New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-07
DEDrcrIoyS IRON LllNIGRA1I0N

The number OF immigrants who arrived III
the United States during ISL is now approx
matcly estimated at 100000. 1t is II move
ment of population wholly unprecedented in
modern times, and cannot be adequately ex-
nlainrd rs the result of any single cause. 1t l.
a reswaruing of the European hives. and Is to
he attributed to various disturbing influences
IN foreign centres Of population As well rs to
the natural attractions OF new fields o1 human
industry. A single glance at the statistics FOR
the five months ending December / will dis
close the faulty Of haoty concentrations on this
subject The heaviest contingent, lOO4f9 Is
furnished by Germany which suffers equally
from the economic evils OF lmpOVenShineht ana
tho increasing burdens OF militarism aud pohtI-
cal degradation, but is exempt from the dis
tracing influences Of aGrarian conflict Yet
the United Kingdom, where there is neither
compulsory military service, Internal eNhaus-
ton nor imperial suppression OF popular lnstl q
tutIons but where certainly there arc dis
affected agricultural classes, sends out almost
as many immigrants to our shores. The arrl-
walls from Sweden and Norway number 81, 1913 !;
from. England and Wales, $500; and from
ireland. 25,O6G. Here are three countries in
which the political, agrariIn and economic con
ditions are essentially different, yet they fur
nish nearly equal quotas to the alien population
of the United States The impulse to emisratc
springs from manifold causes and motives.
The statistics of the decade battle any Mt
tempt to find common factor III this emigration
problem. Too rapid increase may account Ior
the movement of population from Germany,
which has higher birth-ratc than any other
European country, hut not from England,
where the birth-ratC is very much lower; nor
Will IL explain the phenomenal exodus from
Norway and Sweden, where the proportion OF
births to population is with one exception, tho
lowest on the Continent. Miltsrism, again.
may be the commonest curse of European life.
WHY was it thal between 1865 and 1879 the
annual public expenditures rose from
81 900. OOO. 900 to s., Q25.CO0, 900, and the
national debts from $l3130,O00, 900 to
sol $40. 600. DOOR Was it not because there
were from 100000 to 100000 men
rained to arms, in active service and IN the
reserves Of volunteers, territorial army or
mitia2 If 100000 men were constantly
under arms, there were military and naval
budgets amounting to $500, 100000 annually,
and the aggregate loss to the Continent has
been computed as about 81, 800, 100000. IL
there be a general reaction against the intOler-
able burdens of costly ornaments and military
establishments, and common impulse to escape
| from barrack duty and everlasting drilling and
maneuvring, the United States, where an army
| of over 100000 men was quietly disbanded
when the fighting was over, and where there is
no compulsory service and only miniature
military force, would seem to BIZ an inviting
field of industry Yet when we come to scru-
tinize the statistics, We find that the European
country which maintains to-day the largest
army and the most expensive military establish
ment sends one of the smallest contingents to
the horde of immigrants. Miitarlsm is ram
pant in France, yet there is no popular reaction
against it.
| In like manner we could easily demonstrate
that the impoverishment of the lower classes
abroad does not satisfactorily account for the
present unprecedented influx of immigrants,
for there has never been year when the new
corners have been Of so superior q class or have
brought so much money with them. Indeed, we
question the utility of any general deductions