Speech #610016877

A test case was made and it went to the Supreme Court and was held to be constitutional in the Head Money cases (112 U. S.. 580). Twelve years later. in 1894. by a rider on an emergency act this " duty " of 50 cents was designated as a "head tax" and increased to $1. further increased to $2 in 1903. and still further increased in 1907 to $4. From the annual reports of the CommissionerGeneral of Immigration I have had prepared a table. which I ask to have printed in the RECORD as a part of my remarks. The table referred to is as follows: Table showing immigration. emigration. debarred. and condition of the immigrant fund for the last ten years. [Compiled from annual reports of CommissionerGeneral of Immigration.] Noim- THead Immigrant fund.h Immigrant migrant Debarred tax per YearodingJun -alien ar- alien ar- alien derivals.- alien rivals p alens.- cap- Headtax Expendi- Annual Annual rrivals- ita.O0 receipts..4 tures. etc.a surplusI delicit.1899 -------------------------------------- 311.715 45.000 356.715 172.837 8.798 d $1.00 --------------- --------------- - -------- ---------------1900 ------------------------------------ 448.572 65.635 514.207 206.351 4.246 -------.. ... ..---------.--------------- ---------- ---------------9 ---------------- 487.918 74.950 502.868 209.318 8.516 -------- ------------- -------------- -------- - ------1909 -------------------------------------- 648.743 82.055 730.798 220.103 4.974 -------- ------------- -------------- - - - ----- ---------1903 -------------------------------- 857.040 64.269 021.315 247.559 8.769 f 2.00 ---------------.-----------------------------------------1904 ----------------------------- - 812.870 27.844 840.714 332.019 7.994 -------- $1.599.472.25 $1.486.211.93 $113.261.32 ............... 1905 ----------------------------.. 1.026.499 33.256 1.059.755 885.111 11.879 -------- 2.082.873.50 1.631.232.05 451.641.45 ................ 1900 -------------------------------------- 1.100.735 65.618 1.166.353 856.257 12.432 -------- 2.290.901.56 1.670.708.56 620.193.00 ................ 1907 -------------------------------------- 1.285.349 153.120 1.438.469 431.306 13.064 g 4.00 2.782.108.68 2.163.825.95 618.277.73............. 1908 . .-------------------------------- 782.870 141.825 924.695 714.828 10.902 -------- 2.500.000.00 8.028.58.22 -------------$.528.58.23 Total ------------------------------ 7.762.317 753.572 8.515.889 8.275.589 81.574 -------- -------------- --. ------.. .......---------------- .. a Official government statistics. b Statistics furnished to the Government by steamship companies. The first head tax was a " duty of 50 cents " levied by the immigration act of August 3. 1882. " on all passengers not citizens brought to the United States by steam or sail vessel." and was held constitutional by the United States Supreme Court in 112 U. S. 580. d" Headtax receipts " include rentals and other payments of money received for the commissary. the money changing. and theother privileges at the various immigration stations. which offset refunds of head taxes paid erroneously. drawbacks on " aliens in transit " leaving the country. etc. 0 By rider on an emergency act of 1894. f Immigration act March 3. 19M. o Immigration act of February 20. 1907. AThe sundry civil appropriation act of March 3. 1909. abolishes the Immigrant fund as a special fund July 1. 1909. and directs all receipts to be covered Into the general or miscellaneous receipts of the Treasury. Tlis deficit reduced the balance on hand at the beginning of the last fiscal year ($3.079.515.26) to $550.917.04. This table shows some astonishing and startling facts. From this table. covering the last ten fiscal years. it will be seen that 8.515.889 aliens. immigrant and nonimmigrant. have come to this country. and nearly half that number. 3.275.589. aliens have gone back. I have here a financial statement. taken from the last annual report of the CommissionerGeneral. to which I beg to call the attention of the Senate. Financial statement. immigrant fund. for oeal year ended June 30. 1908.