Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-12-05

dependence. 1t is clearly shown in tn,
report of the commissioner general oil
immigration that while much of this
enormous immigration is undoubtedly
| healthy and natural. a considerable
proportion is undesirable from one rea
son or another: moreover. consid
cradle proportion of it. probably very
| large proportion. including most of the
undesirable class. does not come here
of its own initiative. but because of the
activity of the agents of the great
transportation companies. These agents
are distributed throughout Europe. and
by the offer of all kinds of inducements
they wheedle and cajole many immi-
grants. often against their best inter
ests, 10 come here. The most serious
obstacle we have to encounter in the
effort TO secure II proper regulation OF
the immigration TO these shores arises
from the determined opposition of the
foreign steamship lines who have no
interest whatever in the matter save
10 increase the returns on their capital
by carrying masses of immigrants
hither in the steerage quarters OF their
ships.
As l said in my last message 10 the
congress. we cannot have too much
immigration of the right sort. and we
should have none whatever of the
wrong sort. OF course il IS desira BILE
that even the right kind of immigra-
ton should be properly distributed in
this country. We need more of such
immigration for the south. and special
H. y l.
hapS il would be possible to limit the
number of immigrants allowed to come
i'll any one year TO New York and other
northern cities. while leaving unlim-
TIED the number to come to the south:
always provided. however. that Il
stricter effort is made to see that only
immigrants Of the right kind come TO
our country anywhere. In actual prac-
tice it has proved so difficult To enforce
the immigration laws where long
stretches of frontier marked by an i'm
agnary line alone intervene between
us and our neighbors that l recon-
mend that no immigrants be allowed
to come in from Canada and Mexico
save natives of the two countries them
selves. AS much aS possible should be
done TO distribute the immigrants upon
the land and keep them away from the
congeSted tenement house districts of
the great cities. Bur distribution is
palliative. not cure. The prime need
is to keep out all immigrants who will
not make good American citizens. The
laws now existing for the exclusion
of undesirable immigrants should be
Adequate means should
be adopted. enforced by sufficient pen
alties. TO compel steamship companies
engaged i'll the passenger business to
observe in good faith the law which
fOrbidS them to encourage or solicit
to the United States
Moreover. there should be Il sharp limi-
tation imposed upon all vessels coming
to our ports as to the number of immi- |
grants in ratio to the tonnage which |
each vessel can carry. This ratio |
should be high enough to insure the |
coming hither of as good Il class of |
aliens as possible. Provision should be |
made for the surer punishment of those |
who induce aliens To come to this coun- |
Try under promise or assurance of en- |
Dloyment 1t should be made possible |
% inflict a sufficiently heavy penalty |
iii any employer violating this law to |
Letter him from taking the risk. 1t |
seems TO me wise that there should be |
III international conference held to !
leal with this question of immigration,
which has more than merely national /
Significance. Such Il conference could
lmong other things enter at length
ntO the methods for securing thor
ugh inspection of would be immi-
;rants at the ports from which they
leSire To embark before permitting
hem TO embark.
In dealing with this question it is I'M
wise to depart from the old American
and to discriminate for or
gainst any man who desires to come
ere and become a citizen, save on the
round of that mans fitness for citi-
enship. 1t is our right and duty to
Onsider his moral and social quality.
lis standard of living should be such
hat he will not by pressure of com
etition lower the standard of living of
ur own wageworkers, for ii must
yer be prime object Of our legisla
ion to keep high their standard Of liv
ne. If the man who seeks TO come
ere is from the moral and social
OF such a character as to
id fair to add value to the community
@ should be heartily welcomed. We
annot afford to pay heed to whether
@ is OF one creed or another OF one ma.
on or another. We cannot afford TO
onsider whether he is Catholic or Prot
slant, Jew or gentle; whether he is
nglishman or Irishman, Frenchman
r German, Japanese, Italian, Scandi-
avian, Slav or Magyar. What we
Mould desire to find out is the indi-
idual quality Of the individual man.
! my judgment, with this end in view,
g shall have 10 prepare through our
VII agents a far more rigid inspection ]
the countries from which the immi- 9
ANTS como. 1t will be a great deal
stter to have fewer immigrants, but !
/ Of the right kind. than a great num- 1
er Of immigrants, many OF whom are
..,.sI If 60