1 68 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



Up to this time the inspection of immigrants was made by state 

 authorities, acting, of course, under federal law. This system was un- 

 satisfactory, because of the lack of uniformity of inspection, and the 

 difficulty of applying the law in imposing and collecting fines. It 

 became evident that if an efficient uniform standard of inspection was 

 to be established and maintained, it must be under the direct super- 

 vision of the federal authorities. The act of March 3, 1891, besides 

 adding to the excluded classes, 'persons suffering from a loathsome or 

 a dangerous contagious disease,' polygamists, and assisted immigrants, 

 provided for the assumption of the work of inspecting immigrants by 

 the federal officers. The office of superintendent of immigration was 

 created, and the President was authorized to appoint such officer by and 

 with the advice and consent of the Senate. The medical inspection was 

 from this time to be made by officers of the Marine Hospital Service. 

 This act also prohibited steamship companies from encouraging immi- 

 gration by alluring advertisements, and provided for the deportation, 

 within one year after landing, of any alien landed in the United States 

 in violation of law. 



The act of March 3, 1893, provided that the steamship companies 

 should furnish lists or manifests made at the time and place of embark- 

 ation, which were to contain valuable information concerning the age, 

 occupation, destination, moral and physical fitness, etc., of the immi- 

 grant. These lists were to be signed and sworn to by the master and 

 surgeon of the vessel. This requirement of manifests was expected to 

 cause a more careful scrutiny of passengers at the port of embarkation, 

 and the manifests themselves would undoubtedly prove of great value 

 to the inspectors in their work. 



Under federal supervision the work of inspecting immigrants be- 

 came more uniform and thorough. Suitable buildings had to be erected, 

 and other expenses necessary to the rigid enforcement of the law were 

 incurred. It became evident that the head tax of fifty cents was inade- 

 quate for defraying the expenses incident to immigration. By a pro- 

 vision in the sundry civil bill, approved August 18, 1894, the head tax 

 was increased to one dollar. 



In June, 1900, congress enacted that the commissioner general of 

 immigration should have charge of the administration of the Chinese 

 Exclusion Law. 



After ten years of trial, the law of 1893 was found inadequate in 

 some particulars, and a great popular demand for further restriction 

 was manifested. As a result of this popular demand the law of 1903 

 was enacted. By the provisions of this act previous legislation was 

 amplified, and further necessary restriction placed on undesirable classes 

 of immigrants. The head tax was increased to two dollars. The 

 authority to deport aliens landed in violation of law, was extended to a 

 period of three years from the landing of such alien. In addition to 



