The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-05-18
DECLINE In IMMIGRATION.

| New York bureau Of immigration, and
| based thereon an estimate of the probable
| a..----. .n,uuguuut tne country. we nave
| now received the report of the bureau of
statistics of the United States, for the year
| 1875, and the figures thereof fully confirm
our IUlrnor estimate. The total net immi-
grafton tor the whole country, for the year
ending December 81, 1875, was one hun
dred and ninoiy-one thousand two hundred
and thirty-one, against two hundred and
sixty thousand eight hundred and fourteen
in 1874 422,5i5 in 1878 and 437, 750 in
lS72-being, last year, two hundred and
foriy-sx thousand Ave hundred and ten, or
The number, last year, was almost exactly
the same as in 1SG3-ihere being only forty
more this year than then. From 1862, the
namber annually increased, with occasional
fluctuations, until 1872, when it reached
its eliminating point, and has since rapidly
declined until the alarming decrease already
mentioned is reached. The number last
year was but little over the average for
| )
being one hundred and seventy-one thou
sand o year-and only about scventy-6ve
per cent of the average from 1851 to 1860
two hundred and sixty thousand-while
It Is only little over ninety per cent of the
embracing d4e ten years from 1861 to 1870,
? at tho lightest immigration was
MOI only is the immigration lighter.
there mas been change in the character of
tne immigrants, Thus in 1870, 1871, and
1878, about four out of every ten immi-
grants were females and in 1874. the
number of females was about thrty-piue
to every hundred immigrants. while in 1879
Only thirty-six out of every hundred were
females. The same change is shown in the
age oil Immigrants thus, to 20 no farther
osck, IN 1873, twenty-five per cent were
| uhoer hlteen years of age while last wear
lees than seventeen per cent were nnder
that age. The significance of this IL, that
ia ahESs s haRt {f ss tG sn Heretofore.
The change in the character of immipra.
ton is shown in another way-and that
more favorable to this country, at least as
compared with 1873. In the latter wear
some twenty-five thousand-or about one
in ten-male immigrants above the age of
llfteen years are reported without occupa-
tons. while, IN 1876, the number is only
seventy-seven hundred, or about one to |
fourteen. In 1879, however, fifty eight
thousand five hundred males out of two
hundred aud forty thousand-or about one |
In ive-are reported without occupations.
although the age is not stated any further
than to say that they were "chiefly child |
"ren.' In 1872, too, the number of males
without occupation, was about one in four,
but no specification is made as to ages.
The occupations, too, show change. In
1879, 1873, and 1874, about one-half of the
nen were classed as laborers, while in 1874
only about four out of ten were 90 classed
In 1872, 1878 and 1874, one in twenty-five
we're classed IS having "sklled occups.
TONS" while in 1876, the number was
about one in twenty. So that while we
have been loosing in quantity, we have
been gaining in qualty-but not enough of
the latter to make up Tor the former.
But the fact that the net immigration for
1870 was one hundred and ninety one thou
sand, against nearly four hundred and
thirty-eight thousand in 1872, is not, by
aHy means, the worst side of the picture.
With the decrease in the arrival of immj.
grants, there has been corresponding III. |
crease in the number of departures from
the country and this increase is made I'D
cnleily from those who originally came here
with the intention of remaining. Thus In
1858, the number of emigrants was 81 1919;
IN 1860, 36,739; 1870, 32,3O4; 1871, a..
$685. 1872, 25,766 1873, 72,34s 1874,
over ninety thousand; and in 1876, over
thousand. AS to these figures
the secretary of the treasury states that
they show "only approximately those who
- leave the port of New York." and that ,,
the figures based thereon for the whole
country, are rather underestimsted than
overeslimated. But assuming that the es.
innate Is correct, it would appear that
"hile we gained four hundred thousand in
population from immigration in 1872, we
gained less than one hundred thousand in
lS75-so that immigration has declined Il
four hundred per cent, and emigration has s
increased in the same proportion.
The cause of this decrease in immipra. a
hon, and increase in emigration, is without b
ioubt the lessened demand for labor in this
country, and the withholding of induce h
nents held out to foreigners. 1t IL not e
ong ago, when American emigrant agents v
we're active in nearly every foreign port, is
md when aliens, on their arrival here, were G.
net by other agents and inducements held +
'ut to them to make their homes in tho a
vest, and farms and homcstoads were of. L.
cred them on the most favorable of terms o
Now this is all changed. The general "
'rostratlon of business, the stagnation of d
Productive industry, and the consequent
iminuition In the demand for labor, has n
withdrawn all of these emigrant agents, and :,
he alien, If he comes at all, comes of his n,
wn motion. And here the corresponding nj
epression of business IN Europe comes in OF
or Its effect in decreasing emigration. The til
thousands who would gladly come hither 81
re deprived OF the means to do so, and \,
Consequently stay at home. We fear that q
ais decline in immigration must continue re
niil values become settled, trade revives, a.
nd demand for labor ia again active. W