers.
He asks that such officers be allowed.
whether they be the present consular agents
of the United States or others specially
provided, just as medical officers are at
present allowed for Asiatic points for the
inspection Of all immigrants and their re-
lection If they are diseased. He has asked
that medical officers be appointed for Euro
pean and other points, as they are now act
Ing in certain parts of Asia, in order to
correct the abuses practiced by the steam
ship companies and others, In sending to
this country many persons who are known
to be diseased and who are held at the
United States port Of entry or deported
after an examination.
Prior to the appointment Of medical in
spectors at Asiatic ports diseased immi-
grants were frequent and many had to be
sent back, while others were detained until
such time as contagion was improbable
Because of the lack of medical inspectors,
thousands are annually sent back to Eu-
rope who might otherwise never have been
allowed to depart for this country. The
expense that could be avoided is considera-
BILE and the safety of the people OF this
country from diseased immigrants Is one
of the most important reasons advanced by
the commissioner for asking that medical
inspectors be allowed the immigration bu-
reau.
Advantage Of Foreign Inspection.
1.-The appointment of specially designated
officers who will see that the certificates
OF Chinese who claim to have a right to
enter this country are properly made out
will work greatly to the advantage of the
United States and the Chinese government,
as well as to the individuals who are most
interested" said Mr.. Sargent today.
To- no nf aIlr
Cinnamon for months in a United States
port when, If their certificates had been
properly made out, they could be entered
at once? And what is the use of our being
then send them back, when. if their GER
tihcates had been properly made out, they
need never have been sent here to give
more unnecessary work to everybody?
'If we are supplied with agents in Asia,
who shall be held responsible to the bureau
of immigration, there will be change in
the admission of Chinese, less trouble for
everyone and few held for long periods.
lowed consuls other officers for the per-
Torrance of the duty. What is needed is
that the immigratio bureau be given alb
solute control over the United States off,
cial In a foreign port who makes out the
certificate and the bureau will see that he
attends to his duties under the Chinese ex-
clusion law.
This will double the value Of the SER
vice, for We will also have the regular ex-
animation made on this side, but If the
certificates are properly made out In the
first place there will be fewer detentions
and less work all around. with better re-
suits in general"
Mr.. Sargent leaves for his annual tour
on the 18th, during which he will make a
personal inspection of all the ports of en-
try of the Pacific coast and special one
OF those where Chinese are most frequent
ly admitted. He will be gone about six
weeks.