Speech #570068279

Mr. Chairman. my friend from Pennsylvania thinks that the examination can not be made at the foreign ports. Let me say that there are only a few ports of embarkation for immigrants from foreign countries. and I undertake to say it would in the end be absolutely cheaper for the people of the United States to have the examination conducted there. it would be cheaper and otherwise better to have a board created at every one of these foreign ports of embarkation for the purpose of conducting this examination. In order to prove this. I am going to reread to this House a letter which was read here the other day by my colleague . which clears up this whole matter. This is possibly the only United States consulateThis letter is written. I understand. by some one of our consulsmy colleague can tell you whoThis is probably the only United States consulate where for some years there has been a consular inspection of emigrants. Let me tell you how this work is being done. with a view to encouraging an effort to have this system of inspection extended to all seaports whence emigrants leave for the TVnited States. In the height of the season from three to four steamers of the North German Lloyd Steamship Company leave this port every week and each steamer requires from two to three inspectons of the steerage passengers. At first all the bedding of these people is ordered into the disinfecting clamber. then each person is vaccinated and his or her physical condition carefully examined into. special care being taken to detect diseases of the eyes skin. hungs. and mind. etc. The examination takes place in the presence o? the United States consul or one of his assistants. and is in charge of Dr. Peltzer. a sworn medical officer of our Government. whD is assisted by one or two physicians of the Lloyd Steamship Company. As soon as trachoma. lupus. pulmonary plithisis. and certan other diseases or any mental trouble is discovered the person soafflicted is rejected. and the consul regularly sends the list of all rejected emigrants to the commissioner of immigration at New York or Baltimore or _alveston. wbhither the steamer may be bound. At the same time the steamshlp company i. also at once notified as to which passengers have been rejected at the consular inspection. whereupon the maifethey choose. invesdtigate ihe cases more closely and detrne for ttemsoelves whether or not they vill risk taking such rejected passengers to the American port. The system of consular inspection here at Bremsen was introduced without any order from the Ste Department. hut with its full sanction. If I am correctly informed. it was begumn at the request of the Lloyd people themselves. who evidently were prompted by a humane esre to have the fate of unfortunate emigramts decided at the earliest pos.ible moment. and also by their own bsiess s irtoit undoubtedly sho saved them considerable sums of money to have people retained on this tide who probably would have been excluded by the Treasury officials at our ports of entry and deported at the expense of the steamship company. And. as is well known also to the Department. the North German Lloyd Steastip Oompany spare neither pains nor money to have the inspection (lone right. and they regularly reimburse this consulate for the salary paid tle examining physician. The records at the various immigraion brenne will show. I beieve. that the work done at this port by the present system of consular inspection of emigrants has eenfairlysuccossfnl. I know that among Ihe deported steerage paAngers there are hut very few that have passed the consular inspection at Bremen. In looking over the lists of such deported aliens which are regularly sent me I rarely over find a person returned to gremen on account of some physical disability. etc.