IMMIGRATION. 167 



other than to escape persecution in Eussia or Eoumania. When they 

 finally reach New York, so complete is their pauperization, that they 

 require assistance, in many instances for years after landing. 



Thus the causes of emigration will be seen to indicate in most cases 

 the relative desirability of emigrants. The best are likely to be found 

 among those whose emigration is voluntary or spontaneous, and the 

 worst are likely to be found among those assisted and pauperized by 

 societies or rich individuals, while between the two extremes the others 

 can be graded in varying degrees of desirability. 



The first legislation relating to immigrants bears the date of March 

 2, 1819. A clause in this act provided for the enumeration upon 

 arrival, as well as a statement of the age, sex and place of birth of 

 immigrants. This provision of the law was expected to regulate the 

 transportation of immigrants, to prevent overcrowding on the ships 

 and to mitigate some other abuses on shipboard. Laws for regulation 

 or restriction of immigration have always been the result of popular 

 demand, and have been enacted from time to time either to correct 

 existing abuses or to prevent the entrance of certain undesirable classes. 

 The fact, therefore, that no immigration legislation was enacted from 

 1819 to 1875 speaks well for the immigrants arriving during that period. 



It must not be supposed that the coming of immigrants was entirely 

 unopposed during tins period, but the clamor raised against them about 

 1850 was based on racial or religious grounds, was sectional, not general, 

 and so manifestly selfish and bigoted that the great majority of Amer- 

 icans took no part in it, and no restrictive legislation resulted. About 

 1875 it became evident that some regulation of immigration was neces- 

 sary in order to prevent certain undesirable classes, regardless of race, 

 from landing. As a result the act of March 3, 1875, was recorded in 

 the statutes. The classes barred by this act were prostitutes and con- 

 victed felons. By 1882 other undesirable classes attracted attention, and 

 a law passed in that year added to the list of excluded classes, all idiots, 

 lunatics, and 'persons unable to care for themselves without becoming 

 a public charge. ' It also provided that a head tax of fifty cents be col- 

 lected from each arriving alien, the money to be paid into the treasury 

 of the United States and to constitute the 'Immigrant Fund.' This 

 fund was to be used in defraying the expenses incident to the regulation 

 of immigration. 



Previous to 1885, large employers of labor imported workmen under 

 contract for less than the American standard of wages, and through the 

 combined efforts of the labor organizations, legislation was enacted in 

 1885 to prevent the entrance of these contract laborers. 



The first contract labor act of 1885 was strengthened by the amenda- 

 tory act of 1887, by which power to make regulations and rules and 

 issue instructions, not inconsistent with law, for the carrying out of 

 the provisions of the act, was vested in the Secretary of the Treasury. 



