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About The independent. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 21, 1905)
PAGE 4 DECEMBER 21, 1903 IJcbrashcx Independent ncococoocooocoooooonocoooooooooooooooooaooooocooooooooooooooooo Current Comment on Leading Topics o ococaoccoooooooooooocoocTO ' IMMIGRATION PUZZLE ' The subject of pauper and criminal Immigra tion la one of the most Important now before the people, and it is likewise one of the most complex. Many remedies have been offered, but none of them seems to meet all the require ments:;' . Another feature of our immigration prob lem is the tendency of these new peoples to. colonize. This does not mean worse morals, nor does it necessarily mean lower economic efficiency, but it does mean worse American citizenship. These colonies, mere reproduc tions of Old World life, are self-sufficient. Their members, except those of the second generation through the influence' of the schools, are seldom or never Americanized. To scatter these colonists broadcast among the people of the country would hasten their Amercanization and would probably benefit them economically. No way to do this has , been devised; but it may be possible to put a stop to the growth of these colonies and so to limit the evil. Probably the suggestion of the president that the number of immi grants admitted at New York and other northern ports should be strictly limited and that the stream should be turned to the south, where there is a demand for new labor would go as far toward scattering the population as any measure yet suggested. St. Paul Pioneer Press. President Roosevelt, who keeps a keen eye to the drift of political movement, ap parently is giving small consideration to the outcry for further statutory limitation, of immigration. He proposes to invest a million Porto Ricans with citizenship at one fell swoop. Having gone so far, it would be ludicrously inconsistent to set up barri cades against the Japanese or industrious and self-supporting immigrants from southern Europe. Thus far it is the glory of our ex periment in self-government that it has proven a successful solvent of all the races and all the religions. Here British, Irish, Germans," Frenchmen, Italians, Swedes, Rus sians, Poles, Slavs, Jews, Gentiles and Mo- hammedans dwell together In peace. In Russia undef the stern rule or an lntolerent despotism, the warring races -are cutting each . other's 4 throats. The preachers of the Gomperian philososphy in that distracted country appear at the "present time to be ac tive factors' in preventing the establishment of constitutional government. Philadelphia Record. Mr. Sargent gives us some startling in formation concerning the increase of crime, depravity, disease and other dangers to the social and political security of the country due, largely to this enormous Immigration. He says that they might be lessened con siderably "by distributing aliens now con gregating in our large cities to those parts of the United States where they can secure employment without displacing others and where the- conditions of existence do not tend to the fostering of disease, depravity and resistance to the social and political safety of the country. It is Impossible to believe that a practical device cannot be found," he says, "if not through the action of the federal government alone, then with the . co operation of the state and civic au thorities." Mr. Sargent adds: "Whether such a plan could bo brought Into existence through the efforts of our general govern ment, or whether, under any of its constitu tional powers, expressed or implied, the congress itself legislate directly, upon sani tary or moral ground, against the notorious practice of housing aliens with less regard for health and comfort than is shown la placing bruto animals in pens, th bureau Is unprepared to say, even if an expression of Its views upon the subject were neces sary. It U, however, convinced that no feat ure of the immlratlon question so Insistently demands public attention and effective ac tion, The evil to bo removed is one that ta steadily and rapidly en the Increase, and Its removal will itrlko at the roots of fraudulent cktclon. poverty, disease ana crime in our large cities, and, on the other hand, largely supply that increasing demand for all labor to develop the natural resources of our country." He shows that tnere are now 349,885 inmates in our public reformatory and charitable Institutions, of whom 97,074 or 28 per cent are foreign born, and 39,646, or 11 per cent, absolute aliens, who have never even been naturalized. Of these, 19,764 are. Insane. The largest number (11,980) are Irish. The Germans come next, with 9,050, the English third (4,28,) the Italians 3,266, the Scandinavians 3,125, the Hebrews 2,765, the Poles 2,064, and the French, 1,948. You will notice , the remarkably small num- . ber of Jews, Poles and Italians in charitable "' institutions, in comparison with the -'large numbers who have come into tne country . within the last few years. William E. Cur tis In Chicago Record-Herald. But if there should be a Japanese ex clusion law, enforced like the one relating to Chinese, there would be great and im- mediate trouble. Japan is up In the world and has a high sense of national dignity. It would not submit with Chinese patience to the offensive treatment or its subjects by American custom house , officials. The officials would have to change their methods so that .the American government would not have to be continually apologizing for their misdeeds. The relations or the United States and Japan are most peaceful. They would not remain so with a Japanese exclusion-law administered as Toughly as its friends' would like to have it. The trade of eastern Asia is worth a great deal to, this country to its farmers, manufacturers . and railroads. It is worth so much that the Asiatics should be treated with common courtesy. The Chinese boycott, provoked by the offensive enforcement of the Chinese ex ' elusion