The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1901-07-27
NOT GOOD FARMERS.
Few Immigrants b America capa-
be Of Dsiag the Work.
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Between the years 1880 and 1890
100000 Of the 1890. 900 immigrants
who came into the United States were
nativesof Great Britain OF Of Germany,
and the number Of Scandinaviars was
nearly 100000. The great majority
of these newcomers, especially those
from Germany, Norway and Sweden,
we're farmers whore destination was
the west. The term the west, as un-
deFstood by immigrants, meant ut one
time the western countries of New
York and Pennsylvania. later the
states of what IL now called the mid
de west, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois;
then the rans-Mississippi states Of
lows, Nebraska and Kansas and, final.
~. the northwestern states, to which,
prior to 1898, most Of the new immi-
grants went.
In last few years, notwithstand-
ing the prosperous condition Of Amer
lean manufactures. the large harvests
and liberal prices for cereals and live
stocks. there has been marked fall-
ing of in the immigration Of farmers
to the United States and decided
increase in the number of immigrunts
seeking homes in the large cities and
manufacturing towns. The official
figures of the calendar year of 1900
have not yet made their appearance,
but the total number of immigrants
will mot he far from 475.000, and of
this number more than 100000 were
from Austria Hungary, another 100,-
600 from Italy and another 100000
from Russia and the Polish provinces
of Germany, while Great Britain fur
nished less than $4,000, of which num-
Der 10000 were from Ireland. These
new immigrants seek homes and em-
ployment in the large cities, says the
New York Sun.
The fertility and productiveness Of
American farms are as great as and
in some cnses greater than they were
many years ago. The means of trans
portation have been vastly improved
and the market of dcmanu Is decided
iy larger than it ever was before. But
the conditions for the purchase Of
land are no longer 70 favorable. The
most eligible government lands for
free homcsteads have been disposed
of. The railroad grants which in
cluded alternate parcels along the
line OF the roads have been sold and
in most cases occupied. No state. ex-
cept ID the southwest, where the eli
mAtic conditions are not generally
such u to attract European farmers,
Il under the necessity Of Offering in
ducssente to innigranta, and the lat
tr,4 IA logger recruited from the
fasming class on the European con
tinsat and In Irelsnd. come chiefly
from large European cities in which
the population has become congested
or n which the rate Of pay to mechan-
les has been forced down by competi-
ton or the use Of new mechanical ap-
pliances.
There IL . constant and increasing
demand for mill hands and artisan.
throughout the United States. and it
is to some extent supplied by new
immigration. The three countries
which now furnish the LARGEST share
of Immigration, Austria, Russia and
Italy. have comparatively little in
common with the United States in the
way Of language, customs historical
tradition or the forms Of government.
There are NO longer in RUSSIA or Aus
tria prosecutions which would explain
q wholesale exodus of the inhabitants
of various districts, as was the case
10 and IS years ago. The economic
condition Of Italy 10 rather better now
than it was At the time when Italian
to the United States be-
gan TO be large, and the increase of
the immigration from these countries
can. therefore. be explained only upon
the ground that the demand for such
labor - their immigrants have to
ofier 10 growing in the United States.
The falling OF OF German immigra-
ton is explained by the fact tina:
Germany IL ceasing to be an sgricul-
tural and IL becoming . manufactur-
ing country. The total immigration
10 the United States last year was
larger than In any previous year since
1893.
OA0DF0pOPt1oaato.