Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-08-31
immigration Frauds.

the failure to properly restrict foreign
immigration. With more careful at
tention to the subject Trey are bringing
to light new methods employed to
evade the federal laws governing this
matter by trickery and falsehood to
which there is every reason to believe
certain large transportation companies
are party.
4 few months ago one o. the great
steamship lines instituted a service be-
tween NewYOrk and small Hungarian
port called Fiume on the Adriatic.
Soon after. the steerage business which
came from this port and the general
low character of the imm grants from
there created suspicion among Labor
leaders In this county that led to an
investigation by the American Depart
n.nt Of Immigratio An agent of the
government was sent abroad to care
fully investigate the whole matter with
the result that he discovered frauds or
the grossest character from which the
steamship company was reaping
large revenue. and this country made
the dumping ground for horde of peo-
PIE totally unfit for American citizen
shin and undesirable alike from men,
tai and physical standpoint. No sooner
had this report been given out to the
mn In n.
peal to the diplomatic repi esentatives of
his country I'm Hungary to protect him
from mob violence. Eventually this
source of infection from the old world
has been cleaned up. but the matter Of
inspection abroad by representatives of
the United States government presents
a subject that may well claim the care
ful attention and serious study of the
working man of this country. The re-
markuble claim is made ty officials of
Hungary that they alone have the right
To regulate emigration from their
shores, and that inspection in their own
country of proposed emigrants by
representatives. of the U. S. government
il entirely unwarranted. They claim
that. having entered into an agreement
with the steamship companies. to fur
nish a certain number of emigrants
each year our government has no right
10 diminish their incomes by Interior
ing in the matter.
InasInuch. however. as the United
states is to be made the dumping
ground for the refuse population. the
miscellaneous assortment of degener-
ates which they make it their business
to assemble together i'm order that they
may secure rich commissions. and the
steamship lines make fat thing out of
eteerage fares. 1t would certainly seem
to people on this side of the water as
~ the United States government had
whatever the officials IF Hungary or
any other effete European monarchy
may have to- say in criticism of inspec-
ton abroad. by representatives Of this
country. of the class OF people they
purpose to dump upon our shores 1t is
sufficient to say that the United States
rgidity of this service.
II Is our own judgment that the laws
governing this matter OF immigration
are still far from being as stringent as
they should be. although much has
been done in recent years to increase
their scope and efficiency. Some way
should be found to discourage the
transportation companies in these ne
farious practices by rendering them
Improbable. 1t would seem as If GER
tain small European countries with de-
cadent populations had come to regard
the United States as the legitimate
place i'm which to dump the idle. tn,
criminal and the incompetent element
among their people. 1t was not so very
long ago that our good friend England
cheerfully relieved it's almshouses of
their inhabitants and sent them over to
the United States. Thank God, the
time has gone by when this thing is
any longer possible. The English gov
eminent itself would discountenance
privately. as well as publicly, any such
undertaking. The fact. however. that
such nefarious frauds can be cracticed
upon this government as those de-
ve!oped in the immigration from Fiume
is another proof of the fact that if we
are to maintain the present high stand
ard of American citizenship we must
guard with eternal and Increasing vigil
lance against the evils arising from UNI
desirable immigration.
Uncle Sans Jackies on the battle