Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-10-01
The Value of Immigration.

The unprecedented prosperity Of
the American Il public brilliantly
illus trates the advantages to the
country of immigration in the
past. Its Importance, IN the de
veopment of our vast unoccupied
domain, i'll recruiting our Industries
and its bearing upon American civil
zitiOn and American institutions in the
future, cannot be overestImated.
With the establishment of the Pa.
cilic railways and the opening of IN.
occupied sections in the South, South
west and West, the tide Of immigration
will continue to increase.
The State of Texas alone. six times
the size of the State OF New York,
would, if as thickIy populated as
Massachusetts, contain n population OF
fifty millions.
The great benefit Of encouraging
and projecting immigration innres,
not to the Atlantic States, not to New
York only, but mainly to the Western
aud Southern States; but while en-
couraging Immigration, we must guard
against spoliation upon the immigrant
and the landing OF paupers, desLltutes
aud criminals upon our soil.
1t is impossible fully to appreciate
the value of immigration to this
country without recalling to some ex.
tent the number of immigrants who
have served to swell our population,
and the skill. energy and genius which
they have added to the body polite.
Authorities differ as to the wealth
which immigration has brought to our
shores. Mr.. E lward Young, Chief of
the Bureau of Statistics, in his report
dated March II. 1871 estimates the in
crease from this source for the fifty
years preceding to be more than Sc,
LAB $50 500, and for 1870 at $2S5, 600.
900. But even this is based upon AN
estimate of the mere physical, uncul-
tivated powers of the immigrant.
How shall We determine the measure
tutions, of the rare intellccts. the
skilled artisans, and the creative
geniuses who have poured in upon us
from foreign lands? In all the walks OF
public aud private life they have ap.
peared and left their impress-in the
avenues of commerce., in the workshop,
and in the delicate functions of gov
eminent.
What estimate can be placed upon
the value to the country OF that skilled
artisan and creative genius, Captain
John Ericsson, the inventor of the
Monitor. the Swedish emiRrant who
landed in New York in 1889 of the
value OF that almost Invisible object,
3 Ia rs RI, h..,l, Ia.
the command of that heroic sailor. Cap
tain now AdmiraD Worden, proved,
on the 9th of March, 1862. such glo
rious bulwark to American commerce
and American ports?
What estimate can we place upon
the value to the country of the millions
OF Irishmen and Germans and Chinese
to whom we largely owe the existence
Of the great arteries OF commerce ex.
tending from the Atlantic to the Pacific,
and the results of that industry and
skill which have SO largely contributed
to the wealth and prosperity of the
country?
F,om 1916 to 1920 about $50, 900 i'm
migrants landed Ill this country. From
1920 to 1880 about eight and half
millions arrived, and of these, six
millions entered the country at the
port of New York.
The condition of Europe to-day is
such rs to render it reasonably certain
that, with the new era of prosperity
upon which this country has entered,
the number of immigrants will con-
tinue to increase largely. 1t remains
for the National Government to do its
part, alike for its own protection and
that OF the immigrant.
The duty of Congress in this matter
is threefold To protect the commu-
nifty from foreign paupers, iunatics and
criminals, to shield the worthy immi-
grants from the rapacity and corrup-
ton to which they are exp ,sed, and at
the same time to achieve these results
without retarding or discouraging ips-
migration. Hon. L. p. MORTON.