Just two or three minutes. Prior to entering Congress I \vas in the Consular Service. and one of my duties was to inspect tile ships and give a certificate. and also to see about tile inspection of foreign emigrants as they were loaded aboard the ships. I do not know what the present methods are. but if they are similar to those eight or nine years ago they are a failure and a farce. I know a European steamship company having soliciting agents scattered all over Europe. I recall one of its officers told me it had 1.200 agents in the field soliciting emigrant business. They finally gather these emigrants at il English port. they were from various countries on the Continent. They were marched down the morning the vessel was inspected and sailed. went aboard the ship. and the medical inspection was by the physician paid by tle steamship company as they marcied up tile gangplank. Tile physician now and tlien would have an emigrant stand aside. believing lie was affected with tie eye diseasetrachonla. There is no wonder we get so many people here from abroad who are defective in health. in mind. and in body. We ought to aluend our immigration laws so that an American surgeon will be compelled to make a careful and thorough exanination of these people prior to their going aboard ships destined for American ports. W\re ought to go further in order to protect our country and our institutions. We really ought to have every emuigrant in Europe who desires to come to this country furnish our consuIar representative before his departure from a foreign port witlh a statement of where lie resides in the old country and references. and at the same time give our representative ai opportunity to make anr investigation as to what his character hIas been. if lie is honest. industrious. and a lawabiding person and in good health. and so fortl. and if lie intends to make tile United States his home.
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immigration emigrants emigrant