There is, we believe, grave probability that the United States
will prohibit or restrict immigration. The idea suggested by the Secretary of the Treasury, Mr. Foster, inhis annual Report, is to tax every immigrant in a sum equal to the difference between the passage-money charged for America and for Australia, but the ultimate proposal will, it is believed, be stronger than that. Meanwhile, Senator Chandler, in view of the probable outburst of cholera next year, has introduced a Bill stopping immigration for twelve months, and public opinion is favour- able to the measure. The shipping companies are furious, but the Western men care nothing about maritime interests, and are determined to stop the arrival of Italians and Hungarian Slays. So are the artisans, and, of course, the whole of the- great party in the Union, which ascribes all forms of corruption to the influx of foreigners. The immense in- crease in the numbers alarms all classes, nearly six hundred thousand immigrants having entered the States within the last twelve months. We should not bear- such an influx for a month, and though it is argued that the States have endless wild land, the Americans retort that the immigrants do not go there, but hang about in the cities, reducing wages, and increasing police rates. Incidentally, the restrictions, if they are passed, will help to populate- Brazil and the Argentine Republic, the latter especially.
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