MEDICAL AND SURGICAL REPORT OF DISEASES AND INJURIES TREATED BY UNITED STATES IMMIGRATION SERVICE (MEDICAL DIVISION), PORT OF NEW YORK, N. Y., FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1903-Continued. GEO. W. STONER, As illustrative of the conditions under which the immigration and Chinese-exclusion laws are now being enforced in the island of Porto Rico, the report of the commissioner of immigration at San Juan is given. UNITED STATES IMMIGRATION SERVICE, OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER, SIR: I have the honor to forward statistical report on form 1582 A, covering the entire fiscal year ending June 30, 1903, for the district of Porto Rico. Vessels of the following steamship lines bring aliens to the ports of Porto Rico: Campañía Transatlántica (Spanish), from Barcelona, Cadiz, Malaga, Las Palmas (Canary Islands), and Genoa, Italy; on return voyage from Habana, Cuba, Vera Cruz, Mexico, Colon, and other ports of South America. Pinillos, Yzquierdo & Cia. Line, from Caruna, Barcelona, Cadiz, and Canary Islands ports; on return voyage, from ports of Cuba and Mexico. Larrinaga Line from Liverpool. Serra Line from Liverpool, touching at Spanish ports en route; Campagnie Générale Transatlantique (French) from Havre, France, and St. Thomas, Danish West Indies; on return trip from ports in Haiti and Santo Domingo. Intercolonial Line (French) from Havre, France, and St. Thomas; on return trip, from Santo Dominican ports. HamburgAmerican Line, from Hamburg, Germany, and St. Thomas. Red "D" Line, from South American ports of La Guayra, Maracaibo, and Danish West Indian Island of Curaçao. Herrera Line (Cuban), from Cuba and Santo Dominican ports. In addition to these regular lines, sailing vessels come from Nova Scotia, ports of Spain, and many of the West Indian islands. The greatest percentage of immigration to Porto Rico, as in the fiscal year 1901–2, is of the Spanish race, some of whom were here before the American occupation and retaining property interests, others coming to seek employment, desiring the better wages which they see prevail under the American form of government. As a class they are heathy, in good financial condition, and make desirable additions to the population, although they retain their allegiance to the Spanish Government. The percentage of African (black) from the West Indies is small, which, in my judgment, is as it should be, principally on account of their being the strongest competitors of the native labor element. The provisions of the immigration act approved March 3, 1903, having greatly aided in restricting immigration of this character, the steamship lines interested in this class of business having adopted the policy of accepting as passengers only those who conform to the provisions set forth on the manifests under the new act and whom they are reasonably certain will be eligible to land in Porto Rico. A few illegal entries have been made on the coasts of Curebra and Vieques, but with the assistance of the insular police officials and customs guards we have been enabled to detain them until Treasury warrant could be received for their arrest and deportation. These islands are situated so close to St. Thomas and other foreign West Indian islands that entrance to them is easy by small boats. The predominance of the criminal class among those who have attempted entrance in this manner indicates the necessity of the most restrictive measures to prevent this character of immigration. The effectiveness of this branch of the service would be greatly improved were permits obtained that the immigration officials be granted transportation on the navy vessels plying between the ports of Porto Rico and Curebra. A great many islanders from other West Indian islands would like to come to Porto Rico on account of the difference in wages paid here and in their own countries, but as there is sufficient Porto Rican labor this immigration is discouraged and prohibited to the full extent permissible under the immigration laws. In this connection I desire to quote from Governor Hunt's report for the year 1902, as follows: "Ever since the civil government was established there has been a complaint by the inhabitants of the island of Vieques that they could not secure laborers to harvest their sugar crop. In the days of the Spaniards these planters brought canefield hands from the neighboring French and English West Indian islands, but now that the immigration laws obtain they are forced to obtain labor upon the main island of Porto Rico. They have several times requested that modifications be sought from Congress of the present immigration laws, but we believe that that is unnecessary. It is said by the Vieques planters that the native from the main island complains that his health is not good in Vieques; but with the vast amount of laborers that there are here a sufficient number can surely be had to do the necessary work in Vieques." After personal investigations of the conditions existing in Vieques, and being assured by the planters that they could use some of the surplus labor of Porto Rico, an effort was made to interest the various labor organizations that were continually complaining of the lack of employment in adopting means to cooperate with the planters, but as yet there have been no results, due to the fact that the planters do not offer a sufficient rate of wages to interest the laborers of the island of Porto Rico proper. The two principal labor organizations are the Federacion Regional and the American Federation of Labor, each having many branch organizations and members. The greatest difficulty they have to contend with is the lack of good feeling, owing to the desire of both societies to take