Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1911-08-12
IMMIGRATION LAWS.
MANY RADICAL CHANGES ARE
PROVIDED FOR BY The
PROPOSED LAW.
Result Of Work by Joint immigration
Commission-Presented by Senator
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Features of Chi
nese Exclusion Act Are Applied to
other Ahens-Bans Contract Labor.

Washington.-Many radical changes
in the immigration laws are provided
for by the terms of general bill intro
duced in the senate by Senator Dilling-
ham, former chairman of the senate
committee on immigration and of the
joint immigration commission. Most of
the innovations suggested are the result
of the Investigations of the commission.
The measure proposes to repeal the Chi
nese exclusion laws, except so far as
they relate to naturalization.
In their place is substituted an
amendment to the general immigration
laws which provides for the exclusion
from the United States of "persons who
are not eligible to become citizens Of the
United States by naturalization.
The exclusion does not apply, how
ever, to government officers, travellers
and members of the learned professions.
Chinese Exclusion Extended.
Various features of the present Chi
nese exclusion laws are made applicable
to all immigrants, except that as to
manual laborers not eligible to citizen
ship by naturalization the bill proposes
to give Asiatic immigrants the legal
status accorded to all other immigrants
The only portion of the various Chi
nese exclusions laws not repealed is
that section of the act of 1882 which
provided that no statefor federal court
shall admit Chinese to citizenship.
Senator Dillingham; IS bill also pro
vides for the exclusion from the United
States of 'all male aliens 16 years old
or over who are physically capable of
reading and writing, but unable to read
and write in some language or dialect. -
1t provides, however, than an admissible
alien may bring in his father or grand
father over SIS years old, or a son not
over is years old, whether such persons
are literate or not.
The bill makes it unlawful under pen
atty of 500 for any steamship company
to bring to the United States any litter
ate alien of the class mentioned or any
alien not eligible to naturalization.
Senator Dillingham; bill provides
that boards of special inquiry regarding
the admissibility of aliens shall be APP
pointed by the secretary of commerce
and labor. Under the present law the
boards are appointed BY the immigra-
tion commissioners at the various ports.
Contract Labor.
The contract labor provision of the
immigration law is retained principally
in its present form, but to the excluded
class 'and persons who have come in
consequence Of advertisements for man
ual laborers published in a foreign coun.
try" is added. There is a provision
for the criminal prosecution of corpora.
tions, companies or persons who solicit
or assist in the importation of contract
laborers.
The provision of the present law
which permits the importation OF
skilled labor if labor of like kind un
employed cannot be found in this coun
try is amended so as to permit the secre
tary of commerce and labor to deter
mine the necessity for such importation
prior to its accomplishment. A fine Of
$500 is imposed by the bill for encour
aging or soliciting alien immigration
AS further punishment the president il
authorized to prohibit the landing o.
passengers at United States ports b,
steamship companies violating this pro
vision.
Authority is given for the deportation
of immigrants imprisoned for crim
within five years after arrival, and o
those who become public charge with
in three years of landing.
Immigrant stations at interior point
are provided for as a means of insuI
ing better distribution of immigrants