The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-12-12
INDIANA FARES WELL
FEWER POOR IMMIGRANTS COME
HERE THAN TO OTHER STATES.
Secretary Butler, of Charities Board,
Investigates Report of Commits
sfOner of Immig ration.

A. W. Butler secretary of the State
Board of Charities. has been investigat-
ing the report of the Commissioner Gen.
eral of immigration with the purpose of
ascertaining how many and what kind of
immigrants become residents of the State.
He says that a comparison with other
States shows conclusively that Indiana
has Jared better by receiving less and a
better class OF immigrants than any other
State In the Union. Mr. Butler has pre-
pared the following notes on the subject:
''The feport of the Commissioner General
of immigration of the United States for the
year ending June 80. 1899, shows that the
number of immigrants received for that
year, at all ports Of entry of the United
States, was 3d. l5; that the number for the
preceding year was 1929, making an in
crease of S2,416.
''The largest number from any one coun-
try came from Italy-77,4l9 The next larg-
est number came from the Russian Empire
and Finland-60.9S2: the third largest num-
Der, from the United Kingdom. Great Brit
ain and Ireland45,1 23. OF those coming
from the Russian Empire and Finland, "a
US were Russian Jews, 15,57 were Poles,
and in addition there were Fins, Let's and
other East European races. In addition to
those received, there were debarred in all
1897 persons. Of these 1896 were listed as
paupers or those liable to become public
charges.
''Of those coming to this country for the
year ending June 30, the destination of
1885 was Indiana. How many others came
into this State we do not know. The ma
jGrity Of these were from the races which
are the more desirable immigrants. The
greatest number from any one country
were Germans. OF these there were $50.
One hundred and ten were Welsh. los Irish.
and ninety-eight Scandinavians. We also
received in this State large additions from
other races which are less desirable. Five.
hundred and fifty-six were Assyrians. fifty
three Slovak and 122 Italians.
while the present laws exclude certain
classes of those who may become public
burdens, many for whom there are no re-
strictions still gain admission and they
soon become dependents. There are to be
found In our insane hospitals, poor asy
lum and other institutions cases of those
who are not our citizens-whose homes are
in foreign lands, and these are public
charges of our Commonwealth. Neither
those whose destination is Indiana nor
those foreigners who become inmates of
our institutions are numerous as they
are in some of the other States. In Mas
sachusetts this number Is notably large.
In the report for Dec 30. 1897. from that
State, in a total population of Is, 755 in the
jails and warehouses;, l4.040 were foreign
born. To the insane hospitals of that State
there have been admitted in the past eight
cen years 29,1l3 cases. OF these the ma
tivity of the parents is shown in 1854 cases
to have been foreign, and a large percent
age OF these were, themselves, foreign
born. Other States can show equally sur
prising figures.
while We in this State have been freer
from the undesirable foreign element than
other Commemorative, there is reason
why 1t should continue to be so. We are
likely to become the objective point OF their
pilgrimage, and in consequence there will
be laid upon US the increasing burden Of
caring for these dependents. Some States
have enacted laws for the deportation of
alien paupers and detectives to the land OF
their homes. Massachusetts, Minnesota and
Rhode Island. among others. have passed
such laws. Last year Rhode Island sent
175 foreigners who had gained no settle
ment outside the country They find it
much less expensive to transport such per-
sons TO any country in Europe than to
maintain them a year in public institu-
ton here.