New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-04-30

OF 6tedee10o - W0D0mgeon, has made
careful report = Secretary Boutwell,, EN-
bracing al the faofs ettainable IN regard 4
emigrants and immigration, which he pro
poses to have distributed extensively owe
this country and Europe. Alter rapid re
view of immigration during the past fift.
years, the report says: As regards nation
atty, more than one-half of those who hav'
thus far arrived in the United States ar
British. and come from the United King
dom, or from the British possessions o
North America. These speak our language
and large part are acquainted with oul
laws and institutions. The German Gle
ment comes next, and embraces nearly two
thirds of the remainder; an industrious ane
intelligent people, large proportion set
Ting in rural districts, snd developing thu
AGRICULTURAL resources of the West and
South, while the rest, including many arti
sans and skilled wOrkingmen, ind prohta
BILE employment in the cities and manufac
turing towns
The influx Of Scandinavians, who have
already made extensive settlements in the
Northwestern States, constitutes distinc
tive feature of the movement, and though
but few years since it received it's first
impetus, is already, large and rapidly in
creasing: They are industrious, economical
and temperate. Asiatic immigration, what
ever views may be entertained of it's in
|
has not vet reached such proportions as to
excite alarm in the most apprehensive, and
! falls far short Of what has been represented,
never having reached, in any single year.
| the number of 1900, forming only about
| four per cent of our total immigration. So
| small number can easily be absorbed into
our population of 10000, 900, and no injury
result, if the movement be confined to volun-
tdry immigration. A popularity OF the
/ rylr thoo of
| females, not exceeding seven per cent of the
whole. a fact which seems to preclude q
large increase Of the pure race.
The wide contrasts between skilled and
unskilled labor, between industry and lazi-
ness, between economical habits and un-
thrift, indicates marked variation in the
capital value of the immigrant to the
country. The unskilled laborers, who at
once engage in subduing the forests, or
cultiyating the prairies, are Of far more
value to the country than those who re-
main in the large cities. Deducting the
women and children, who pursue no oceu-
patton, about fortyaix per cent of the
whole Immigration We been trained to
various pursuits. Nearly half of these are
skilled labOrers and workmen who have &C.
quired their trades under the rigorous sys-
tenn which prevails in the Old World, and
come here to give us the benefit of their
cost of such education. Nor are the farm
laborefs and servants destitute of the
necessary training to fit them for their sew
eral duties, while those classed as common
or unskilled labOrers are well qualified to
perform the labor required, especially in
the construction Of works of internal i'm
pr0vement.
Nearly ten per cent consist of merchants
and traders, who doubtless bring. with them
considerable capital as well as mercantile
experience, while the smaller number of
professional men and artists, embracing
architects, engineers, inventors, men Of
thorough training and high order of talent,
contribute to our widely extended COM
munity not only material, but artistic,
aesthetic. intellectual and moral wealth.
With regard to the ages of these immigrants
only twenty-five per cent are under fifteen
years of age, and less than fifteen per cent
over forty, leaving upward Of sixty per
cent who are in the prime of life at the time
of their arrival, ready to enter at once into
their several industrial pursuits. Az to the
proportion which subsists between the two
sexes, it appears that, rs might have been
expected, the number of the males largely
preponderates over the females. This pro-
portion varies with the different nation
alities, the females constituting, as has been
stated, with the Chinese, only seven per
cent, while of the Irish tits over forty-five per
cent, and of the whole number about forty
per cent.
The wages of laborers and unskilled
workmen throughout the country average
very nearly 500 each year. Assuming that
the families of these men consist of four
persone, We have 500 as the amount which
each individual produces, and to which also
he lie restricted in consumption. The esti-
mated yearly expenditures of the family of
a laborer. consisting of two adults and two
small children, is as follows: For tea, coffee,
sugar, and other foreign goods which pay
duty Of about sixty per cent to the govern
ment, $50; -four, meat and butter, about
$50 rent 35S fuel and Nd. li g &c., vegetas
for clothing, housekeeping goods, etc. As
most Of these expenditures are for articles
of domestic product, which pay a succession
of profits to the retailer, the Wholesale
dealer, the producer and to the transporter,
the sum of these net profits constitutes the
aggregate amount which this family con-
tributes to The wealth Of the country. !
The sum Of $500 seems to be the full
average capital value of each immigrant
At this rate those who landed upon our
shores during the year just closed, added
upward of $2S5, 900 900 to our national
wealth, while during the last half century
the increment from this source exceeds
81, 24A $3.50, 800. 1t is impossible to make an
intelligent estimate of the value to the
country of those foreign-born citizens who
brought their educated minds, their cult
waited tastes, their skill in the arts, and
their inventive genius. In the year 1889
there arrived at the port Of New York, in
the steamship British Queen, which sailed
from the port Of London, Swedish immi-
grant, better known as Captain John
Ericsson. What was his value to the
country, as estimated on the ninth day of
March, 1922 was it eight hundred, eight
hundred thousand, or eight millions of
dollars? -
Two things seem imperatively required of
the government: protection to emigrants
and supplying them with trustworthy infor-
nation. The discomfort, suffering and i'm
morality to which they are exposed make
necessary either more stringent enactments,
or q better enforcement Of existing laws.
With the view of affording to the immig1 ant
such trustworthy information in regard to
the several States as would guide him in
making an intelligent choice Of a home. the |
bureau prepared and forwarded to the as
SCISSORS Of internal revenue in all the States |
west and south of Pennsylvania circulars |
questions covering every point |
Of interest or advantages to the settler. Re- |
plies have been forwarded from all parts of |
the country, and properly classified into |
pamphlet form for the use Of the immigrant |
or settler. This may be obtained upon APP
piication TO the Bureau of Statistics, Wash |
lngton. This information, though not SO |
full IN regard to some States and Terrific |
r1es az Is desirable, may in general be re-
celved with confidence. Tables showing the |
wages PAID IN the several States and sec
lions Tor factory, mechanical and farm labor, |
also the cost Of provisions, groceries, dry |
OnfN0a- ann h0n9Q Il,