Speech #470032297

The gentleman from New York. my colleague. [Mr. Cox.] has not exaggeratedin the slightest degree the facts that call for my colleagues amendment. If gentlemen here had ever seen or obtained any knowledge whatever of the infamous system which prevailed in the city of New York prior to the one which of late years has been in operation there. a system by which immigrants arriving there unfamiliar with our customs. a large majority of them unable to speak our language. became the prey of every shark and sharper in that great city. and then could see the manner in which they are now cared for and sent from that city all over the great West. (for not 1 per cent. of them stay in the city of New York.) their money and effects cared for. their persons properly looked after. I am sure there would be no opposition to this amendment. And there certainly should not be any opposition to this amendment. when I state. as my colleague has stated. that the whole burden and expense of caring for the 500.000 immigrants that annuially land in the port of New York will be thrown solely upon that State if it is not adopted. Yet Now York does not appeal to the Congress of the United States for charity. Whenever the people of any section of this country have suffered from any great disaster. the first to whom appeals are made for assistance are the merchants and capitalists and people of New York. and never has there been such an appeal made to the people of that city which has not been fully and most generously met. It is not necessary for me now to refer to the many instances of that kind. We come here now simply asking for justice. We ask that the burden of caring for the 500.000 or 600.000 immigrants that yearly land at that port shall not be thrown on the State of New York alone. I do not believe that 5 per cent. of all the immigrants that land at the port of New York remain in that State. And I simply repeat myself when I say that it is for the benefit of the great and rowing States of the West that we of New York ask this action by ongrcss. they will become citizens of those States. who will receive the benefit of the amendment.