Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-03


Garden until work is found for them by the i'm
migration officials, whose business il ia to
supply them with employment. Reaching New
York without penny, immigrants in general
who are bound for such distant points a. Port
land, Oregon, or Bismarck, Dakota, usually sup
pose that those localities are within easy walk
ing distance On discovering the swindle of
which they have been the victims they turn to
the crowded centers Of population.
PAUPERs FIND AMERICA EASY OF ACCESS.
There is no foreign pauper so poor as not to
be able to get to America. The more hope
lessly poverty stricken he IL the more inclined
will be the alleged charitable organization. to
send him across the water and 30 get rid of him.
The nations Of Europe are literally dumping
their jails poor houses and asylums on the
shores Of the United States. Such a system is
one Of the greatest economy from their point Of
view. The fares Of italian Immigrants are very
commonly paid by their relatives and friends
In this country, who, ii they have not the money,
can obtain it readily without security from any
one Of the numerous italian banks in Ameri-
can cities. There are dozens Of these institu-
tions In New York which lend money in this
way at 100 or 200 per cent, getting it back from
the first earnings Of the imported immigrant
The banks also do great business in contract
labor. fetching over men by thousands to work
on railways, in the mines or elsewhere. OF course
this is against the law but it ia extremely diff
cult OF detection. 1t was sscertained not long
ago that the steamship lines employ persons
nominally Is stewards, whose actual duty il is
to instruct immigrants on board ship as to the
answers they are to give to inquiries put to
them by our immigration officials.
STARVATION IN EUROPE.
Tho lower classes Of Hungarians. Italians
Bohemisns, Slavs and other peoples in southern
Europe have been reduced to the starvation
line. OF all of them who come to this country
it is reckoned that 80 per cent have their
passages prepaid for the purpose of getting rid
OF them. They are dumped as paupers pure
and simple on the free soil OF America. By
similar charitable" means they are conveyed
by rail to whatever seaport may be nearest
their homes. This does not cost very much,
because they travel fourth class. Fourth-class
railway cars in Europe are somewhat less luxu-
rious than our cattle cars. They have no seats,
and the passengers stand up or sit on their
boxes. They are SO closely packed that the
traffic is exceedingly profitable, although the
fares are less than cent mile. On arriving
at the seaport the wretched people are placed
in so-called emigrant boarding houses, com
pared with which the mcanest tenement houses
in the slums Of New York are palatial These
boarding houses are owned by the steam
ship lines and the emigrants are crowded
into them rs thckly as possible to await the
departure Of the steamer. They sleep on straw,
and the dirt and squalor Of the accommodations
are indescribable. On the voyage much more
attention is paid to the welfare of beasts than
to that Of these human beings For example,
the jackasses imported to the United States
from Italy are quartered always on the top deck
OF the vessel, while the emigrants are placed in
the hold below. The avowed reason for this is
that some of the jackasses would be likely to die
il they put in the hold for lack Of fresh
air and they are worth 5000 apiece. They are
brought to this country to serve sires for
mules, because no such big ones can be raised
here If MANY Of them die tho traffic which IL
a source Of large gain to the steamship COM
panies, would necessarily be discontinued But
with an immigrant it lie different. II he dies he
is simply tied in a bag with some coal and
thrown overheard His fare has been paid in
advance, and his death will have no influence on
business.
THE CAUSES.
These troubles which European governments
are trying to shift off on the United States by
sending hither their poverty stricken and dis
eased people are caused wholly by the twin
evils of landlordism and militarism. Nearly
all OF the land being in the hands Of few the
many have been growing steadily poorer, OPP
pressed as they are by taxes for the support of
great armies and navies. Consider, if you
please. that the Russian army has peace foot
ing Of $4,000 men and a war footing Of
2.733, 900 men, costing sl3s, ZOO, 900 annually
Pauper Italy has an army comprising 10000
men in time Of peace, 1,71e,00 men in war,
and costing $4,000, 900 year. The German
army has peace footing Of AS, 500 men. war
footing Of 1.492, 900 men and costs eos ,00O. 900
annually. The army of France has 503 900
men in peace, 1888 900 men in war and costs
S1l4 200 900 year. Compare with the above
statement the fact that the army of the United
States numbers only 25,745 in peace. including
officers, with war footing Of 3,165, 900 and
costing $40. 466. 900 annually. These reckon
ings do not include the navies Of the various
must wear good clothes and be well fed for
years, during which he produces nothing,
being supported by the industrial people.
THE ALARMING SITUATION.
These causes have SO impoverished Europe
that the situation there is becoming exceedingly
In London the fear Of an uprising
by the very poor has become so great that mer-
chants along the Strand and other great shop
ping streets have their windows protected BY
iron shutters. Europe has reached the starva-
ton line, which cannot be passed without ire
mendous social CONFUSION. Those who have
every reason to know best respecting this mat
ter declare it an absolute certainty that within
three years from now there must be either
general war in Europe or a general disarma-
ment by mutual consent Of the powers. Should
the latter expedient be resorted to an imme-
diate alteration in the condition of the toiling
millions would be brought about and their con-
dition would be SO vastly improved BY the re-
moval of oppressive taxes that the stream of
emigration to America would almost cease to
flow. For it must be understood that these
wretched foreigners are not anxious to leave
their native countries. Patriotism is universal
among them, and nothing but sheer necessity
could force them to emigrate. Even the op-
pressed Russian peasants love their native land
30 dearly that very few Of them are induced to
go away. They regard the car not only with
reverence as their emperor, but with a reli-
gious alteration also, because he is the pope
of their church. Let starvation cease to
look the people Of Europe in the face
and they will no longer care to come
to this country. At present the number of
immigrants who come to the United States from
abroad is reckoned officially at GOO. 900 annually.
In reality it is nearly 1000 900. When it is con-
Bidered that two children are commonly counted
as one person; that the steamers bring MANY
people over and above their lawful complement
who are not put down in the manifests: that
the companies land large forces Of men who
are designated tor the sake of convenience as
stewards or employees; that tramp steamers |
fetch Thousands to smaller ports whose arrival
Is never counted: that great numbers come in |
the second cabin and are not reckoned as i'm |
migrants on that account and finally that as
sisted paupers sent via Canada are continually |
over the border into the United
States-when all these unquestioned facts are :.
taken into account, it will be seen that the
maximum estimate is not too large.
THE AMERICAN LANDS
The notion popularity entertained that there
IL - 49,