Immigration Restriction League

“An Immigration Restriction League”

That there has been a growing sentiment in this country during the last few years in favor of more stringent laws regulating foreign immigration cannot have escaped the notice of any person who reads our newspapers and magazines. This feeling has found expression in many political platforms, and in various other ways; but there has until recently been no definite organization formed to work solely for more stringent immigration laws. The belief that a non-partisan, non-sectarian, and non-political organization is needed, which shall devote itself to this work, has led to the formation of the Immigration Restriction League. The objects of the League, which was started in Boston last July, are, as stated in its constitution: “To advocate and work for the further judicious restriction, or stricter regulation, of immigration, to issue documents and circulars, solicit facts and information, on that subject, hold public meetings, and to arouse public opinion to the necessity of a further exclusion of elements undesirable for citizenship or injurious to our national character. It is not an object of the league to advocate the exclusion of laborers or other immigrants of such character and standards as fit them to become citizens.” The league numbers among its members men of all parties, from all over the country, and is on a firm working basis. Its vice-presidents are Ex-Senator George F. Edmunds of Vermont; Hon. George S. Hale, Colonel Henry Lee, Hon. Henry Parkman, Hon. Robert Treat Paine, of Boston; Professors N. S. Shaler and John Fiske of Cambridge, Mass. A president is to be elected at the annual meeting in January. The league has already issued three regular publications, besides a large number of circulars. The publications referred to are “The Present Aspect of the Immigration Problem,” “Various Facts and Opinions concerning the Necessity of Restricting Immigration,” and a collection of statistics relating to the numbers, nationality, and distribution of our recent immigrants, and the proportion of the foreign-born among our insane, paupers, and criminals. These publications will be sent to any one applying to the Secretary of the Immigration Restriction League, 428 Exchange Building, Boston, Mass. -Robert De. C. Ward.