The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-12

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mated. 1t is estimated, however, that there
IS annually sent TO Italy. through Italian
100000 and s30,0O0,O0O. If we are to take into
account the money which the immigrant
brings, we must. In fairness. also observe
the amount he withdraws from us.
UNEQUAL DISTRIBUTION.
The unequal distribution Of immigration
serves to increase the perils and intensity
the demand for some wholesome restrictive
measures. During recent years the great
mass OF the immigration has been but little
attracted to the South and West, while it
has an increasing tendency to concentrate
IN the Eastern States and cities. The birds
OF passage can the more cheapiy and
readily invade the Eastern centers and re-
turn. The impecunious and the least enter
prising seek the nearest and most available
points 70 the ports of entry. During the
last year three out of every four immi-
grants settled in the East, or, to be more
precise. 1923 per cent. located in the north
Atlantic States: 1888 per cent. in the south
Atlantic; 1916 per cent. If the north c%entrali
2.45 per cent. in the southern central. and
1888 per cent. in the Western States. The
five States of Connecticut, Massachusetts,
New Jersey. New York and Pennsylvania
alone received 169. POP, or about % per cent.
of the aggregate immigration. 1t has been
conclusively demonstrated that much the
larger per cent. of the undesirable imm'-
grants is deposited on the Atlantic seq
board. This makes assimilation more difti-
cult and aggravates. the dangers OF che
present population. A general and equita-
Bile distribution of the immigration through
out the various sections of the country
would materially tend TO minimize the evils
which are bred by massing the nationalities
The bill before the Senate offers a partial
cure for the evils incident to the present
immigration system: it is one which is sim
pie and just. and, honestly administered
will go far toward removing the disquiet
prevalent throughout the country. The new
classification which it makes will result in
debarring q large per cent; of the most OBJ
jectionable elements which now have I'M
restricted admission. 1t Is not claimed that
It will with absolute justice
and that only the worthy will be admitted
and the unworthy excluded. Some of those
who will be denied entrance, though Hit
crate. would make acceptable additions to
our population, but much the larger num-
her would not. Very few of them possess
the qualities which would enable them to
develop into desirable citizens.
The enforcement of the educational test
A&he past year would have excluded. 1t IS
roughly estimated, upward of $1,000 who
were admitted. There is no record except
of the ilIiterates above fourteen years of
aga and these numbered 1850. There
would have been debarred less than 36 in
every 100 from the United Kingdom, Ger
many and Scandinavia; and less than 1873 in
every 100 from Austria-Hungary; Italy, Po-
land and Russia. Nearly 80 Germans in
each 100 would have been admitted. and
about 40 Italians; 96 English and Y Rus
slams: 81 irish and 81 Poles. 1t is there
vi AAPDaACIL LAal- AlA0 &AA1SI ~ tEO 49,
would have been inconsiderable upon the
immigration from countries whence has
beer. drawn our great stock OF desirable
a very large number from the countries
supplying the most undesirable.
WOULD BAR SOME SOCIALISTS.
It is urged that this bill does not exclude
the most Objectionable elements-the An
archists. the agitators and enemies of So
cial order. Unfortunately this charge is
90 -N-lI fo,,u5o5 UNoo f~or,,ootIxvf bnea uyho
are enemies of the law and seek the sub
version of government would be able to
comply with an educational test; but should
we ignore and make no provision against a
lesser evil because, forsooth, we are unable
to abate the greater? Not all Of those
whose tenets are at war with established
society are of the educated class. Some of
the most virulent ultra-socialists are found
among the illiterate industrial laborers in
the worst portions of Austria-Hungary, and
many of them would be debarred by the re-
quirements of the pending measure.
What could be more in harmony with our
institutions than an educational test, for the
enduring basis upon which the Republic
rests is intelligence? The schOolhouse is
more potential in our preservation than
steel-armored fleets: more essential to our
defense than the strongest fortress. A gem
eral knowledge among the people of the
rudimentary branches of an education is re-
garded as essential to the safety of our free
institutions and necessary for the proper
enjoyment of American citizenship. 1t is in
recognition of these facts that private be-
neficence has endowed schools and that
many States nave enacted compulsory edu-
cation laws and that the people have vol
unfairly laid upon themselves the burden
of instructing the youth of the land. In
many of the States the truant officer has
become a familiar arm of the law. May we
not demand of those seeking our shores
that documentary education which we re-
quire of our own countrymen?
Mr.. President. the present bill has here
tofore received the approval of the Senate.
II Is horn of neither a want OF hOSDltaltX
nor Of a nativistic spirit, but of a profound
conviction that the iiliterate. elements
which do not make for national betterment
should be excluded, and that we should adj
NIT only those able to read and write our
Constitution and who are enamored of our
institutions. Sir, let us exalt American
citizenship. the richest legacy which in the
divine economy may be bequeathed to the
children of men. and preserve u~ndiminished
the moral and intellectual grandeur of the
Republic.
The Senator's Exhibits.
Senator Fairbanks fortified his address
with a mass of statistics, in the form of
tables, showing the number of immigrants
arriving in the United States since $50,
their nationality. destination, percentage of
illiterates, etc. He also presented several
tables, compiled from the reports of the
eleventh census, giving the percentage of
: native and ~foreign-born criminals and
paupers.
1dDlC NUS. 4 lii . ouuW tHdl 1AOLl lou "
1897 there arrived in this country IS, 169, 056
immigrants and other aliens, of which 10 or
20 per cent. have returned TO their homes.
In the decade ending with 1880 the number
of aliens arriving was las, 439. For the ten
swelled to 5,246.61S, nearly double the mum
Der of the preceding decade.
Table No. 3 shows the race changes in i'm
migration. In 1869, 13.S per cent. of the total
arrivals came from the United Kingdom,
France, Germany and Scandinavia, and only
9 per cent. from Austria-Hungary. Poland,
Italy and Russia. In 1881 the "unUesirabIes''
while those from the United Kingdom, Ger
many, France and Scandinavia had dropped
TO 1857 per cent.
Table No. 1 gives the number of immi-
grants arriving from each country by years
and supports the senator's statement of per-
centage of nationality given in table No. >.
Table No. 5 shows the destination, by
States, of immigrants arriving from 1882 to
1897, inclusive, no data being obtsinable for
the years prior TO 1892. In the six years
named the arrivals numbered 2,13l ,659. OF
these 1859 stopped in New York: 16,543
went to Illinois tC~hicago): 1872, 642 to Massa-
chusetts (Boston), and 800, 1856 TO Pennsyl-
vania. a mining State, thus bearing out the
senator's statement that a large majority
with home labor in the great industrial
States of the country.
Table No. 8 shows the destination of i'm
migrants by percentage, during the last five
years. 1t follows.
States. 1873. 1894. 1895. 1896. 1897.
N. At.'n'c States. 65.26 C5.40 T466 1856 1922
S. AtIn'c States. 2.5f Bis 3.16 $40 SO
N. Cent? States. 26.SS 2545 1873 16.77 Is Is
s.. Cent? States. Isl LS3 1.S5 1.26 245
24Aa. > % = n q O