The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-02-20
H WEEKLY TRIBUNE.
SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 90. 1892.
CAUSES OF IMMIGRATION.

ascertain, among other things, the cause
which directed foreign immigration
toward the United States, and to inquir
into and report upon the matter o
pauper and criminal immigration. TIL
report of the commission has been sub
mitted to the treasury department ant
made public. Only it's more salien
features can he touched upon in thil
article.
The committee finds that the causes
which invite immigration are 1.-The supc
rior conditions and advantages in tn,
United States; higher wages. fewcl
hours Of labor. better living, freedom
from military duty and ~burdcnsomc tax
alton and regulations involving freedom
Of movement, personal liberty, and bet
ter opportunities for rising to higher SO.
cial levels in this country" 1t should
not have taken a commission to find out
these facts. They are patent to every
one who has conversed with intelligent
foreign born citizens upon the subject.
or who has noted that our foreign born
additions to our population seldom re-
turn to their native land to become per
mancnt residents thereof.
Immigration from Russia, the com
mission reports, is due to religious
persecution, According TO the com
mission the Immigration FROM that
country promises to assume most stall
wart proportions. Two of the commits
%sioncrs spent most of their time in that
country and a thorough investigation
was made of the causes which mcite the
outflow. They find that, under existing
conditions Russia, an emigration.
numbering i,N00,oN or 100000, not
only of Jews. but of all non-mcmbers of
the orthodox Greek church, will con
tinuc. the objective point of nearly all
of them being this country. If the
Russian government continue its perse-
cution of these people the United States
will become the dumping ground of all
Vt them in the course of "a few years.
rs a result OF conferences held with
officers of steamship passenger lines it is
learned that 60 per cent. of the immi-
grants to this country are furnished
tickets by relatives or friends who have
preceded them. This fact speaks vol
umes in proof Of the industry and fru-
rality of resident foreigners and of their
faithfulncss to the cherished ones in
their native land. 1t was also learned
that steamship companies are forbidden
by law. in several foreign countries. to
stimulate immigration. severe penalties
being attached for its violation. Only a
few individual cases of the violation Of
Of our contract labor law were dis
covered.
Concerning The Immigration of pau
pers. criminals and eX-convicts the report
bears very heavily upon the British
government. Jul laws forbid the landing
upon our shores of those classes Of i'm
migrants. yet this country catches very
many of them. One of the commission.
ers states he has positive proof that
from England, Ireland and Scotland
during the last eleven years there has
been a systematic, widespread and
thoroughly organized movament known
and encouraged and p~atronized by the
government Of Great Britain for the
purpose of sending convicts and eX-con-
yicts to the United States. The passage
money and money to keep them while
seeking employment here is furnished
directly by the government of Great
Britain. expended through discharged
prisoners aid societies. which are
provided for 10y the act for the more Of
~fective prevention of crime, passed
August 81. 1871" The commissioner
further says that 10y this systematic de
portation of convicts and ~eX-cOnvicts
the numbers have. by strict surveillance
in this country. been reduced from DO
900 in 1870 to 1900 in 1891. Even the
annual immigration OF the latter num-
IDtI VI lntSt ClLooCc VI PCoPiC io
ly alarming to suggest more stringent
legislation upon the part of congress
looking to their exclusion.
Mr.. Powderly suggests. and the sug-
gestion is a good one. that every immi-
grant who lands upon our shores shall
show a certificate. properly signed and
attested by the municipality from
whence he came, certifying to his good
character. sound health, and that he has
never been convicted Of a crime. Unless
the intending immigrant can produce
such a paper he shall not be permitted to
land. and shall be sent back at the ex-
pense of the steamship line which
brought him over. With such Il law up
on our statute books and careful sur
vigilance at the Canadian border the
United States may keep out annually an
army of very undesirable immigrants.