The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-05-16
MENACEs AMERICAN LABOR.

On one day last week there were
landed in New York more than four
thousand immi grants, two of the ship
| loads being from the land of the Dago,
from Naples, Italy. A majority of
these people had been detained some
days at Ellis Island for examination,
| but very few of them were sent back
to the countries from which they came
| This shows that the immigration prob
| lem is growing more serious all the
| time, and there can be no doubt that
/ the big influx of foreign laborerS just
at this time, when the country is try
| ing to recover from the effects of the
Democratic panic, must be injurious in
the extreme.
No workingman, it seems to u.s. can
fail to see that the addition of such a
large number of wOrkmen, who are at
| first willing to accept any wages they
can get, to the already Over-abundant
supply of labor, must have i bad eff
feet upon the labor market
When the men who earn their live
lihoOd by daily toll come to APPRECIATE
the truth about the dangers of indiS-
eliminate immigration and unite in
demand for restrictive legislation by
congress they will have taken a long
step in the direction of solving one of
| the most serious problems that con-
fronts labor today.
SO long as congressman are afraid
of losing the votes of naturalized citi-
zens of the United States they will take
no steps to restrict immigration unless
they are given to understand that legiS-
lation of that kind is demanded by the
workingmen of America.
Between January l of this year and
April IL about 10000 Italian immi-
grants have landed in the United
States. The entire number which
reached this country in 1895 was but
$1,000. If the present ratio is kept up
through the year the number of Italian
Immigrants for 1896 will fall little
short of 10000. The Immigration Re
striction league has been making some
inquiries into the character of the late
arrivals and has found that of 3.114
examined 2.147 are illiterates. not only
unable TO read OF write English, but
unable 10 read or write their native
tongue. If the proposed educational
restriction law had been applied TO the
N,Ho0 arrivals since January l. the
probability is that at least twO-thirds
Of them would never have started
from their native land. for it is pro-
posed to have these educational tests
made at home rather than after the
voyage across the sea. The exclusion
law as now interpreted by the agents
at American ports has resulted in shut
ting out only 19I Of the vast army that
has arrived since the beginning of this
year.
The great mass of the Immigrants re-
main in the large cities. They do not
come TO De producers To do anything
70 enhance the wealth of the commun-
ity in which they live. bat rather to be
dependents or banana peddlers. OF
the 31T4 immigrants examined by the
Restriction league. more than two
thirds have expressed their intention TO
settle in and about New York City, S1S
VIII 80 10 PENNSYLVANIA, Sol 10 New
England and mere baga5elle 10 the
western states Not bakers dozen
of them have indicated their intention
TO become ullers OF the soil.
If the proposed educational test were
made on the other side OF the Atlantic
2 great deal of trouble for people in
this country, particularly for the wage /
earnerS could D. averted. II the cur
rent Popular Science Monthly. NJ. \. /
T. oHterbrdse. Jr. shows tia; Italian /
bankers remit 70 Italy from New YORK /.
City alone $z5G0o,090 to S300.O.assa a
year, largely the savings Of Italian Ia /