“That would mix things up,” the older man said.  “Why, in that case we should have all the mentally deficient, all the paupers, and all the freaks landing here in shoals.  Any group of friends, or any government, for that matter, would find it cheap and easy to dump all the public charges of Europe on our shores for the price of a first-class ticket.  Oh, no, that would never do.  Once in a while, you hear passengers on the big liners complaining of the inquiries made before they land, but it’s got to be done.  You can see for yourself what would happen if we didn’t.”

“But if they bring plenty of money, they would not become public charges.”

“No, and we can’t exclude them on that ground.  But money, for example, has nothing to do with crime or anarchism or things of that sort.  I tell you, there’s a big slice of our work done before ever a vessel reaches her dock at a New York pier.  Of course, problems do come up nearly every day, such as circus freaks, for instance.”

“You mean the living skeleton, the tattooed lady, the fat baby, the giant, and so forth?” asked Hamilton.

“Exactly.  Are those people to be considered desirable citizens, or not?  There is no question as to their inability to make a living by any customary kind of work, but on the other hand it is very difficult to prove that they could not get good money at a sideshow.  If, however, they are able to show that they have been engaged in Europe by an American circus manager, they can come under the alien contract labor law.”

“Then this string of people,” said Hamilton, pointing to those who had just been unloaded from the barge, “may be from all classes of the ship.”

“They might be,” his guide replied, “but the chances are that they are all steerage.  Cabin passengers that are detained usually come on the last boat, with the inspector.  We have quarters here with a little more privacy for them, and they are kept together.  But now watch this line.  Suppose we go this way,” and stepping over a low iron railing, the official, followed by Hamilton, walked briskly up beside the line.  A few yards from the door of the building, this line of people passed into a long barred lane.  At the entrance of this stood an inspector who checked off the large ticket each immigrant had pinned on him to show his identity, in order to prevent confusion further on.  Passing before the inspector at brief but regularly measured intervals, the immigrants walked one by one up this barred lane to where it made a right angle.

“There’s the first inspecting doctor,” said Hamilton’s conductor, pointing to a man standing just at the angle and watching carefully each immigrant as he walked up.  After a moment Hamilton turned to his companion in surprise: 

“But he isn’t doing anything!” he said.

“Doctor,” said the chief of the division, with a laugh, “I am afraid we shall have to investigate this matter.  Here is a lad who says that you’re doing nothing.  He’s watched you for a couple of minutes and you haven’t made a move.”