The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-02-16
REPORT OF IMMIGRATION COMMISSIONER
DEALS WITH SEVERAL VITAL PROBLEMS

WASHINGTON. Feb. l5.-Not further
restriction, but merely TO make possible
such restriction as the existing law In
tends. but has not accomplished. Is the
object OF a proposed new immigration law
recommended by Daniel j. Keefe. the
commissioner general OF immigration. in
his annual report for the fiscal year 1909.
II IS proposed to accomplish this by codi-
Tying. arranging in logical sequence and
strengthening at their weak points all
existing laws on the general subject ot
immigration and Chinese exclusion.
Some OF the principal suggestions are:
SO defining the term alien as 10 leave
no doubt that II includes all persons not
citizens: extending the contract labor pro-
visions to forbid and penalize the in,
duccmcnt OF immigration by false as well
as genuine promises OF employment. pen
ali2lug an attempt TO import foreign Ia
borers and permitting the Importation OF
alien skilled laborerS II labor OF Ike F0nd
unemployed cannot be found here, only
IL the consent OF the secretary OF com
mercc and labor is obtained in advance.
increasing the fine against steamship
companies for taking on board danger
ously diseased aliens from 500 TO 500.
Time Ripe for Action.
Mr.. Keefe believes the time is ripe for
tho adoption of even stricter measures
and suggests that a proposal worthy OF
careful thought is that all male aliens be-
tween is and 20 he required TO pass II
physical examination equal TO that OBJ
Touching the white slave traffic, the
report sets out that Il special lnvesli-
CATION conducted throughout the country
and the general experience Of the year,
make n apparent that an enormous nuSl-
ness IL done In importing ana dlS,llput-
Ing foreign women Tor immoral purposes
Including the seduction and distribution
of allen women and girls who enter rcSu-
larry. and also 10 some extent OF An'eii-
can women and girls Tie federal oi
hccrS have not discovered positive cEl-
n INguI
these ncfarlous purposes, but there rs
among those who conduct the business
certain esprit de corps, and there are IN
several cities clubs and headquarters
where they conSregatc.
In some cities. Il is declared, the traf-
Gc is connected with local political con-
ditions and some OF the municipal autnor-
itics arc implicated or otherwise helpless
TO assist in cradicatinS the eyii' me
federal government powers, II is stated:
arc so limited as To make II esSenllal II
auv marked progress is 10 he expected.
that the states and cities shall awake 10
The seriousness OF the situation and eNcr-
else their uudoubtcd authority TO put
down the evil,
During the year there was a marked
increase in deportations as a result pl
the campaign against the trdiuc INC
provisions on this subject In the bill sub
mittcd by Mr.. koHfc TO carry ont ms
recommendations arc I'm principle the
same as in the bin which already mas
passed the house, except that they DO
moi go so far in the features affecting
interstate regulation of the practice,
AS to Japanese.
Grati6caiion is expressed AS Il result Of
the !'cSprrment in immiEratioU ControI
as affecting TN" Japanese. constituted ny
law proclamations and regulations lol-
lowing the antl-Japancsc agitation IN
California several years ago
There has been material reduction i M
hoth the number OF ,ooS ShpSnfSe Sni iapsncs" ",cs
! were admitted To continental United
/ states and S60i Ia Hawaii. Will" for
! 1909 the corresponding figures arc 2iS2
and 1893. The number admitted to the
mainland and Hawaii was only abou, -
per cent and II p"r cont. respectively.
Of the numbers lor l?oa.
I Contrary 60 tho general impression
| Chinese admitted to tho United states
and MY. Kc"f" is p"Ssimis;ic regarding
| ihc operation OF the law. He concludes
/ thaL the system of exclusion aud cNpnl-
sion Afforded hy is but 'uy adap'od LOT
"Dcspiie all that is said and all mat
| is done tho bureau is always confident
1T the close OF any year th"t many 'hl-
| nose OF the excluded classes hnv"
! LIANT they may have been. have SNUG
! .lcd themselves or been smuSeled ashore
! in scaporls as sailors or StoWawayh; or
! nave bv fraud and perjury managed TO
| land I'm an apparently regular manner
! Tbrro are doubtless now In this country
| AT least as many Chinese not entitled 10
! residence hero as Of the lawfully resi-
| dent Class, and they nave entered IN
| every way that can bc imagined.
! Vt is urged that tho exclusion laws be
merged into the general immigration law.
/ so that the administrative process OF c%'
| t,uisiou therein provided may be used.
| recommendations which the commission
| or saws may be considered rcNolutiUndrF.