The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-11-14
BMIGRAN4S INCREASE.
Many More Came to This Conn-
try This Year Than Last
Commissioner Generals
Report.

WASHINGTON, Nov. II, 1Sss.-The an
nual report of the Commissioner-Ge General
of immigration, made public today, con-
ceals within its statistical tables some in
teresting data for the student OF economic
questions and politicians. The total ar
rivals during the fiscal year aggregated
343,267, an increase of S4,70S over the pre-
eeding year. OF this total 34N 46S were
landed and 2,799 were debarred and de-
ported at the expense of the various
steamship lines by which they came to
this country. OF these deported 776 were
under contract to perform labor in the
United States, made prior to their ar
rival. and 2,023 were returned as be-
longing to the classes of aliens prohibited
admittanca by the act of March B. 1896.
In addition to the above debarred i'm
migrants there were returned during the
same period to the countries whence they
respectively came 23S. who had become
public charges within one year after their
arrival in the United States. The report
calls attention to the fact that no inn
past year is now a burden upon any pub
lie or private institution. With some ex-
ceptions, the Commissioner says, the
physical characteristics OF the years i'm
migration were those of a hardy. sound,
lab6ring class, accustomed and apparent
~ well able to earn a livelihood wherever
capable and Industrious labor can secure
employment.
As to occupations, 1t was composed
largely of the classes designated as
skilled and ursssilled laborers, with some
brought into the country by immigrants
was at least s4,917, ,318, and probably was
largely in excess of these figures, since
only those having less than $50 are re-
quired to disclose the exact amounts they
have respectively.
A comparison of the figures of the past
year with the average annual inemigra-
ton for the preceding ten years diseloses
large number vino annually return to
their own country leads Commissioner
Stump to doubt seriously that there has
been any material increase in our for
eign-born population since 1893 On this
line the Commissioner observes RE
garding only the large number of arrivals,
the public mind becomes much excited
and urges restrictive legislation, bu this
apprehension would be lessened, if not al
layed. by a correct enumeration
Of those who depart never to return and
of those who come and go each year, en-
gaging in work here during the busy sea
son and returning to their homes at other
times, where they can live much more
eheaply. In compliance with public de-
mand measures have been presented and
are now pending before Congress which
viii materially reduce the number and
improve the characters OF aliens seeking
homes in this country. and will tend to
make the influx approximate in number
the losses from death and the return of
aliens to re-establish themselves in their
native countries
From accompanying tables it appears
that the education of the masses is neg
leeted to the greatest extent in Italy,
Austria Hungary and Russia, while the
largest proportion of those who can read
and write come from Switzerland, France,
Denmark Sweden and Germany. Recon-
mendations are made for the revision of
the alien contract law and the statutes
bearing upon immigration in general, with
the end in view of making them more
comprehensive, certain and explicit, Civ
ing additional remedies to insure their
enforcement and at the same time re-
move many features which render the en-
forcement of them oppressive in many
cases without aiding the purpose for
which they were enacted.