The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-03-01
THE FREE PARLIAMENT.
On Immigration.


PROVIDENCE, March I.
To ths Editors of the Ns,rs;
The following essay on the question
"Resolved that there is need of greater
restrictions in immigration +" was recently
delivered by Arthur NJ. Allen, who is just
16 to-day, and who is in the third year in
the High school;
From 1920 to the present day the charac-
ter OF Immigration has been changing for
the worse and, although IL Is bad enough
now, IL hasn't reached its worst stage even
yet.
A little skillfnl talking by the immigra-
tion agents or a letter from "A friend In
this country describing in glowing colors
the advantages TO be gained Is sufficient
Families who have been fairly prosperous
in their own homes are induced 60 mort
gage their farms 10 come To this country.
Many of them come only 10 die in poverty.
Again the low prices of transportation
gives inducements TO charitable societies
TO get rid of paupers by sending them 10
the United States Under the present
laws the immigration of paupers cannot be
stopped, because three or four men on this
side of the water cannot be expected TO
examine very closely into the character
and condition of three or four thousand
Immigrants in day from foreign couh
tries.
We admit that this is the 'land of the
free and the home of the brave" and we
glory in it. We admit that this is an asy-
lum for the oppressed of all nations. But
we are making an insane asylum OF III,
and are reproducing in America the Babel
of Tongues so destructive 20 the progress
of Southern and Eastern Europe. Our
fathers never meant that this land was TO
be an asylum for the paupers. the con-
victs and the cripples OF all nations.
Fully so per cent. of the immigrants Tor
l.s,1t nf nf
institutions. After they arrive here the
immigrants themselves do nothing 10
amalgamate with those of other nations.
In most cases they collect together in the
cities, and in many of the towns OF New
England and the Middle States, as also IN
the West there are more foreigners than
natives. In Fall River, for instance, in
1885 only IL per cent of the inhabitants
were of native parentage; the rest were oil
foreign parentage.
1t is one of the favorite theories Of social
philosophers that mixed races are the
strongest. There are. however, two things
that ought TO be considered. One is the
elements of the amalgamation. Is 1t pos
sible or probable that by taking the dregs
of Europe we shall produce "a people of
high social intelligence and morality?
The second is that there should he op
portunity for amalgamation. Simply
placing these people of different nation
altes together will not make compact
and solid nation.
Many attempts have been made TO prove
that the immigrant has an actual money
value. The average amount the immi-
grants bring in at the highest is not over
500 per capita. Now the average wealth
in this country is 81 900 per capita. What
does IL mean when we add To the number
of our citizens thousands who possess only
500 each. The sum total of wealth has
been increased, but the average wealth Is
very much decreased.
But the immigrant is of use to us only
IL we can make MIN useful. This brings
us TO the question, Do we need the immi-
grantl Can we make use of this immense
labor force offered usg Already the best
land of the West has been occupied, and
there is no reason lxhy -we should desire to-
cultivate the inferior part which will
make a less return for the labor We have
not built all our railroads, but the coun-
try is fairly we'll opened. With 65, 100000
of people can any one assert that we any
longer need the foreign laborer to aid usg
Besides introducing their lower stand
ards of living the foreign element in
creases crime, illiteracy and pauperism.
The record of every prison and peniten-
tiary in the United States will show
large proportion of foreigners. In Massa
chusetts for instance only IL per cent. of
the prisoners have native born parents.
In the city poor house in New York State
two-thirds of the paupers are foreigners.
Illiteracy is also vastly increased by inn
migration. Ii cannot be otherwise. The
immigrants are from the lowest classes
where illiteracy is most prevalent. In
Massachusetts 50 per cent. OF the Hitter
ates are foreign born.
In Italy Que out Of 1900 persons is
assassinated every year. Why should we
introduce this murder breed into our
landp AS my colleague has said the un-
convicted murderer does not wear his
stripes when travelling and can not be
told from any other immigrant. III the
laws remain as they are at present the
native of sunny Italy may still continue
TO carry the unsheathed stiletto through
out our land ready at any moment To seek
vengeance for his personal wrongs with
his murderous weapon.
With unparalleled rapidty these United
States have grown To the greatest and
most glorious nation that eau or ever
will be, and we still have before us the
promise of as bright and grand future If
we correct as soon as they arise the evils
and dangers that surround US.