El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-12-21

an interesting sidelight upon the re
ception of the Immigrant from the be-
ginning down to the present time.
Prior to 1885 immigration was taken
as a matter of course. a welcome was
given to every immigrant VINO came.
and the only legislation that was en-
acted was the law for the protection
of Steerage passengers passed in 1919,
and for the gathering of statistical
data concerning immigrants to Amer
lea
Opposition Developed In 1885.
But the great inpOuring of foreign
ers, many of whom were Catholics, az
ter 1885, began to arouse an OppOsI-
ton to immigration on the part Of
some proteStants. This opposition cuI-
minated in the native American or
knoW-nOthlng movement and for
while 1t seemed as if it might accom-
pliSh a res friction Of immigration. An
effort to make nativism a national
question was made, and although il
gained some little Roadway. the feel
ing against foreigners subsidized some
I what during the fOrties, but the heavy
increase in immigrants just prior TO
1850 again stirred up the anti-fOreign
sentiment, and this time it found eX-
preston in the knOw-nOthing move
ment.
In spite of the know-nothings. fur
Their legislation was enacted in 1S47
and 1S4S, throwing still further pro-
lection around the steerage immigrant.
and when the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS bill
was pending congress gave the right
of participation in local affairs to
foreigners who had declared their in
tentiOn Of becoming citizens
Federal Control in 1882.
The federal government did not
really assume control of immigration
until 1882, prior to that time it haV-
ing been regarded as a question for
state jurisdiction. But in 1864 presi-
dent Lincoln, desiring to keep up the
necessary supply of labor. asked con-
gress to encourage the importation OF
contract labor. Such law was
promptly enacted and was kept on the
statute books for four years, when 1t
was repealed
President Grant first recommended,
in a special message to congress, that
immigration should be put under ma
tiOnal rather than state control. But
the states continued to hold the sub
ject as one within their jurisdiction
until 1876, when the supreme court
declared that any state law providing
for the compulsory inspection of pas
sengers and detention of vessels Of
foreign countries was restrictive OF
foreign commerce and therefore IN
constitutional. The court then did an
unusual thing for the supreme court,
recommending that congress take
jurisdiction over these matters, set
ting forth that it could more apprO-
priately, and with more acceptance eX-
ercise it than any other body known
to our law" 1t further added that II
congress would take control Of immi-
grafton il would effectively and sat-
isfactOrily settle a serious matter
which had long given rise to contest
and complaint.
First Head Tax of so Cents.
Congress, six years later. acted up
on the recommendations Of the SUI
preme court by passing a general immi-
grafton law This law imposed a head
tax Of so cents on each immigrant, and
this money was used at the port of
collection for the enforcement of the
immigration law and the care Of i'm
migrants after their arrival.
The law Of 1882. farming out to the
states the control of immi grafton,
failed of its purpose, and by 1855 there
was such continued assertion that its
terms as well as those of the law
prohibiting the immigration of con-
tract labOrers enacted in 1885, were
committee was appointed by the house
to investigate the matter.
This committee recommended that |
the enforcement of the immigration /
law be entrusted solely to state Off |
GERS, praised the "Old" immigra ton,
condemned the new" and announced |
that the time for a restricted immi /
grafton had arrived In 1889 the SEN !
ate and house created standing COM /
mittees on immigration. and they
Jointly made a further investigation. ]
The result was the law of 1891 which .
added many features still found in the I
immigration law It gave the federal /
government sole control of immigra-
ton, excluded persons suffering from I
lOathsOme and dangerous contagious !
diseases, and entrusted TO the public I
health and marine hospital service /
the important task of making the nee
essary health Inspections. 1t strength |
ened the contract labor law, and re- 4
CURED the steamship companies bring /
ing depOrtable aliens to American :
ports to carry them back at their own
expense.
Head Tax Increased In 1892.
In 1892 still another Investigation |
was ordered, and joint committee OF
the two houses of congress recon-
mended further changes. 1t reported
that inspection up to that time was I
largely a farce, and based on this the !
law was amended in 1898, by which
the boards of inquiry were created /
The following year the head tax on |
immigrants was raised to 81.
In 1897 congress passed another
law. which excluded those aliens over I
l6 who were physically able but who
could not read or write, exception be-
ing made of the parents. grandparents, |
minor children. and wives of admis-
stble immi grants. President Cleveland |
-etoed this measure, which was the
first hteracy test ever passed by con-
sress. He thought 10000 nliterate
immigrants who came to find homes |
and to work were less dangerous than
me unruly agitatOr. The house passed |
he bill over Cleveland's veto, but the
senate refused to do so.
Present Head Tax Is 81
In 1903 after the Investigation by !
he Industrial commission had been !
made. the house again passed an immi-
grafton law with the literacy test in |
t The senate refused to concur in |
he establishment of such a test but |
ldded a provision increasing the .m- I
Migrant head tax from 81 to 81. The J
and naturalization of an
.rchists was prohibited
This bill finally became a law. and |
although the immigration question !
Ontinued in the forefront of legisIa-
i've interest no additional legislation |
vas enacted until 1907, when, out of
number of bills, congress finally !
greed upon a law. which raised the
cad tax to 81 It created the immi-
ration commission, and empowered
he president to refuse entrance to the ,
from any country who
old passports to other countries
han the United States. when those
asspOrts are being used to enable
ne holders to come to the United
tates to the detriment of internal :
3bOr conditions. This is the clause
nder which Uncle Sam excludes Jap =
nese and Korean labOrers from the {
"a foe -H Of I'll, ,rTs. I