Pauper and insane statistics of the
countries sending the greater part of
these immigrants show that this flow'of
foreigners must bring a great many from
those classes. Great Britain and Ger
many, for example, havd one pauper for
every 34.5 of the population, and the
committee believes the ratio of paupers
among immigrants from those countries
is proportionately large. There are sev
eral defects in the law of 1882, which
was the first attempt of congress
to regulate immigration. Its execu
tion depends upon local organizations
that are often influenced by polit
ical and local considerations; the exami
nation of immigrants is generally super
ficial; there is no reciprocal action on the
part of the authorities of the various
ports for the relief of the immigrants
falling into distress or for sending back
those improperly brought here; and there
is no penalty for its violation in landing
paupers, criminals and insane. A bill
remedying these defects was considered
in the last Congress bat was crowded
aside in the closing hours of the last ses
sion. The committee think that the act
of 1882 should be amended so as to se
enre greater efficiency and uniformity of
administration and greater strangency
! in the exclusion of undesirable immi
grants. Dr. Hoyt followed this report
with a paper on pauperism, insanity and
' crime in New York, and how the state is
being burdened by the influx of these
dangerous or helpless subjects from
i Europe. He favored a thorough revision
of our naturalization laws requiring a
graduated period of residence of from
stolo or more years, a certificate of
character from the immigrant’s home
abroad, the condition of being able to
read or write, and the forfeit of his
citizenship on conviction of felony,
vagrancy or the barter or sale of his vote.
