New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-06-10
TIE BURDEN OF IMMIGRATION.
HARDSHIP, PAUPERIsM AND INSANITY.

PREVENTIVE WORK AMONG THE CHILDREN
VALUE OF THE KINDERGARTEN.
WASHINGTON, June 9.-Miss Cleveland was an at
tentye and interested listener the proceedings OF the
morning session OF tho Conference of Charities and
Corrections The regular order of business the re-
port of the Committee on Preventive Work Among
Children,
Miss Phoebe Couzns read @ paper prepared for the
conference by Mrs Sarah b. Cooper, of California.
The power Of early training and habit was not easily
oyeresmated. The chains of habit generally too
small TO be felt till they too strong to be broken
What the world most needed to-day was genuine char
acter Education should give forethOught to store
portion of the product Of their industry against sick
ness or old ago. It should teach them honesty and
trustworthness aud should beget a of parental
duty. The kindergarten as system OF training was
designed to ncncae Just sneh principles and build up
Just such character Character building IN the kinder
garen went forward by means OF personal activity in
an atmosphere OF happiness and contenment
The child was both entertained and disciplined. He
taught to help himself. He acquired skfnl use OF
his hands, an accurate measurement by the eye whieh
would be life possessions. IL wisely utilized valuable
portion Of the chds life heretofore let run TO waste
still, 20 the acquiring OF vicious habits ana
prOpensties As early 1S4S Paris had six thousand
little children In infant schools and to-day thore are
100000 in these schools As result the French are
the most artistic in tho world aud the world pays
them an enormous tribute each year by purchasing
their handwork.
Dr. Charles y hOyt secretary OF the NeW-1 STATE
Board of Charities, read paper on immigration, cit
ing full statistics from authentic sources and tracing
the history OF legislation upon the subject down to the
act OF Congress of 1852 The report closes by citing
statistics relating TO insanity and pauper1sm, which
have an important bearing upon the subject of nm-
grafton. From the Federal census of 1850 II was
found that the proportion Of insane in the United States
10 every 6G2 native born citizens and 10 every
254 cltizons of foreign birth. Coming down to the
State OF NewYOIk, he found that its native population
was 3S71 400, and its foreign population ,379
The number of insane of native birth was 1870, or
10 every 7 of the native population, while tho num-
Der of insane of foreign birth 6321, or tor every
1872 of the foreign born population by the returns OF
the supcrtend ns OF the poor and OF the State Board
of Charities there were found to be in New-York IN
1880 56.O57 paupers in the poorhouses, OF when
foreign birth the proportion being / TO 17G Of the
native population and to 80 OF the foreign popuia-
ton. - .
NAV be some increase In the proportional number OF
insane and other dependents 10 the foreign population
induced by climatic changes and the hardshps incident
70 immig grafton the great disparity In these respects
cannot satisfactorily be accounted for from these
causes and the conclusion therefore forced upon us
that this country is being constantly burdened with the
insane and paupers Of different European countries
and with persons from those countries enteebled by
uriyaon and hardship through successive generations
as to become insane or helpless under the slightest eK
citing Cause sent away from q cir homes tor 90 other
purpose than 10 relieve their several communities from
The burden and expense Of their support aud care I
was he said outy 20 protect the country, to pro-
tect the vigorous and worthy emisrants as well as the
native population against the encroachnents OF these
classes q,
II we fail In these respects" he said. and the evil
continues unchcckedour prisons insane asylums, poor
houses retreats and other institutions, already over
flowing with the Gillette population Of Europe. will need
h. be constantly enlarged ~ meet the pressing demand
of these caescs-in nowi-c legitimate charges upon
our bounty-und for whose custody and care we are
no more responsible than for the payment OF tie Ma
oua debts or the maintenance 81 the standing armies
of the countries from which they are sent