Speech #570068641

I am credibly informed. there would be no agreement. And these two companies interest themselves in seeing that the agreement is kept. not because they are legally bound to do so. but because of the fact that they know that if there was no agreement. and if the agreement was not reasonably well maintained this Government would at once put itself in such a position as to obtain desired results. so far as possible under present laws. Now. it is shown by this agreement that there is no hardship imposed upon any one of the railways and steamship lines at all. and that there would not be any need of new legislation so far as transportation is concerned if it were not for the fact that the agreement. is purely a voluntary one on the part of the Canadian lines. and that there would not be an agreement at all. were it not for the action of the two Canadian railway companies. who are themselves interested in seeing an agreement made lad kept and who have not themselves. under present conditions. that commnanding position that they will legally be given by this bill as amended in the first section where the transportation lines are ineluded with the steamship lines as being required to pay the head tax. unless- otherwise arranged for by the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States. which is authorized by this bill. Besides. the Secretary of the Treasury at present. uider the old laws. isnot in a position where he candemand and enforce a contract as provided for in the last section of the bill. The old law leaves. the Secretary of the Treasury without either legal or moral backing to enforce a proper agreement authorized in the last proviso of section 1 of the bill before the House. It is understood by everyone thai. the Canadian steamship companies are not subject to our jurisdiction. and the only possible way we can reach them is through the Canadian railway companies. and the only possible way we can occupy an influential or commanding position with the Canadian railroad companies. such a position as we should occupy in order to secure the proper observance of our immigration laws and for reaching an agreement with the Canadian lines that would be fair to all concerned. that would protect American interests and carry out the intent of the immigration laws of this country is to allow this bill to pass as amended. including transportation lines in with. steamship companies as being. held responsible for the payment of the head tax. It is well. understood by everybody that the Canadian railways that have no terminals is this country are not subject to our jurisdiction. but it should.not beforgotten.that the railways that have no terminals in the United States must necessarily. if they sell tickets to aliens to points. in the United States. ticket via some American railway. and.it is the connecting lines. the American railways. we will look to when necessary and hold them responsible. Now. I have said before that if the Canadian railway lines do not do what is right in the conduct of the immigration business the Secretary of the Treasury of the United. States is to place in operation the rule against the American connecting lines doing business with the Canadian lines. This bill under discussion now does not in any essential feature change the situation as far as the Canadian frontier is concerned. except in this particular requiring that the railway lines shall be responsible for the collection of the head tax and the establishment of designated ports of entry on the Canadian frontier. It will be observed that under the present agreement the head tax is collected only once from the aliens who are in Canada who wish to run backwards and forwards to the United States and vice versa. and after that one collection there is nothing said about the head tax. Very many of our New England.friends are apprehensive that this law isgoing to inflict some terrible calamity upon New England interests. I respectfully call the attention of these distinguished gentlemen to the latter clause of section 1 of this bill. wherein the CommissionerGeneral of Immigration. under the direction or with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury. is authorized to make an agreement or agreements with foreign transportation lines to arrange in some other manner for the payment of the duty imposed upon aliens seeking admission overland. "either asto all or as to any such aliens." It will be to the interest of this country in the collection of the head tax to collect as at present from.the steamers. as it can be much more easily collected from the steamship companies because of the fact that the steamship companies have facilities for collecting. this tax that the railway companiesdo not possess. Besides this the Government of the United States should be in aposition to force. if necessary. a strict compliance. notonly with the agreements but with our immigration laws as well. because it is a fact that the Canadian steamship companies have not returned debarred aliens. to the ports from which they came. as they have agreed to do. and that at very recent date. and the evidence substantiating that statement can be found in my address opening the debate on this. question. Thousands of these aliens who should have been returned--diseased aliens and othersthose who would not be admitted at New Yorkhave sneaked in through Canada on account of the negligence of these Canadian steamship companies and for want of proper facilities along the Canadian frontier. They haveadvertised in certain portions of Europe and Asia especially with a view of. securing these objectionable people to come in on their lines. people who would be rSjected at New York by our Government.