New-York tribune., 1896-05-31
RESTRJCTING IMMIGRATION.

General Francis A. Walker contributes 10 TIC
June number of "The Atlantic Monthly an eA-
tremely significant article OH "Restrictloh Vi
immigration" in which he makes some sur
fling nropositions concerning the effect on the
notive stock of the accessions from without
The propriety of scrutinizing arriving foreign
ers and shutting out all those mentally and
physically unfit he holds to be no longer open
to discussion The immigration problem mas
gone beyond that and the question now Is not
of preventing the jails and asyl'iins Delhs
stuffed by European arrivals; but OF project
ling the American rate Of wages. the American
STANDARD of living. and the quality OF Alheri-
"can citizenship from degradation through the
"tumultuous access of vast throngs OF ignorant
'and brutaliZcd pcasantry from the countries
"of Eastern and Southern Europe"
In earlier days the American people had no
doubt that they derived great advantage from
immigration. 1t was thought that the ncwcom-
ers were needed to fill up our vast unoccupled
territories. and it has since been said that but
for the low-class foreign labor the canal dig
ging and railroad building so important for the
development of the country could never nave
been done The truth of both these views Is
frankly challenged by General Walker Be
tween 1870 and 1880 homogeneous and almost
wholly native population grew from less than
four TO nearly thirteen millions, an increase of
227 per cent-a rate, according to General wal
ker, unparalleled in history The growth each
decade had been between SO and 80 per cent.
During the next thirty years the conditions were
more favorable than ever to life and rcproduc-
ton. and foreign immigration began in earnest
to do It's share in increasing the population.
But the rate of increase among Americans be-
gan 10 decrease with the foreign influx and
went so far as absolutely to Offset the arrivals.
In 1850, in spite of the incoming of 2oOO,OOO
In thirty years, the population differed by less
than 10000 from what would have existed, nc-
cording to the previous rate Of increase. had
no foreigners arrived. This is explained by the
profound social and economic changes made by
the immigrant and the wcll-known fact that the
birth rate Of people falls when they are sub
jected TO such changes. Americans shrnnk
alike from the social contact and the economical
competition of the foreigners. They became
increasingly unwilling to bring forth sons ana
daughters who should be obliged to compete
"in the market for labor and in the walks OF
"llfe with those whom they did not recognize
"as Of their own grade and condition. This
It was. and not growing luxury. that checked
the Increase Of the native stock.
General Walker shows that 1t was the low
type of the foreign laborer and not contempt
for labor which drove the American from ditch
ing and shovelllng. No early American shrank
from any kind Of work that had TO be done, nor
Thought it made him less the equal OF his neigh
Dor. But the ignorant foreigner came who
could do nothing but handle n pick and shovel,
and such labor began 10 mean associatng with
him and being thought like him. Then the
American thought himself too good for that
work The same process still goes on. The
Italian began to dig bitches. and the more in
telligent Irishman will no longer work In gang
az he did thirty years ago The Russian He
brew who is still lower In the scale now threat
ems to make the Italian stand on his dignity 1t
Is putting the cart before the horse TO say that
the Immigrant came 10 do the countrys I'M
skilled labor. He came. and the labor was left
for him because 1t was all he was fit for and
the Americans could work at other things
But aside from the question Of the desirable
ity OF immigration in the past, General Walker
Is positive that II should now be greatly re-
strIctcd Fifty years ago IL was good to cut
down trees and open new lands TO cultivation.
but 1t is conceded now that forest clearing has
gone far enough. or even too far. so with I'm
migration, cnailgcu 'olullloiS can lot HcN I'-u'
atlons. The public lands are all taken up: asri-
culture no longer gives profit enough 10 war
rant the employment Of large gangs Of unskilcd
hands. the labor market Is fully stocked social
problems and class antagonsms grow, and the
character OF the immigrants has degcncratcd.
Thirty years ago the newcomers were the alert
aud thrifty Of kindred Northern races. who
easily adapted themselves TO free institutions.
Now they are the scum of Southern and Eastern
Europe dumped shores having no apt-
tudc for self government. They lower the
standard Of labor and are the recruits OF the
slums. Whatever the earlier immigration may
have done for the United States. the present
immigration Is n serious menace which cannot
be met by mere sanitary regulations. Radical
restriction is the only remedy.
A CHTfPCH INSTPiNCE STHDHC