Speech #600134597

A man who Is at present confined In New York State prison. serving a sentence of two and onehalf years for attempted extortion. was arrested in Italy twentyseven times and convicted twentyfive times. When he was sentenced to States prison here he had been in this country less than three years. The police department tried to get a warrant for his arrest so he could be deported. The warrant was refused on the ground that the man had. by serving three years in prison. been here more than three years." Shall we permit a condition so revolting to continue? We look to the commission to tell us how to stop it. As to the character of the present immigration. I think the opinion of such a man as Hon. William Williams. a recent commissioner of immigration at the port of New York. through which comes the bulk of the influx. is the most reliable information that can be obtained. In his annual report (1903) he said: The present laws do not reach a large body of Immigrants who are generally undesirable. because unintelligent. of low vitality. poor physique. able to perform only the cheapest kind of labor. desirous of settling almost exclusively in the cities. by their competition tending to reduce the standard of living of the American wageworker. and unfitted either mentally or morally for good citizenship. It would be quite impossible to accurately state what proportion of last years immigration should be classified as undesirable. I believe that at least 200.000 came here (631.885 entered through Ellis Island). who. although they may be able to earn a living. yet are not wanted and will be of no benefit to the country. and will. on the contrary. be a detriment. because their presence will tend to lower our standards. Their coming has been a benefit chiefly. if not only. to the transportation companies which brought them over.