Speech #590091261

That is the fact. and I want to go further and make the statement that In administering the law at our ports the immigration officers take every precaution to protect the aliens who land. I would be glad if every member of the Senate could visit Ellis Island and witness the operation of the law. Every effort is made to keep immigrants out of the city of New York. Those going west over the Erie road are kept by themselves. placed upon a boat. and landed at the Erie station on the Jersey side. Those going another route are taken to the proper station. Runners do not reach them. I think the whole administration of the immigration act has been upon the most humane basis and with an effort to prevent fraud and deception. Recurring to the question propounded by the Senator from Maine. I desire to refer to the report of Maurice Fishberg. made to the CommissionerGeneral of Immigration. dated September 5. 1905. It bears upon the question concerning which he inquires. but I will read only two or three passages. which will perhaps answer the question better than I could do it myself. Speaking of England. he says: With the exceptions to be noted hereafter. my observations have shown that every company tries Its best to have all emigrants examined by a physician to determine their admissibility to the United States. knowing. as they do. that it is rather expensive to bring a deported immigrant back to England and in addition to pay $100 ine for each case of trachoma. Again. speaking of English service. he says: On embarkation the emigrants are again examined by the steamship doctor and also by a doctor of the board of trade The former. acting for the steamship companies. is usually careless and will pass anybody. The contrary appears to be true of the board of trade physicians. He adds: It Is the prevailing conviction of all of the runners in Liverpool and London that the authorities In New York City are too severe. and that It Is dangerous to attempt to send diseased aliens to that port. Deportation is very certain. Then he takes up the work at Antwerp. and says: In Antwerp every emigrant Is carefully examined by several doctors beforehe is allowed to embark. There the steamship company has an excellent staff of specialists. who are assisted by a doctor representing the Government emigration service. The examination leaves nothing to be desired. Regarding a class of immigrants who come from the interior. Inspector Fishberg says: The bulk of the eastern European emigrants and a fair proportion of the north and south Europeanspass through Germany while emigrating for the United States. The German steamship companies have taken special sanitary measures in dealing with the emigrants. With the assistanceof the police department of the Empire the emigrants are rigidly inspected. This is especially. regulated along the frontier of Russia and AustriaHungary. There have been established socalled "control stations" along the Russian borders. At these control stations the Immigrants are all bathed and their clothing disinfected before they are allowed to leave for German ports. In describing the work as conducted at Hamburg. In Germany. this oflicial states that immigrants are bathed. their clothing disinfected. that they are taken on board ship without going Into the city. and are thoroughly examined by the surgeons. Then he takes up the work in Italy. where we have our own Immigration officers. and says it Is ideal. During the last five -years they have rejected 27.834. That would be 5.566 annually. He then says: After a careful study of the emigration question in eastern and southern Europe I feel called upon to report that the steamship com*anies can prevent the embarkation of undesirable emigrants for the Uni ted States. In fact they are preventing it to a certain extent. and deserve commendation for the good work they are doing. There are. however. a few improvements In this work which I venture to suggest.