The record-union., 1893-10-02
WHITTIER ARE WE DRIFTING /?
Time for the Limitation of Foreign
immigration.
Startling Facts and Figures Worthy Of
Careful Consideration by
the Public.

the san raDclScO Oh
The wrecking of building and loss of
life in this city by use of dynamite
awakens keen appreciation to the prob
able tendency of the age and calls for re-
newed attention to the evils which sur
round us and the means for eradicating
them. Disguise it as we may, yet there
stands out in bold relief the undeniable
fact that the stability of society is being
gradually undermined, and without a
guarantee Of stability there is no security
for either property or life. In this coun-
try there is no just ground for such a
condition. With free ballot vouchsafed
TO US alleged wrongs can find redress by
placing in Office persons who will carry
out the wishes of those that placed them
in position. This being the case there
must be other and far more out-reaching
influences at work.
At the first blush, and which has not
been so far successfully controverted, the
labor element is dominated by class of
agitators with imported European an
archistic ideas, who, while constituting
very small percentage of true wage
earners. like an empty wagon, attracts
undue attention by their incessant noise.
1t is these aspiring to be leaders and de-
string to exc out q precarious living by
drawing on their associates hard-earned
money, that cause the cranks to take the
law into their own hands and kill friends
or foes alike and by which acs they create
feelings of fear and insecurity that reacts
against all.
Is it not about time that labor unions
take action looking to removing this class
from their various organizations? Such
uunlIid inoV1iro nd abo
lenge the confidence of all, and with
these gained, wage-earners will have
gained the victory. The lurking poison
is distilled into the minds of wage-earn-
ers by agitators that the man or men who
have accumulated or are accumulating
wealth, are their natural enemies and
should be fought. There never was a
more fallacious idea. and it is only
brought out by those who wish to live on
the earnings of others or ride into office
through the suff'rages of their dupes and
when they gain the former then betray
the latter.
But there is another and probably more
serious aspect of the present situation
and one which should not be longer
ignored, viz: The influx of European
Iaborers to this country. While we fight
over the Chinese and try to deport them
there are thousands of laborers coming
each month iuto this country from Eu-
rope; and every one arriving must fight
for place already occupied. And it is
this competition that is undermining
wages and which is causing the seed of
anarchism sown by agitators to take root
with many and increasing numbers of
wage-earners. This country has grown
in population out of proportion to its
manufacturing and the other industries
which give employment to labor, and
therefore every increase in the latter only
adds fuel to the flame.
This cannot be denied, and without
successful denial it would seem to be the
better part of wisdom for our lawmakers
to enact into a law bill prohibiting i'm
migration for at least certain period of
time. If our lawmakers are wanting in
the spirit Of patriotism looking to the
protection of labor now here as we'll as
the rising generation, then all organiza-
tions, whether labor, commercial or 9TH
erwise, should make it be known, and in
no uncertain tone either, that it is time to
protect Americans and also that the time
has arrived when the United States must
be kept for Americans. Another crying
evil is the position taken by labor unions
towards American boys and their ex-
clusion from learning trades, while ad-
uniting into fellowship every arrived
foreigner.
TIE evil which flows from such course
is plainly evident by a study of the adj
vance sheets of the census relating to
pauperlsm and crime. These show that
in all the prisons, penitentiary and re-
formatory institutions in the United
States in 1890 there were 81, S94 male
prisoners. OF this number 3S, ,l56 were
native born; of 20,101 of this number
both parents were native; of 2,729 one
parent was native and 1850 the nativity
of the parents was unknown. OF Il, ,766,
both parents were foreign born. Only
1889 of the 81, 1874 were foreign born.
That is to say, nearly three-quarters of
the convicted criminals in the United
States are born in this country, more than
one-half American parents and only a
little more than one-fourth of them being
foreign born. OF this total number it ap-
pears that 81, 1926 had no occupation what
ever, and OF this number no less than 3D.
IA were native born. In other words,
nearly three-fourths of those who had be-
come criminals through lack of occupa-
ton were Americans.
Since putting the above in type we find
in an editorial in the Sacramento RECORD
UNION some very valuable statistics bear
ing on the above. They show that q, ,4Sl
immigrants arrived at the port of New
York in July from Russia, Italy, Austria
and Hungary, or 35 per cent. more than
in July of last year. a very considerable
number came from the same countries
through other ports. The total input was
not below $4,000. A large number of
prospective American citizens shipped
from the port of Glasgow, the idea that all
come from continental ports being erro-
neous. The American Hospital Inspector
stationed at Glasgow officially reports
that, as rule, these immigrants are most
undesirable.