Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1910-02-04
THE IMMIGRATION COMMISSION
Senator Dillingham; is the Head Com
pletely Refuted.

Senator Dillingham; Is the Head Com.
pletsly Refuted.
Senator Dillingham; is not called upon
for an explanation of the charges which
Representative Macon OF Arkansas made
against the national immigration COM
mission on the floor of Congress THESE
charges naturally reflected upon Mr. Dill
lingham who is chairman Of the com
mission, and If they were allowed to
stand the situation would he an ex-
tremey awkward one. Their refutation
has been so complete, however that they
are in effect boomerang. Mr.. Macon
claimed that the commission went abroad
on a junketing trip, spent S657 ,999 and
| accomplished practically nothing His
speech was made when the urgent de
ficiency bill came before the House, and
1t resulted in the elimination by the
House Of the entire paragraph for the
| continuation of the work Of the com
mission, which desired $125OOO to print
/ its several reports and close up its busi-
ness II will be necessary for the com
mission to suspend work for lack Of
/ funds unless the item is restored I'm the
Senate urgent deficiency bill
On the day following MIR Macon's
attack on the commission Representative
| Bennett Of New York arose on the floor
/ OF the House to question Of personal
| privilege. Mr. Bennett was one Of the
/ three House members on the commission
and he was not present when Nj Macon
/ made his charges. Mr. Bennett claimed.
| and Mr.. Macon admitted that this accu-
sation was true, that Macon's charges
/ were founded on information furnished
/ by James II. Patten. assistant secretary
/ Of the anti-immigration league. in
/ Boston. Mr. Patten, according to Mr.
/ Bennett was an unsuccessful applicant
for position with the commission, and
after he turned down on Mr. Ben
netts request he went into the latter's
district and attempted 10 cause MI
Benefits defeat througa circulation Of
statements similar to those used by Mr..
Macon.
Mr.. Bennett showed that six members
of the commission made the trip abroad
10 study immigration problems. that they
took with them seven expert employees.
and that the entire expenses Of the Is
men for three months, including trans
portation, amounted TO 500 OOO The time
abroad was spent in hard work
Mr.. Bennett demonstrated the useful
/ ness of the commission from a financial
standpoint by showing that it caused the
head tax on aliens coming to tnis country
to be increased from s. to 81. and that
this change has brought into the treasury
of the United States since 1907 $4,000 900
so that after deducting all the expenses of
the commission the country is ricner bv
$500 900 through the efforts OF the com
mission. The commission mas expended
IN It's legitimate work in the United
States 900 II has investigated the
coal, iron, textile and snoe industries, and
the conditions OF the foreign born in
these industries. 1t has investigated the
! conditions Of aliens in the agricultural
field and in the schools and has In its
records facts in relation to 5000, ,O0o per
sons in this country, and ii has cost
large amount Of money to get this in
formation
In connection with the investigation
OF the white slave traffic % indictments
have been found, Il convictions have
resulted, and the fines and forfeited bail
bonds paid to the United states as
result Of the work OF the immigration
commission i'm Chicago alone amounted
TO Sl25,OOO
The commissions work has broken up
the white slave traffic in the big cities
II nothing else had been accomplished
this alone would have been worth the
S65O,OOO A plan has been adopted for
shutting out the alien criminals which
is worth more than all OF this money put
together. and the steerage conditions for
immigrants have been greatly improved
Mr.. Bennett pointed out many mac
curacies in statements made by Macon
| and declared that whoever gave him the
Information told a wicked, cruel. mali
cious, deliberate lie" Mr.. Macon made
weak rejouder saying that the ques-
tion was one Of veracity between Mr..
Bennet ana his informant
In this connection it is interesting to
note that the Senate passed the urgent
deficiency bill Wednesday of this week,
with the $125OOO appropriation for the
immigration commission restored. After
Senator Dillingham; had made a state
ment explaining the need of the money
Senators Stone OF Missouri and Bacon of
| Georgia paid a tribute to him by stating
that they would rely on his judgment in
the matter.
Senator Dillingham; has always had a
clean record, both in private and public
, life, and his constituents will be pleased
Ia learn that the commission of which ne
is the head has accomplished such i'm
portant results and that the charges
| against II are groundless