New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-12-07
WANT GOOD IMMIGRANTS.
AGAINST PAUPER CLASS.
National Conference in FAVOR of
Closer Government Discrimination.

Sentiment was crvgtallized and deepened at Ellis
Island Yesterday in favor of closer government dis
elimination preferably at the port of empaFkatior
as to the character Of immigrants to be ahInlt'eo
to this country. over five hundred delegates 10
+be National Conference on immigration, in session
in Ma.son Square Garden Concert Hall under the
auspices of the Civic Federation visited the Island
ard witnessed the process of introducing aliens to
American institutions.
Accompanied by August Belmont president, and
Ralph NJ Easley, secretary Of the federation. tbs
delegates started for the island from the Barge
Office at I o'clock. Frank P. Sargent, Commits
sioner General of Immigration, was member OF
the party and when the island was reached Com
missioner Robert Watchorn was on the pier to
welcome the visitors and pilot them to the imrni-
grafton station, where a buffet luncheon was
served.
After the luncheon it was announced that the i'm
migrants who had arrived from Bremen on the
Kaiser Wilhelm II would be landed and put through
the usual PAGES.
There was a rush for the balcony of the registry
hall and every available point occupied. While
746 immigrants, Germans, Poles and Hungarlans-
dstingushable by the costumes-were scanned by
the medical officers and catechised by the in
spectors.
The character of the immigrants that passed
under review was said by immigration officials to
be above the average, and the added comment was
that If the contingent that came in on an Italian
steamer the day before had been the object lesson
of the day, the sentiment in favor Of greater re-
striction would have been greater.
Oscar straus said such a picture as was pre-
sented to the delegates gave them concrete con
tact with the human side of the problem. The
problem is not" said he, one Of exclusion, but OF
distribution. The men who have the fibre to quit
the fatherand and to US are OF courageous
quality, and I'd rather see man seeking his home
with us who has brain and muscle than one with
only money in his purse. He will make room for
himself"
Every detail of the work of the inspectors re-
ceiyed the closest scrutiny Of the delegates ana
every department Of the station visited Inc
women of the party found most to stir their sypa-
+bias IN tbe division devoted to special inquiry
qses One under review-that of an Italian Win
a lie a1d three small children and total capital
of only IS with which to begin life IN strange
land-cOntrbuted the palmetto eiene4HF [ ii he bebaif
of their admission deferred the case ana as Sine fns
weeping woman quit the trlal room t5
On the pier as the delegates waited for the com
Ions the general proposition OF imIeI o g Me
freely exchanged One group: compoSed OF d ma
EE oTtb C9ron Sa two western statesMig1e
sofa and fae he 6ei Maid to The
quality rather than the quantity OF f9reigneTS 60
mitted They agreed that both the West I; ana ID f
South could @ fS 9g Pad 3 39 seen pass
the physically unat and the pauper class ShoDAq
Judge Frank T Johnson who has made hln f;sz
terror to gratter s IN BepTr said he believed in
anu me I M the bars and putting them high
"A T. g. A(KlI 5 to see so many white immigrants
and that every of the able poeu t,e e100 r. e
Could be set down in the Island Territory DIS al
addition TO the labor populi'IloH'
After visiting Ellis Island the conference held us
60 sassio, in the Madison Square Garden Concert
nm A,,o,st Belmont called the meeting to ORDER
Frank. p. Sargent Commissioner General or lmmi-
grafton struck the root of the immigration eEIl
when he declared that the transportation coilpaI9
were at fault, and not the poor pelllsll.e" IN,
MIGRANT" 10 whom this country had been depicted
&C Soma haven of roses and money lie maze an
attack against the runners for these companies
who allure The peasants Of foreign nations mere
After declaring that the present year IS Ine pa.
nor one in the history Of immigration, Mr.. sargent
said:
If here is any T1isft is the bringing Of these
men women and children 10 tnS 7 iCa off Of ten
of them brought the solicitation o. Soio ~ %
IF Commissions from the sale of the ticket 1 ADui
dant proof this statement can De IoI I interest
ne ths IL ought to be made international one ana
coRve nIpose Of discussing this subject in the
interest Of humanity why Should p s0pe DT "a TrbeT
~ arTive here? Those who are denied adlnis-
sion account Of loaf %r mngifng freely
lii the healthy, and return under like condluohs'
There are 5I7 delegates present including Gov
o-,ors of several States, Congressman OHlIsu
Satb ov Archbishop Ireland A. F. Gardlher'
0scor straus Samuel Gompers and Frank +. ear-
cont occupied seats the platform. Inc Ior-
1a1Ities Of organization completed, the National
l-tf federation withdrew from active parucipa-
+i, ,r the conference. oscar Straus declared In a
tief address that the federation had no views to
~ forth but left the entire solution of the prob
Ior,s presented 10 the immigration conference
letter was read from cardinal Gibbons in which
he regretted inability attend the meeting. The
cardinal said:
r,,ronean immigration when judicoUsy regu-
I,toJ Is productive of untold material benent 10
+be ra+ion This is evident from the enormous IN
c-aase Of wealth in the United states curing the
The members OF the CIVIC fetiSIst-
10 cannot confer greater blessing however, than
I,5 rronosng judcious laws to regulate and con-
- the flow of immigration and TO restrict az
m y Tenac co TO the peace and good order or society.
AUGUST Belmont in his address of welcome laid
| aoto1 e+ress On the distribution of immigrants,
| tiob he thought was the more serious problem
| 80 the conference view Of the fact that the
e+oral statutes covered to great extent the i'm
t,raTtz who are debarred from admission 10 the
| country. ut, .,+i
| ~ no special policy TO put forward. but at the
80 time was of the opinion that there should be
/ o restriction on unnatural immigration