The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1891-04-11
Eriis of ImmigrntIon.

Dr. Hamilton tells us that it is the
settled policy Of foreign governments to
encourage immigration 10 their own
cil, nies, and thut no government IN
Eur pc encourages immigration to the
Uaited States But England does en-
courage the immigration of the poorer
clas-es, and she sent us last year &c, 600.
while, despite the efforts Of Germany 10
retain all her able bodied men, that they
may carry the musket in the coming
war, nearly 100000 l99,535l came to
tlpse shores lastyear, And the Italians,
too, are coming over in CROW ds, and at
Tie present rate Of increase will soon, in
point of numbers, stand next to tile
Irish A noted feature Of this I'M igra-
ton is the fact that while only 3 I6O
men skilled in the professions, aud 59
9S5 skilled laborers came into the C un
Try last year, the number of common
laborers and miscellaneous" was over
a quarter OF a million 1889 644l
The effect Of such an incursion of
foreign hordes upon our shores can bet
Ter be imagined than described. And
let us say, so rapidly is the country de-
veloping, and so thickly is the lubiic
doRain being settled, and so great is
the number of foreign unskllled labor
ers already in the country, that we be.
lieve that it would be a great gain if not
another one of this class came o this
country during the rest Of tie century.
That tii, is so becomes strkingly APP
parent when the fact is recalled that the
f,,r. fl,a al. rht
years is 81 per cent larger than the
ayera~e immigration for the eight years
next preceding, while 90 per cent Of
this il crease is of ersOns Without any
occupation or training, and the tendency
is for the least desirable kinds of immi-
grafton to increase much more rapidly
than that which is valuable.
To remedy this evil Dr. Hammond
recommends requiring a consular GER
tificate as a condition precedent to inn
migration, This plan, which is notncw,
has just been embodied in a bill which
goes further than measures previously
introduced, in making the certificate
more thorough and definite, and espe-
cially in the provision shutting out iliit-
crate persons as well rs those who are
physically or mentally unsound and liza.
ble ~ become public charge The bill
has unquestionahly merit; but we
greatly doubt if our consuls would prove
adequate 10 the task Of inspecting and
certifying to the condition of the half
million Immigrants that the Old World
emf ties upon the New every year. And
it certainly is true that consular certih-
Gates will avail little till our laws
are made more restrictive and our immi-
grafton system is entirely recast That
The insane and idiotic should lie sent to
our shores is bad enough. But the eco
non ic is the lowest test to apply in this
matter. 1t is certainly better that 10
idiots come to this country to he locked
up, even becoming pub ie charge, than
that one iinishCd scoundrel coAes here
TO play his nanks throughout the coun-
try.
1t is further to be hoped Congress will
at the earliest opportunity rovide for II
commission Of intelligent men and ex
lerts having knowledge Of the subj ct,
who shall traverse existing laws, con
~ider all available facts, elicit the views
of Thoughtful men, aud revise our present
immigrant laws and prepare measure
which viii le sen if not W holly repre,s
x sting abuses. Such Il result, enacted
into law, would give US higher class
OF immigration, and if it would not
nring more dollar in the country would
hat is far etter purify the social
structure and Gle ale the now degra ed
standard of c,t,z 'nship which, as Dr.
Hammond says, is nowhere 81 cheap as.
3 should nowhere BE- so valuable as in
the United States -fThe Christian ut
Work.