In his last annual message the President recommended the
prohibition of immigration through Canada and Mexico, the strengthening
of our exclusion laws, heavier restraints upon the steamship companies,
and severer penalties for enticing immigrants. It is a striking fact
that nearly all of the proposed additions to our laws are intended to
stop the evasion and violation of the laws we have, which are made
ineffective by fraud and questionable practices of the most extensive
kind. A recent writer[32] presents this matter in condensed form worthy
of study, giving this "astonishing catalogue of abuses," brought to
light by special inspectors in the employ of the Immigration Bureau:
[Sidenote: Astonishing Abuses]
"1. The importation of contract laborers, usually under the
direction of padrones, from Greece, Italy, and Austria-Hungary.
"2. The smuggling of immigrants across the Canadian and Mexican
borders who would be certain of rejection at our Atlantic ports.
"3. The 'patching up' of immigrants afflicted with favus, trachoma,
and other loathsome or contagious diseases so that they can get
past the inspectors without detection, even though the process is
likely to augment their sufferings later.
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