Evening star., 1899-04-08
Chairman of the Restriction League
Gives His Views.
INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION HEARING
interesting Statistics as to Crime
and llIlteracy.
A REM EDY n E E d E d

Mr. Prescott F. Hall of Boston, secretary
Of the immigration Restriction League.
appeared before the Industrial commission
this morning. and stated reasons on which
the contentious of the league for immigra-
tion restriction are based. The league was
formed in 1891, when Mr.. Hall became con-
nected with IT, and two years later he was
made lis secretary The league framed the
bill introduced in the Senate by Mr.. Lodge
and in the House by Mr.. Mccall, providing
an educational test for all immigrants. The
measure passed by Congress, vetoed
by Mr.. Cleveland. and passed over the veto
by the House. 1t again came up in the
Fifty-fifth Congress. and was passed by the
Senate. but failed to receive consideration
in the House by a vote of 103 to 101 The
league is still working in the interest of
this bill. but as the colonial policy will be
predominant in the next Congress, it is
thought doubtful whether it can be passed
without considerable delay. The league is
composed of zoo active and 1000 associate
members. located in all parts of the coun-
try
After today's testimony the subject of
immigration will be postponed until May,
when other witnesses will be heard in rela-
ton TO it. Next Monday the subject of
mining will be before the commission, and
during a couple of weeks quite a large
amount OF testimony will be taken bearing
on it. The witnesses who are to testify next
week represent the interests of owners of
mines miners aSsocIa tions. These Witness
es are: Geo. W. Schleuderberg, mine owner,
and Edward Mckay, mine worker, of the
Pittsburg. Pa, district J. P Zerbe, mine
owner. ana w C. Pierce, secretary of the
United Mine W OrkerS' Association OF ONO;
5. NJ Dalzell, mine operator. and Thos. W.
Davis. vice president of the United Mine
Workers Association of Illinois; Benjamin
James, mine operator, and X. -. Brooks,
mine owner. of the Scranton, Pa. district;
Nell Robinson and Henry Stephenson, mine
operators. of the West Virginia district, and
J. Smith Tolly, mine owner, and John
Mitchell. president of the United Mine
Workers Association.
immigration and Business Conditions.
Mr.. Hall illustrated on charts the relation
existing between immigration and cond-
rOns of business in the country, showing
that prosperous times encourage and panics
discourage immigration. The fact that i'm
migration at the present time is compare
lively small does not, he said, indicate that
il will maintain the same figures in the
future, when prosperity will doubtless cause
a great influx of Europeans into the United
States.
Previous to 1870" Mr.. Hall said. three
quarters Of all immigrants came from kin
dred races. from the united kingdom.
France. Germany and Scandinavia. In 1880
these countries sent US only three-fifthS,
and in 1886 only two-ffths of the total i'm
migration. On the other hand, southern
anu eastern Europe, lHdI Is 10 say, AuSITO-
Hungary, Italy, Poland and Russia, which
in 1869 sent less than one-one- -hundredth
of the total immigration, in 1880 sent one
tenth. and in 1896 over one-half. In other
words. a most profound change has taken
place in the nationality of our immigra ton
almost while We have been discussing 1t,
and the problems are by no means the same
as they were a dozen years ago. Without
going into the reasons for this change, it
may be observed that they are likely to be
even more potent in the future, and that
very different type of character was de-
manded of those who came here by sailing
vessel forty years ago, enduring a long
rough voyage and paying a high rate of
passage, from that required in taking a six
days trip in huge modern steamer, and
paying a steerage rate frequently as low
as 81" and sometimes as low as So
Crime and uIiteracy
Mr.. Hall spoke of the relation between
crime. pauperism and illiteracy as shown in
the immigration to this county.
IF We take the prison reports of Mas
sachusetts," he said. and leave out of ac-
count the matter Of drunkenness, as being
likely to obscure the comparison as to in
transtcaily criminal tendencies. We find a
certain progression in the number of crirni-
nails per thousand furnished by the for
eign born of the various nationalities. Thus
Germany gives SO per thousand Scandi-
nayia. 81; Scotland. 5.S; France, 81; Ire
land II; England. ~; Russia, 10; Austria,
ls2 The native born give 81, and the for
eign born 81. or just twice as many
NOW II we turn to the figures as to
the Hliter6cy of immigrants which do NOT
vary much from year to year, we shall be
startled to find progression almost ex-
actly parallel to the above progression as to
crlnlhalty. In 1896 the percentage of iiIit-
erdcy among Scandinavians was less than
among Germans less than >, English. .;
Scotch, 3; irish, Z; Greeks, %: Russians,
IL Neutrality-suspicious., 45; Italians, 80; Por-
i'll.
OF the question. namely, the proportion of
prisoners from the various races who are
lilfterate the same result is reached"
Views of the Restriction League.
summarizing his views and the views of
The Immigration Restriction League on this
subject. he said:
IL any Immigrant be undesirable for So
claI and political reasons, the mere eco
hofhc gam from additional unsl1iied la
borers is not of paramount importance.
even II Were, We can supply such
Iaoorers by the multiplication Of our ma
tive and adopted population
INNING ration of lower mental develop
ment and standard of living tends to check
the natural increase of those already in
this country.
Undesirable immigration may be defined
as that which is destitute OF resources
either in money or sIin more in ability
and knowledge of a means to support it.
SELF; Which IS generally ignorant: which
4istS ~ tciiutUC4tS, Is dNerSe TO CDtlQ-
try life and congregates in our city sums
which has low standard of living and lit
tie ambition to seek better and which
has no permanent interests in this country
Considering immigration by national
tiles, there is a closely parallel increase of
iliteracy and other undesirable qualities
A reading and writing test will, there
fore. exclude the dangerous and unassim-
liable elements by a certain and uniform
method. IL requires evidence of a ruii-
meRtary education Indispensable in a de-
mocracy. and 1t viii exclude fewer de-
siTssble immigrants than any other test"
Pnuper Immigrants.
An estimate Of the cost of maintaining
immigrants who become dependents on the
public bounty and cared for in public
institutions shows total of s12OOO.OrO
Mr.. Hall explained at length the char
acter of Italian immigrants In this coun-
try, their tendency TO send their savings
home, making but temporary residence
here and while in this country congregating
in the great cities.
He showed that of the whole number of
immigrants in this country a very small
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