The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-05-25

Our Constitution.
The New York Bureau Of Labor Sta
tistics for the month Of March gives
some interesting figures in regard to
immigration that are q subject for con-
siderable study by labor economists
and others interested in the wage ques-
ton and the unemployed.
It says in part:
From October /, 1919, when the gen.
eral government began to record the
number immigrants arriving at the
customs districts by sea from foreign
countries, to the close of the nineteenth
century-a space of eighty-one years
and three months-the volume of int
migration at the port of New York
aggregated 1903, 162, which represent
ed nearly seven-tenths of the total al
rivals (19,777, 2S3) during the same per-
iod at all ports in the United States.
In comparison with the correspond
ing three months of 1899 there was a
slight decline in immigration at the
metropolis for the last quarter of 1900,
the numbers Of persons who landed in
October, November and December hav-
ing been 1892 in 1899 and 74,432 in
1900. OF the latter the largest element
were Southern Italians, who numbered
19,434, or rs per cent of the total, show
ing a. gain of per cent over their i'm
migration Of the previous year. The
Hebrews were second, 9,163 Of that race
having landed, this being 9 per cent
less than in the last three months of
$780,
During the last quarter of 1900 the
proportion of male and female immi-
grants did not materially differ from
that of the like months in 1899, in the
former period the males numbering
43, 704, or 5S.7 per cent and the females
30, 72S, or 41.3 per cent; while in the
latter year 61.2 per cent (45,843) were
males and 1873 per cent (29,049) were fe-
males. Considering the races whose
immigration exceeded 1000 for the
quarter ending December last the
greatest disparity as to the proportion
of sexes was among the Northern Ital-
ians, 1874 per cen of them being males
and 27.6 females, and the smallest diff
ference was among the Germans, Of
whom SIS per cent were males and
1872 per cent were females.
The great majority of the new COM
ers continued to drift toward the indus
trial centers of the North Atlantic d.
vision, 57,440, or 772 per cent Of those
who passed through the port of New
York from October / to December 81,
1900, naming those states as the places
to which they were destined. Fifty-six
per cent of that number remained In
the state of New York.
Fifteen and four-tenths per cent
III, 1850 were bound for the North Cen
trail division, while 3,142, or AZ per cent
avowed their intention to go to the
western division and 2,414 or 80 per
cent to the South Atlantic and South
Central divisions.
If we have escaped from the heather
Chinee we have certainly had the
measure made good in other races
whose presence is quite as much of a
menace to labor as the pig-tail Celes-
tial. It is a safe proposition that the
demand for laborers is not keeping pace
with the influx that lands on our shores
who are in search Of labor. This being
true, is is a Question Of time only
until there will> be two or three men
to every job. What condition Of af-
fairs must then exist? To those who
take selfish view of the case anC as
sert that this influx, from whatever
nation it may come, will not directly
interfere with our employment, we will
say that We do not apprehend airy in
reference directly any more than they,
but 1t is only a reasonable argument,
and one which has already been dem
onstrated in a. number of instances,
that just as soon as the influx begins
to crowd those engaged in menlal SER
vice and in the various crafts, creating
a competition in wages that will not
permit an American to live and enjoy
those comforts which he has enjoyed,
trade and seek employment in the next
higher grade of service that promises
him a living, whether it be braking, or
something else.
There is no closing our eyes to the
fact that a railroad position offers
many Inducements to those engaged in
every trade. There was a time when
our interests were safeguarded in a
sense and when the influx into the
service was not 80 great as it. is now.
on account of the fear of injury in
handling cars, such as coupling, etc.,
but that safeguard is fast becoming a
thing of the past with the introduction
of safety appliances, and naer in all
trades are forsaking them to enter the
railway service. =.
An accompanying table in the re-
port shows that thirty-three races or
people composed the vast number of
arrivals. OF these "A, 1872 people who are
included in the report ended December
81, 1900, 1904 were under IA years of
age; 50,01S were between the ages of
IA and As, and Alto were upwards Of As
the Southern Italians having more
than double the number of that of any
other country, or 4 per cent of the en-
tire number above the age of IS.
If we are right in assuming that the
old Italian has no. greater earning
power than the German, the English
| man, the Welshman or the Scotchman,
he must either possess talent along
other lines above those mentioned, or
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