New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-03-14
4 STATE Ll[PORTED.

n State. but men. OF land, this bountifully
endowed Nation has enough already. But OF
thrifty and industrious men and women 1t
will never have too many. Without crOwdlng
it can support population many times as
great as it is likely to have for a long time
to come. But its progress in power, wealth
and industry has been more largely due
than many suppose to immigration. There
are now thirteen States in the Union whose
population is smaller than the number OF I'M
migrants in the year 1881. Maine had 64S,936
inhabitants at the last census, and Connecticut
622, 700, and New-IIampshire and Vermont to-
gether go, 277; but the number of immigrants
in 1881 was 72O,045. Enough people nearly
to double the population of the great State OF
Minnesota came from other lands to this
country in that single year.
1t should be observed that there was no ex-
traOrdinary cause for this hegra from foreign
lands. The first great migration to the United
States came from the famine in Ireland, when rs
many as 427, 900 people came to this country IN
a single year. Bat many were driven from their
homes in that year by political events on the
Continent of Europe, and many more were at
tracted hither by the wonderful discoveries Of
famine in any part OF Europe. The nations
were at peace War did not plough the earth,
revolution did not come like an earthquake to
tear down the homes of thousands; nor was
there manifest any unusual discomfort or sui
fering among the people This multitude was
not driven, but drawn, to these shores. Yet
the movement far exceeds that of any other
year in orr history; indeed, it may be doubted
whether at any other time i'll the history of
the whole world, so great a number of people
were ever drawn to any country III single
year.
A great event is not without cause. But
we seek in vain for m explanation of this un-
precedcntcd migration in the record of the
countries from which it came \ larger number
came from British dOmnOns than from any
other part of the world, as is natural, for kim
ship and likeness of speech build broad bridge
across the sea, and yet only 165, 23O came from
the British Islands direct, while 249,572 came
from Germany, land OF different tongue
Adding 9J.1SS persons who entered this cOun-
try from Canada, of whom part probably
had but recently arrived in Canada from Eng
land or Ireland, we have 2G0, IFS immigrants
from all dominons of Great Britain. Yet
there remain 210,055 who came to
this land from other countries. OF
these Sweden sent %, S9j-more than quar-
ter. Cold Norway sent 26,9Gl, and sunny
Italy 2O,lO1. The hcgira was not from deS
potism alone, for dcspotic Russia sent fewer
than the IL 1928 who came from free Switzer-
land, aud republican France sent 1858. From
Denmark S,9jI people came hthcr, and from
other parts of Europe, for which figures have
not been separately given, 56,337. The Chi
nese migration WAS much larger than in the
previous year, and yet was only 2O,711, while
the number from all other countries was 3,s15.
The striking fact is that all Europe, and part
of Asia, contributed to swell the population OF
the United States.
The cause of this surprising migration must
be sought in the general prosperity which this
country has enjoyed since the resumption of
specie payments. Dwellers in other lands did
not leave their old homes and associations be-
cause they had heard of any act of the United
States Government; they came because this
country was prosperous. The main cause of
that prosperity, however, the impartial hist0-
rian will find in the wise and honest conduct
of the Government with respect to its demand
obligations Instead of a currency of tluctuat-
ing and indefnable value, resumption gave us
money as good az gold, and we all know how
quicllya wonderful prosperity resulted. But
immigration is not Immediately affected
by changes in the condition of labor.
Time passes before the millions who have
already arrived here have fairly realized the
improvement in their condition, and have sent
tidings Of it to old neiShbOrs and relatives
abroad More time passes before the money
necessary for a removal con be accumulated
and the roots fully dislodged from the old
soil. Thus the full effect of any important
change in the condition of labor is not made
apparent in an increase of Immigration until
one or two years after that change has oc-
CURED. But in the two years preceding re-
the immigrants to this country num-
bercd only $4,000. In 1850 and 1851 they
numbered 1,313,OO0.
The Increase in population from all causes
between 1870 and lo~0 was 1857, 4l2, or
80 per cent. But it Is officially shown that
2,7O7,29G immigrants came in from january
/, 1870, to January 1. $50. Nearly half as
many have arrived during the first two years
of the new decade. Dcluctiug The immigrants,
the increase in population during tine last de-
cadc WAS s,s9O,llG, or 23 per cent, the re-
naming 7 per cent being due to immi-
grafton. If we suppose that the increase
of population from other causes has con-
tinucd ut the same ratio, namely, % per
cent yearly, or l,15O,OOO inhabitants, it will
appear that in two years the increase from all
other causes will be 100000, or Is per
cent, and from immigration 1,313,OOO, OF 2.62
per cent. On this basis the population Of tho