active part in the local politics of the island. Wages have materially increased under American administration, especially at the larger "centrals,"such as Aguirre and Guanica, where considerable attention is given to the wish of the employees. These and other estates pay at the rate of from 50 cents to $2.50 per day, in proportion to skill and experience, common laborers receiving 50 cents, foremen from 75 cents to $1.25, sugar boilers $1.50, and machinists from $2 to $2.50. The extension of the service by the appointment of an inspector for Ponce has been of practical benefit in that the work is entirely in charge of immigration officials. With headquarters at Ponce the inspector has supervision over the south and west coasts, taking in the port of Mayaguez, making official trips there when necessary. The presence of an inspector in this field has caused more strict observance of the immigration laws and regulations on the part of the steampship lines bringing passengers to these ports. Under the present arrangement careful and thorough examination is made of every alien applying for admission, prompt hearings before the board of special inquiry are had, and the service generally is in good condition. Several debarments and deportations of aliens attempting to gain admission for the purpose of taking employment under contract at sugar centrals have been made, and careful observation is maintained over this feature of immigration. Under the provisions of section 4 of the act of Congress approved April 29, 1902, entitled "An act to prohibit the coming into and to regulate the residence within the United States, its Territories, and all territory under its jurisdiction, and the District of Columbia, of Chinese and persons of Chinese descent," certificates of registration have been issued to 35 Chinese laborers and persons other than laborers, the duplicates and applications for which being kept on file in the office of the commissioner of immigration at San Juan, together with an alphabetical record of all such certificates issued. There have been no recent admissions of Chinese into Porto Rico, and, with a few exceptions, those now living on the island were transported from Cuba as prisoners by the Spanish Government. They follow the occupation of cooking, weaving, gardening, cigar making, and common laborer. Very respectfully, Hon. F. P. SARGENT, FRED V. MARTIN, United States Commissioner of Immigration. Commissioner-General of Immigration, Washington, D. C. Thus far the administration of the immigation and Chinese exclusion laws in the Philippine Islands, which had been placed in the hands of the Philippine Commission, has not been assumed by the Bureau. Until the passage of the act approved March 3, 1903, it was clearly the intent of Congress that the said Commission should control the enforcement of the immigration laws in said archipelago, although the particular authority in regard to the registration of Chinese laborers resident therein, conferred by the act of April 29, 1902, upon the Commission, by inference left the administration of the other provisions of the Chinese exclusion laws under the same control, by which they are enforced in the other territory of the United States. By the terms of the first-mentioned act, however, its provisions in all respects, are extended to "all waters, territory, or other place now subject to the jurisdiction" of the United States. As one of these provisions places the execution of the laws in the hands of the CommissionerGeneral of Immigration, it would seem that steps should be taken at as early a date as practicable to establish immigration stations for the inspection of both Chinese and other aliens at such of the Philippine ports as may be deemed necessary to prevent violations of law. STATISTICS OF CRIMINAL, PAUPER, AND DISEASED ALIENS IN THE UNITED STATES. Too brief a time has elapsed since the passage of the recent act (March 3, 1903) to enable the Bureau to avail itself so effectively of the authority conferred thereby to such an extent as to enable it to present statistics from the State reformatory, penal, and charitable institutions as to the alien inmates thereof. Enough, however, has been learned to convince the Bureau that the inadmissible classes of aliens should be somewhat enlarged. Thus, no diseased or physically incapable person should be admitted to the United States. The number coming is large enough to justify a rigid censorship, so as to exclude all those whose presence would be, either at the time of arrival or soon thereafter, a burden upon some community. With the same purpose in view an age limit might be presented-say, 60 years-and every alien applicant for admission who had passed that age should be refused a landing unless possessing a son or daughter in this country amply able to provide for such alien. It seems hardly necessary to enlarge upon the importance from this point of refusing admissson to aliens suffering with disease, whether of a communicable nature or not. To meet with the physical conditions in a new and strange country, to avoid the risk of pauperism therein, diseased aliens should at least exhibit so much prudence as to await recovery in their own homes. By the expiration of the ensuing fiscal year the Bureau believes that it will be able to present figures bearing upon this subject which will doubtless carry more weight than any argument it can now offer without such support. INDUCEMENTS TO IMMIGRATION. Very wisely Congress endeavored as far back as 1891 to restrict immigration to those who voluntarily, for reasons which ordinarily induce men to change their homes, endeavor to enter this country. In the act approved March 3 of that year section 1 places the burden |