that sanitary conditions at least may
prevail."

[Sidenote: Laws Rigidly Enforced]

[Sidenote: Steerage Reforms Needed]

This certainly is not an unreasonable demand, and proper laws with
regard to the steerage rigidly enforced would tend to discourage
immigration, instead of the reverse, since the rates would doubtless be
raised as the numbers were lowered. Cruel treatment of the helpless
aliens by the stewards and ship's officers should be stopped. Mr
Brandenburg's description, which by no means tells the whole story of
steerage horrors, should serve to institute reform through the creation
of a public sentiment that will demand it. There is no other way to
reach such conditions; and here is where the young people can exert
their influence powerfully for good. Money greed should not be allowed
to make the steerage a disgrace to Christian civilization and an offense
to common decency. Of course it is difficult to detect what goes on in
the hold of a great steamship, and when immigrants make complaint they
frequently suffer for it. It is possible, however, to provide government
inspectors, and inspectors who will inspect and remain proof against
bribes. The one essential is a sufficiently strong and insistent public
opinion.

_III. Putting up the Bars_

[Sidenote: Protection for the Country]

The need of some regulation and restriction of immigration was felt
early in our national life. The fathers of the Republic did not agree
about the matter, and in this their descendants have been like them.
Washington questioned the advisability of letting any more immigrants
come, except those belonging to certain skilled trades that were needed
to develop the new country. Madison favored a policy of liberality and
inducement, so that population might increase more rapidly. Jefferson,
on the other hand, wished "there were an ocean of fire between this
country and Europe, so that it might be impossible for any more
immigrants to come hither." We can only conjecture what his thoughts
would be if he were to return and study present conditions. Franklin,
certainly one of the wisest and most far-seeing of the earlier
statesmen, feared that immigration would tend to destroy the homogeneity
essential to a democracy with ideals. Equally great and good men in our
history have taken one or the other side of this question, from the
extreme of open gates to that of prohibition, while the people generally
have gone on about their bus