New-York tribune., 1901-01-11
IMMIGRATION QUESTIONS.
REMARKABLE CHANGE IN CHARACTER
OF IMMIGRANTS.
LESS DESIRABLE CLASS NOW COMING
FROM ABROAD-NEED OF FURTHER
RESTRICTIONS.
IDT TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBrxE.I


coming in but In their ultimate destination In the
last twelve months AS 1872 people from other
tries were added to the permanent population of
the United States. This is the greatest number
which has arrived for years. OF the 100000
Increase in the population shown by the census in
the last decade 100000 more than one-thrd
due emigration from foreign countries to the
United States. OF the nearly 100000 immigrants
last year only half dozen found with
criminal record and returned to their native
tries. 1t is to be supposed that this includes all
those who really of n criminal class II sim
ply means that these few were unable deceive
the United States inspectors While It Is generally
believed by the people OF the United States that
this country is fairly well safeguarded against
criminal and paUper immgra ton the restrictions
are after all, most mild. and rest largely on the
judgment OF an agent OF the Government whose
pay is SO small as To preclude the suppostou. as
rule. that he an intelligent administrator of the
full Intent OF the immigration laws. Even such
strctions as are practised at the Port of NewYork
and other large cities are practically i allegiance
along the Canadian frontier and other places here
immigrants can enter the United States The only
real protection which he given to this country
in this direction is the adoption of the United
States immigration laws by Mexico and Canada.
IMMIGRATION OF FARMERS DECREASING.
When the Northwestern part of the United States
was being settled in the eighties stream
OF immigration passed through 'he Port of New
York and maintained its flow until the great
/
spread out in a civilizing tide which performed
wonders in the development of that country. For
years the word had gone abroad that for any one
who might and ask Uncle Sam had l6O acres
| of fertile and arabic land ready for the plough.
The thrifty Scandinavian, German and British
farmers had been slow 10 realize these benefits so
offered but once realized they promptly taken
advantage Of Never in the last fifty years has i'm
migration into the United States been Of a more
desirable and admirable character than when the
farmers Of Northwestern Europe came by thousands
to settle the Western States The day had TO come
however when the Scandinavian in Minnesota
could longer write his brother at home and
tell him of the fine land that had for
nothing for this land had all been taken up ex-
cept in localities where Europeans did not care TO
venture. leaving them for the adventurous
native born American pioneers. The news Of this
new condition quickly spIead abroad IN the intel
ligent farming communities of the Old World
which had been sending their young men 70 the
United States. The number Of these immigrants de-
creased rapidly. until the present they form
small percentage Of those who cross the ocean
with their goods and chattels
It has been accepted truism by immigration
experts that people from Northwestern Europe are
comparatively desirable additions to the popula-
tion OF this country. while the people from South
eastern Europe and the Orient are almost with
out exception very undesirable. Among those who
came to the United States last year from North
western Europe the percentage Of illitcracy was
only S6. while among those from Southeastern
percentage HiteraCV
| That lteracy and financial independence 20 more
less hand in hand is shown by the fact that
whereas the illiterate Portuguese Of Southeast
| ern Europe possess average Of about s. n on
! their arrival In the United States the Uterate
English. Scotch and Welsh possess an average
! OF 500 30
The immigration OF last year shows that ItaIv
furnished $4,000 Hebrew nations 60OOO Poland - COO
Ireland $1,000 Scandinavia $1,000. Germany % co0
| and 100000 came from various other countries In
small nlvro
nicant point in these figures is the fact that IN
1870 threefourths of IN immigrants into the United
| States came from Grea. Britain. France. Germany
and Scandinavia In 1895 one-half from those
countries. in 1898 only one-third, in 1900 the
percentage furnished by Northwestern Europe was
| reduced to one-fourth The movement OF Irish and
| Scandinavians TO the United States for the pur-
| pose OF entering domestic service has ceased al
most entirely and shown. the better class Of
| agricultural workers do not have the oppor-
tunity in this country which brought them here in
| such large numbers a few years ago
The of 1900 shows remarkable increase
| in the population OF cities and other industrial
centres. Few agricultural communities show a
| larger increase Of population than would be
! pected in the ordinary course OF events and some
| show decrease. The deduction is evident.
| The people of Europe and other sections OF the
world who coming 10 the United States
| furnishing large part Of this increase In the
| Industrial population, and the growth in Ameri-
| can manufacturing and producing industries is alb
sorbing this increased population without effort
without disturbance the economies of the coun-
| try.
| FILLING Up MINES AND FACTORIES.
A man can no longer come the United States
and for almost nothing be transported to the West
| and placed a farm ready for the plough which
within weeks will yield sufficient to support
| himself and family i'm comfort farm which in
| Europe would make him landed aristocrat. II he
| is an agricultural immigrant and must follow
line of work. the only outlet for his energies
| is in some already established community. where
| he find employment at comparatively good
wages If he is industrious and a good manager
IT. will not he long before he Is able TO rent or
| buy land, and in that way accomplish what
achieve AZ the start II the foreigner coming to
this country in search Of work is an Italian. He
| brew. Pole Oriental he must seek men
| themselves in the United States and from them
| learn of such opportunities as may exist These
| to living in densely settled communities. Few Of
them have the agricultural instinct, and they seem
content herd together in large numbers and work
for the smallest of wages in the factories. mills.
| mines and sweatshops of the large Industrial
The emigration of these people from their
countries is forced arthcialy by those interested
| aroused against their own Governments or against
| conditions which prevail in their own countries.
and then excited by exaggerated tales or what
| they secure in the United states, Even the
| small amount of money which the immigrants
| bring into the United States is not gain TO this
| country. two-thirds of this money Is sent
from the United States by friends or relatives for
| the purpose of assisting these people to come
| There is no possible way OF looking at this pro-
| miscuous immigration, and the marked deteriora-
/ ton which has taken place In its character In
| the last few years which puts II In light favor
| able the best interests OF the people or the
| United States except that the enormous growth
| in american manufacturing interests has stimu-
| lated the demand for class of labor most difi-
cult to secure in prosperous times In already
1 fahII Gbad and well balanced community Amer