The Irish standard., 1892-07-09
ALIEN IMMIGRATION.
England Suffering from an Unwel-
come Influx.
Victims of Persecution in Continental
Europe Taking Refuge in Great Britain
Their Damaging Effect on the
Working Classes.

The immigration of foreign working
men and women into England in
past times has been of the very highest
service to the economical and social
progress Of the country. Silk manu-
tacture, so important a branch of the
aational industry, is only one Of the
many pursuits that have been estab-
ished by aliens, who by religious or
political persecution had been forced to
leave their own country and follow their
own industrial pursuits in England.
Practically the descendants of these i'm
migrants have become English, and
sheir origin is lost sight of, for in a
large number Of cases they have Ang3i-
cized their names: the LIE Roys have
become Kings the Roulangers Bakers,
ind so on. Immigration of this kind
was most valuable to the prosecuted III
dividuals who were forced into exile, and
TO the country which received them and
benefited by their knowledge, thrift
and industry. But the London Queen
says there is another kind of immigra-
iion which possesses none Of these adj
vantages, and this is going on to an in
furious extent at the present time
that of the paupers from the eastern
countries of Europe, who have no
special kno wledge, and, therefore, on
arriving in this country, have to com
pete with the lowest forms Of unsAilled
abor and, consequently, lower the rate
If wages among the most destitute Of
our working people. During the last
FOUR months nearly $4,000 aliens have
arrived from the continent at che east
srn ports of Great Britain. Of these,
over II, ,0O0 expressed their intention of
remaining in this country, and of the
$4,000 who declared themselves en- route
Tor America it is believed that very
!arge proportion remained in this coun-
:ry. A considerable number Of these
we're Russian and German Jews, driven
away by the relentless persecution to
which they have been exposed.
That our own laboring poor should be
subjected TO the competition arising
rom such an influx Of unskilled labor
S not to be contemplated with com
olacency. The question Of pauper inn
migration is growing in urgency. and
it's consideration cannot be much long
er ignored by the legislature. The ne
,essity of an organization for the emf
grafton of o'1r own redundant popula-
tion is recognized by all, but it would
be national calamity if we sent away
che BEST the strongest and most skilled
Of our workingmen and women to seek
their fortunes in onr colonies. and per-
nitted the introduction OF all alien pop
1lation, unskilled, many of them with
habits that are repugnant TO English
people, capable of living on such meager
are that they reduce the rate of wages
20 the lowest possible point. Yet this
$ being done at the present time. The
oersecuted Jews have during the last
four months arrived in England in
numbers greatly exceeding those of pre-
7ious years, and this during the time Of
;he passover and Eastertide, when the
poorest jew, If possible, refrains from
travelling. Nevertheless, 500 a, month
has been the excess over those that ar
lived during the year 1891, and at the
present time we are not only threatened
with, but are suffering from, an influx
If anarchists from the continent. who
ire fleeing from the courts of justice in
heir own country.
1t is sincerely to be hoped that pslrlia-
nent will not rise until a very stringent
measure for the suppression Of obnox-
o11s immigration has been passed. Our
transatlantic cousins, with unlimited
land requiring a large supply of labor,
decline to permit the introduction Of
1nskilled pauper laborers. With our
greatly redundant population, it is in
fnite1y more necessary that such re-
striction should be carried into effect in
his country.