New-York tribune., 1891-03-06
UNDESIRABLE IMMIGRATION

II is undeniable that part OF the recent
| Immigration to this country has been OF a most
undesirable kind. In several journals attention
has been frequently called of late to efforts
| made by foreign Governments, or by influential
| mon of foreign countries, TO aid or accelerate
migration 10 this county. Mr.. Henry Cabot
Lodge. in an article contributed to The North
American Review" compared the annual aver
age Of immigrants from different countries for
| two periods. ls74-sl with 1ss2-s9, showing
remarkable differences in the number OF I'M
migrants and the rate Of increase. The move
| ment from France TO this country was !o.i per
| cent smaller in the latter than in the carrier
prrod but no other country recorded Il decrease
| The rate of gain for other countries varied from
59.5 per cent as TO Norway, and G1.S per cent
as 70 Great Britain and Ireland 10 29I per cent
| as 10 Russia and AGA per cent rs TO Hungary
| The cain in immigration from Gcmany to the
| United States was 7G.7 per cent, while the IN
| crease in immigration from Italy was @s6 per
cent. and from Poland 1GG. The conclusions
10 which these figures point need not be empha-
sized. although it would be readily admitted
| that not all the Hungarian immigrants arc OF
| an Objectionable class nor are all the imm grantS
| from Great Britain and Ireland Of the most de-
| sirablc classes.
The figures are nevertheless somewhat de-
ceptive when percentages only are considered,
because the immigration from the countries
which show the largest increase was insigniii-
cant prior to 1881, and is even yet compara-
lively unimporant After ALL the actual num-
bcr Of immigrants needs to be considered, and
the average during the period ending with 1850
| ftr1.s fp.,u
Russia, 13,1O1 from Hungary, and 4,i9S from
Poland. Nor does it appear that these averages
altogether represent the present situation Dur
| ing the year 1890 the number of immigrants
| from Russia was 40 SS3, and from Hungary
24094, while from Italy there came 2,492,
| and from Poland 10, ,737. 1t will be seen that
| great variation appears in the recent movement,
| and nevertheless there has been n general ten
dcncy to rapid expansion in the migration from
| the Southern and Eastern countries Of Europe.
The discussion has led to many propositions
| for restriction Of immigration, either from var-
| Gus countries or Of certain defined character.
But it may be fairly said that nearly all these
| plans are open to serious criticism, rs being
calculated to shut out n valuable and important
| part Of the addition now annually received from
| abroad and at the same time as failing to shut
| out much of the immigration which Is Justly
| considered most undesirable. II il were prac-
ticable that immigrants should be examined, and
| their circumstances and records carefully in
veStigated, by United States officials in foreign
| countries having high sense Of their personal
responsibility, and being disposed and by their
Government enabled to investigate with care
and with entire independence, nquestionabIy
much good could be done. But no plan has yet
| been proposed which reaches the root of the
| matter after that fashion, and meanwhile the
serious objections to attempted limitations ordi-
narily proposed are calculated to prevent any
| Congressional action whatever.
Ii is not to be forgotten that the most igno-
rant and the poorest immigrant of to-day may
become. and often does become, the industrious,
faithful and sef-reSrecting citizen Of a few
years hence. Even more frequently the chill
dIen of immigrants who arc personally of little
value 10 the community growing mp in contact
with American life and to some extent at least
having American opportunities OF education and
| improvement rise to a higher level of useful
ness than their parents. IL is not an easy mat
| ter 70 say where the line Of exclusion shall be
drawn without sacrificing for the country and
particularly for its industrial development in