The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-09

Among the pledges which the Republic
can party made to the voters in It's party
platform was one to take measures to re-
strict the entry Of undesirable foreign i'm
migrants. 1t 10 hardly likely that the
coming session. which viii expire by lin
itation of law in March. will see any such
measure passed. for the short session al
ways has sufficient to do without taking
up any new legislation Of radical ma
ture. When the congress just elected
takes up its work next year this will be
among the most important subjects with
which It should deal
The recent strike in the anthracite coal
regions recalls the fact that native Amer
leans and Europeans Of the assimilative
races-those who become rapidly Amsrl-
canized = have been practically driven
from employment in the coal mining re-
gions Of Pennsylvania. The force Of
miners in those regions today consists
largely OF Poles. Ilthuanians. Csechs.
Magyars. Bohemians and some Italians.
In descriptive articles about the strike Il
was the matter most frequently comment
ed on that In each group Of strikers In.
terpreters were necessary to convey to
the assembled miners the substance OF
the speeches made and the questions
which were presented for them to vote
upon. A correspondent records one mass
meeting in which there were nine distinct
groups. composed of dinereht nationals
ties. each OF which was addressed by
speakers In foreign language or dialect
OF the great mass OF the strikers many
had but an imperfect acquaintance with
the English language.
1t is the uniform testimony Of all who
have given the subject intelligent study
material to assimiiate into citizenship in
this country. The great majority OF these
iaborers have no desire 10 become perma-
nent residents Of the United States. Their
only ambition has been to accumulate
sufficient for a return to their own coun-
try. and there live at ease. II Is a fact
that the surroundings indicating abiect
and sordid poverty, which have been at
tributed by the casual observer to the low
wages paid these laborers. have. IN many
instances. been the deliberate choice OF
the men themselves. Miners who lived In
novels, in preference TO paying So or 81
month for comfortable houses ready for
their occupancy. were In many instances
owners OF bank accounts 10 a consider.
able amount.
II Is the importation OF laborern Of this
class which has lowered the rate OF wages
paid In the coal mining regions: and 30
long as their ranks are being constantly
recruited by further imporiations. just so
long will conditions In the coal mining re-
gions remain bad. both for labor and for
those who depend for their living upon the
spendings of wage-earners. Under orii-
nary circumstances a community BENEFITS
largely BY an advance in wages paid to
it's members. The advance Just made In
the anthracite regions viii not result 10
equivalent larger spending 81 win rather
increase the amount 10 be saved. With the
intention Of ultimately exporting Il when
the wage-earner departs TO his European
horne,
THE evil OF this unrestricted immigra-
ton 10 one Of long standing There was a
brief respite In the food during the hard
times. with the prosperity which has re-
turned to the country the influx OF the
lowest class Of European labor has COM
meneed again. II Is high time that the
barriers he put UP to stay. II VIII take
generation to assimilate those already
taken into the country who may elect to