The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-19
WHOM 1T WOULD HIT.


The Sun presents some interesting fig
ures bearing on the question, What ma
tions will be largely excluded from our
shores by the new immigration acts
reading and writing test, and what ma
tions will come in about as freely as
hitherto? 1t says: Taking first the
countries that send us the most immi-
grants, statistics show that out of 57,510
over IA years of age, coming from Italy
during the last fiscal year, 91374 could
neither read nor write; out of 57,053 from
Austria Hungary, 23,773; out of 3519S from
Russia proper, 12,S16 These three coun-
tries, then, will be greatly affected by the
new law On the other hand, out of 25,-
334 from Germany, over IA years of age,
all but $50 could both read and write;
out of ISIS from Norway, all but 9S
out of 1884 from Sweden, all but 219;
out of 81, ,496 from Ireland, all but 2626
out of 15,G22 from England all but $50
Thus all those countries would not be ma
terially affected. The contrast, however,
between these two sets of countries is
greater than we have just presented, for
the reason that there must be added to
Austria Hungary's list 173O persons who
cannot write, to Russias, 1867; to Italy's
%. Since the new law requires both read
and writing, these ngures will swell the
numbers of those who under it, last
year, would have been excluded as il
literate.
If we pass to the countries that send
us fewer immigrants, we find that out
of 2,0G7. over II years of age, from Portu-
gal, no fewer than 1859 could neither
read nor write; out Of 517 from Poland,
| 23O; out of 40 from European Turkey, A.
| In contrast with these figures we have
| out of 2.O22 from Switzerland, over ii
| years of age, only 1G unable both to read
| and write, and out of 2,729 from Den
mark, only 2G. Looking at the percent
| ages of those who cannot both read and
write, we find that last year the new
| bill would have excluded from Swtzer-
| land and from Denmark not one person
| in q hundred. over II years old, these
countries leading the education record
among Immigrants with percentages of
only 20 and .95 of illiteracy. Sweden and
! Norway follow close upon them with
| only lie and lis. The next group is
| headed by Germany, with 2.9G, a good
| showing for an immigration so great al
| though, as has been seen, decidedly
| beaten by Scandinavia, on a still larger
immigration. The figures of the Neither
| lands are 4lG; of France, ASS of Eng
| land, 5.ii; of Scotland, $40. Above 10 per
| cent we find Finland, 1l.S2 Wales, Il, "a
Belgium, 1l.46; Spain 1881, Roumania
raises the rate to 21.O3, and Greece to 26,2l
| while Turkey in Europe follows the lat
|
| of the greatest illiteracy, we have Rus
| sia proper, with 41.1i, and Poland, with
| AIS. Austria must be sub-dvided, Bo-
| hemia and Moravia having only 11,45
whereas Galicia and Bukowna reach the
| enormous percentage of G037, the re-
mainder of Austria being credited with
| 36 3S and Hungary with 46.51. Italy puts
| in solid I.59 per cent. of illiteracY
| while Portugal surpasses all rivals with
| 1859 of immigrants last year unable both
| to read and write.
! From these figures of the government
| immigration statistics the way in which
| the bill will operate is clear. The COM
| missioner of immigration pointed out In
| his last report that, with some eXcep-
| tions. lliteracy and poverty among i'm
| migrants went hand in hand It is saio
| that while the average money brought
| by the German, for instance, was $50
| the Russian brought $6.75, the Italian
| $3.50, and the Austro-Hungarian $1170
| And yet, he noted, man that could not
read and write on coming here might be.
| come a vigorous wealth producing, use.
full, and loyal citizen. Still, If the test
of education is adopted at ALL it must
necessarily be on broad lines even il
some good immigrants are excluded. II
| is possible that one effect of the new
bill, assuming that it will become a law
may be to stimulate the study of reading
and writing among illiterate immigrants
The steamships may find it for their in
| terest to help along the cause of educa
| ton. And thus the ratio of exclusion
| from the operation of the law may not
really prove as high as we have just in
| dicated.