The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-06-02
Tbe Immiura,ion problem.

There IS one question concerning which
the American peDole are pretty wei
agreed. II is that the greater part
Of the immigration coming 10 this
country at the present time, and which
has been coming for a number Of years.
IS not Of a character TO promote the vel
fare and happiness Of the American peo-
pie This subject is discussed by Gen.
Francis a Walker in an interesting and
exceedingly valuable article which ap-
pears In the June number of the Atlantic
Monthly.
Gen. Walker does not deal extensively
with that class of Immigrants. who on
account Of their moral and mental condi-
ton. speedily find their way into the jals
and asylums. but with vast "throngs
Of ignorant and brutalized peasantry from
the countries Of eastern and southern Eu-
rope" that break down the rate Of
wages. the American standard Of living,
ana the quality Of American citizenship"
The conditions are radically different
now from what they were when the pre-
vailing sentiment was Chat we were great
ly benefited BY immigration We nad vast
territories that We're practically unoccu-
pied. We wanted the vacant lands brought
under cultivation and were glad to have
them taken up and changed into farms.
Fifty years ago" says Gen. Walker, "a
good farm Of one hundred and sixty acres
could be had at the minimum price Of Sl.25
per acre or for merely the fees Of regis
tration. To-day there is not a good farm
within the limits of the United States,
which is to be had on these conditions.
The Wild and tumultuous scenes which at
tended the opening to settlement of the
territory of Oklahoma a few years ago,
and, little later of the so called Cherokee
strip, testify eloquently to the vast change
in our national conditions in this respect"
When we had an abundance of govern
ment lands the immigrants, as a rule, who
came to our shores were much superior to
those who come now.They made homes for
themselves in the new states and terri
tories, and very soon became identified
with the country and its institutions.
The great majority of those who come
now have no purpose Of becoming far
mers or in aiding in any way to build up
the country. They huddle together in the
cities or go to the coal mines or seek en-
ployment on railroads that are being con-
structed. They have been accustomed to
live much more cheaply than native work.
men, and hence they are willing to work
for less wages. Consequently they make
the labor problem more complicated. They
have very little, If any chance to improve
their material condition, and therefore do
not become interested in the country or its
Institutions. They furnish the audiences
that listen to and applaud the utterances
OF anarchists.
Gen. Walker doubts that immigration
has ever been of as much benefit to the
country as has been claimed for it. He
contends that without the Immigration
we have had in later years we should have
accomplished fully as much in building I'D
the country, and that our population would
be now about as large. He points out that
between 1870 and 1880 the population was
almost wholly native, and that 1t grew al
the rate of from 80 to SO per cent each de-
NduS. Alt0A mat Tune immigrants began
TO arrive in large numbers In the thirty
years from 1880 the number of immigrants
was 100000, and yet the population in 1860
was only about 10000 less than it would
have been, according to the rate of in
crease Of the previous 30 years, If there
had been no addition of foreigners. He
declares that when the great influx of i'm
migrants began the rate of increase
among Americans began to decline. This
is rather startling view to take of the
immigration question. but Gen. Walker
sustains his position with some very good
reasons.
Whatever our policy or mistakes in the
past may have been in respect to imni-
grafton, there is no reason why we should
continue to make mistakes. 1t seems to be
the very general opinion that undesirable
immigrants should be shut out. We are
now in a position to pick and choose. and
it is the duty of congress to so amend our
immigration laws as to permit only such
immigrants to land upon our shores as we
have reason to believe would be of benefit
to us.