Speech #600013627

I reported the bill in behalf of the Senator from Pennsylvania . as he was absent from the city at that time. A similar bill passed the Scnatedfcr tlhe erection of an immigrant station at Boston. All the immigrant stationson the Atlantic coast were thoroughly examined by the Immigration Commission. which Was created at the last session of Congress. and that Commission was unanimous that there ought to be new stations at Philadelphia and Boston. Neither station is fit for the proper reception of immiigrants.. Boston has the largest number of immigrants next to New York. reaching some sixty or seventy thousand. and I think Philadelphia hasover 50.000 immigrants annually. I will not take time in saying anything about the Boston station. as that bill has passed. but the Piladelphia station is totally unfit for the reception of immigrants. It is an old building. It is almost impossible to keep it clean. as it should be. .though every effort is made in that direction. It is dark. and it is in no wise a proper place in which to keep the people who are detained or in which to ieceive the people for examination. ThOCommission were unanimous in recommending the new stations. The same recommendation was made by the Secretary of Commerce and Labor and the Committee on Immigration in both Houses have been unanimous in reporting bills for new stations at these two large ports. All who have examined the matter are of one opinion. � The money necessary for the construction of the station comes from the immigrant fund. It is not a charge upon the Treasury. There is. as Senators are doubtless aware. what is knowli as "the imnmigrant fund." All the money coming from the head tax is put into a separate fund in the Treasury. which is used for the expenses of tie Immigration Service. That fund has reached over two million and a half dollars. The last act limited the amount in the fund at any one time to two and a half million dollars. and everything above that is covered into the Treasury. There is this large fund derived from the head tax. which is used for the benefit of the service. There is an abundance of money there to pay for these new stations. and I can assure Senators from my personal examination that the need of a new station at Philadelphia is imperative. The appromriation ought to be made.