law, is alarming the American merch ants. The considerable trade with Japan certainly would be affected If Japanese gen tlemen were treated as Chinese gentlemen have been. The exclusion of Japanese labor ers is a delicate matter to handle. It may well be alone for several years. The dangers of Japanese immigration, if there be any, will be apparent then. They are not now. Chicago Tribune. - ASSET CURRENCY In his magazine for September, Tom Wat son arraigns Secretary Shaw's financial policy in ringing terms. It is only just to state, how ever, that he fails to mention an important feat ure of the secretary's plan, viz., that all asset currency issued shall pay a tax of six per cent so as to provide a fund for the protection of those who hold the notes of banks that fail: fail: . . They want the privilege of issuing paper money, not secured by United States bonds; and they want the existence of these unr secured notes to be kept a secret between the bankers and the government; and they . want these unsecured notes to be engraved so that they shall be so nearly identical with the secured notes that the public will not bo able to tell the one kind from the other! Mr. Shaw pointed out that jTTe "emergency" notes could be made to look like the bond secured notes, so that the public would not know the difference! Said Mr. Secretary Shaw: "'The controller of the currency and the bank issuing the currency would - alone know of its existence." consider this a moment. The common people accept bank notes as money because tho notes are based upon government bonds. Their value is guaranteed by the government. Mr. Shaw and the bankers now propose that tho bankers shall Issue other notes whenever "the emergency" arises, and that these new notes shall be engraved by the government In such a manner that (ho averuRo citizen will not be able to distinguish the difference. The existence of Uum unsecured notes U to be a secret, known only to the controller and tho bank! The public will not know that a trap has been wt and baited. Tho public mill not know that counterfeit money li afloat. The public would never pect thai the government was In collusion with the bankers to put bogus paper In circulation Therefore the public would eagerly accept the bogus notes, not suspecting that they were bogus. A crash comes! The bank shuts its doors. The bogus notes are outstanding. -The holders lose every dollars, for the notes rest on no security. Yes; the innocent holders are ruined. - NATIONAL AFFAIRS The various questions now before congress and the reports of department chiefs afford com mentators a wide field for criticism and sug gestion; . ,' '"' Postmaster General Cortelyou's report shows a postal expenditure for the fiscal year, of $167,181,959 and receipts of $152,826,585 leaving a deficit Of $14,572,584. But the re fort further shows that It there had been no deadhead matter there would have been a surplus of over $5,000,000. So Mr. Cortel you makes the recommendation urged by Mr. Wanamaker when he was postmaster gen eral, that the franking privilege be abolished and each department pay for its own mail . matterr This Is a sensible recommendation. If the departments paid postage and the railroad graft was cut off, there would be no : excuse for railing at the comparatively petty abuses of second-class postal privileges. As to these privileges also, Mr, Cortelyou's rec ommenation is a good one. He proposes, instead of the second-class privilege or sub sidy, a flat rate like that for merchandise Chicago Public. , If the railroads could make congress and the people think that- the president is , trying to usurp the functions of congress they would be very glad. Therefore the fol- ' lowing paragraph from one of the railroad editorials,, which . are floating about the country; "Those who respect the functions of the three co-ordinate branches of the ' government must be gratified to knowV that congress is not yet ready to relinquish to ' , the president the privilege and duty of legis- ' lating for the country. Fired by the -applause of those who seem to understand his char acter so well, President Roosevelt has been led Into many official extravagances of dic tatorial prodding, with congress . as the in- " tended victim of his herding propensities." One ofi the constitutional duties of the presi dent of the United States is to "give to , the congress information of the state of the union, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient." The president has in two annual messages recommended legislation for the relief of the public in matters of rail road management. The house of representa tives promptly passed a bill to grant that re-: . lief The senate ignored the suggestion as; it had a legal right to do. Nebraska State Journal. This is more promising for popular en tertainment from democratic politics than, for unity in the party as now constructed. Hearst, backed by his . great wealth, spread out by his newspapers and elevated by his ' demonstrated strength with the populace on radical issues at the polls, has become no slight figure in democratic politics, and his disposition to assert a leadership In new di rections of radicalism threatens for the party as violent a break-up as that, which put Bryan to the front In 1896. But Bryan arrayed tho plantation democracy against the domination of tho Wall street faction. The Hearst revolt Is to appeal especially to the Indus- ' trial masses of the north, and Is likely to ' prove as hostile to tls southern plantation " as to the Wall street clement In tho party Springfield Republican. The n port of Secretary Hitchcock of tho Interior department reveals to the people ' tho progress of his war upon fraud. By the nld of this report wo can renllio the amai- Ing breadth of the work already done, and ' In progress for tho protection of the publto lands from those who would despoil them . for private enrichment. Nut More has It bwn polble to understand the estcnt of tht government investigation Into tho land '. V