Foreign Paupers in the United Slates

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 205, 1 September 1886, Page 3

Foreign Paupers in the United Slates

Remedies Suggostod for tho Flood

that is Pouring In.

" Tin: question of pauperism in thia country ia becoming important and interesting,'' paid Secretary Hoyt of tho Stato Board of Charities. "Tho main problom ia tho importation of foreign paupers. Tho fact is that forei.n governments havo been systematically shipping their paupoii over h> re for us to take euro of. Prior to IS7O tho poivor of admitting foreign immigration was vested in tho different States in which thoy landed. Tlio Boards of Immigration in 'hero States imposed n specified tax. In Now York it waa S3, I bolieve, and in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and othor seaboard Stato 3 not so much In IS7I Congress dec-oed that the Slates should have no jurisdiction in thu matter of Immigration, but mado no provinion for it in tho Federal laws. The lijarde of Immigration wero still maintained, but they had no po.\ or aud received no pay. So from IS7-I till ISS2 a Hood of pauperism und insanity poured into thia country. In ISSO tlio Now Yolk Stato Legislature passed a law for the shipment of foreign paupers bick to their own countries, aud then tho real work of tho Board of Chariliea and Correction began. The foreign in<ane tlion cxreoded tho native by over ono half, and thia haa not beon reduced much, though our socioty bus worked haul. In 18S2 Congro j s passed a bill providing for a Commissioner of Immigration at each port, but mado no effort to pay him, leaving thia to tho several States. No pay was tlio result. It was also enacted thatso cants should b» levied on ouch immigrant, this to ho paid to tho Clerk of tho Port and ured for those totally disabled, tho residue, if any, to revert to tho Commhwfener. Ui.dcn this aystom tho Commts-ionois look aftor the interests of thoir o-.vn 5t...t33, and immigrants booked aro allowed to slip by, even if they aro paupers and sure to become burdens on the public whore thoy eventually land. Tho Bjston Commissioner would not allow a pauper ticketed tn that port to remain there, but if hia destination was New York ho could coins through. Tho Commissioners havo no taste for fighting railroad corporations or stoamboat cor.-.pan iea. Thus you sec tho Board of Charities ia pulling against tlio stream, for, while Uncle Sam ia »ot smart enough to get one of his paupers iusids the borders of a foriign country, foreignora are being sent over here by shipload.', and thia government is spending million*-< of dollars out of tho pockets of tho people to build almsliouse*. and in some usylums for thoso who ought to be supported at home. The paupors come faster than wo get rid of them, and it coats money to send them home. They nro out-and-out paupers, and they will seek tho almshouse or the ovorsoor of the poor with tho samo instinct that a babo Bucks its mother's breast."

" What ia tho remedy ?''

" Simply to make the office of Commissioner of Immigration a Fedoral one and paid by tho United States. Thau that ofticial would be in duty bound to look after the interest-! of all States. Every immigrant should bo subjected to a3 searching examination as the Custom-hoase officials give their goode. Thero ia no more reason for lettiug contraband people get horo than thero is for lotting in contraband goods. By international conference it should bo arranged so that immigrants ombarking for Ameica would be obliged to first obtain a certificate of the Ameiican Consul, who should be tho oughly posted as to his status in thia regard. It would, of course, entail the employment of clerks, but tho Uni'ed -tutes could well nffjrd to piy tbem for this service. Then we could hope to reduce fareign paupeiism in the United States and keep out there. In tho Now Yori v State there aro at present about 10,500 piupers proper, and übout 12,000 insane paupers. If all the foreigners wore out this would be largely reduced."—" New York Mail and Express." _^___^_______.