Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-11-12
FoRElGN-BoRN CITIZENS.

! Truly iONGi IltI.
FoRElGN-BoRNC CITIZENS.
| Most people get alarmed when they
read the statistics of immigration, ana
| tEeir apprehension leads them to some
| conclusions which can not be substan-
| tiated by an analysis of the figures. In
1115, according to Mr.. Bancroft. the his
torian, one-fifth of all the people in the
colonies had for their mother tongue
some other language than the English.
The one-fifth who could not claim the
English mother tongue were immigrants
from France Sweden, Holland and Ger
many, the relative Importance OF the I'M
migration from these different countries
Icing in the order named. Probably at
the present time at least one-half, in
stead of one-fifth of our population can
not claim the English language as the
mother tongue
The number of immigrants coming
| into this country between 1870 and June
| 80. 1900 was 19,1l5,221. Prior to 1870 the
government did not take account OF I'M
migration, but the generally accepted
estimate of the total immigration be-
tween the adoption of the constitution
and 1920 is but 250000. This number is
not included in the above total.
The character of the immigration has
| changed in q most interesting way.
From 1921 to 1850 2.3 of our immigration
came from Canada and Newfoundland;
| during the next decade QS51 to 1860 the
percentage was the same, and during
the last decade only OIL per cent of the
immigrants were from these sections.
/ From 1921 to 1850 24.2 per cent came
from Germany, and in the next decade
$685. this being the highest percentage
reached by the Germans. During the
! lest decade the Germans supplied only
1871 per cent of our foreign immigra-
ton During the period named 1S2l to
1850 Great Britain furnished 10 per cent
of the Immigrants, and in the next dec
ade 1863 per cent. Then came large
increase from Great Britain between 1851
and 1870, the percentage being 262; from
1871 to 1880 it was 1875, while for the last
decade 1t was but IA From 1921 to 1850
Ireland furnished 42.3 per cent of our
immigrants. and between 1851 and 1860
35.2 per cent Since then there has been
q very rapid decrease, and between 1881
and 1900 ireland furnished but lob per
cent of our immigrants. Those from
| Norway and Sweden constituted only
o.6 between 1921 and 1850. The scandi-
navians increased in numbers between
| 1881 and 1890. when their proportion was
10.S per cent: during the last decade 1t
was 81 per cent.
The immigration from the whole group
| iust named-Canada. Newfoundland
Germany, Great Britain, Ireland and
Norway and Sweden-shows marked
relative decrease. While the Immigrants
1 +, om these countries constitute i4.3 per
/ cent OF the whole number OF immigrants
during the entire period under discus
sion. they furnished between 1921 and
/ 1850 s4.4 per cent of the total, and during
I the next decade 91.2 per cent, since
which time there has been a rapid de-
| crease, this group of countries during
! the last decade furnishing but 4O.4 per
cent
These figures enable us to bring into
| direct and sharp comparison the immi-
| grafton from countries which fifty years
ago furnished hardly any Increment 70
cur population. From 1851 to 1860 Aus
| tria Hungary sent no immigrants TO TINS
| country, or not enough to make any I'M
preston upon the statistics, but between
| 1851 and 1870 the immigration from tnal
| country was A per cent; during the next
decade, 26 per cent: from 1881 TO lsso
81 per cent. while during the last dec
| ade 1t was 1911 per cent. Italy, beginning
with 9 per cent during the period from
| 1921 to 1850, increased to per cent pc
| tween 1871 and 1880. and to nearly per
| cent during the next decade, while dur
ing the last decade that country fur
r;shed 1T per cent of our total number
The nroportions for Russia and Poland
are almost identical with those for Italy
Those two countries taken together. De
| Ginning with only 4 per cent OF our to-
tai number of immigrants between 1871
and 1850. Increased but very slightly un-
Ii, between 1881 and 1880. when they con-
tributed per cent and during the last
decade 1853 per cent. There three sec
t:ons-Austria- Hungary, Italy and Rus
STA and Poland-taken together, contrip-
| uted during the last decade SOL per cent
! oe our immigrants as against AUS per
| cent as stated, for the group OF five
countries first ramed. The remainder
OK per cent-came from various coun-
tries.
II is interesting to know how many OF
the 19,115a21 immigrants coming to this
country since 1921 are now living. Inc
recent census, by its classification OF
population into native and foreign born.
answers the question, and we find that
az the total number of immigrants 5a.1
per cent were living in June, 1900. In
| 1880 60 per cent of the whole number OF
Immigrants at that date were living,
while in 1850 44.4 per cent We're sun III
| existence.
The distribution of the foreign born
from an industrial point OF view can
not he stated for the last census, as the
| Classification of occupations is not
| ready. but in 1890, of the the total num-
her of persons engaged in agriculture,
1887 per cent We're foreigners; IN man
ufactures, 81 "a per cent; IN mining. oo.ol
ner cent: in domestic and personal SER
vice. SO SO per cent; in trade and trans
portation. Pits per cent, and In all other
| cupations, 1879 per cent or the totai
engaged were of foreign birth. These
| figures show that the chief concentra-
! tion ia employment in connection with
ran,ifactur mining and domestic ana
personal service.
During the year ending June 80, lsoo,
| he total number of immigrants was
| 4ts572. OF this number 1892 belonged
q the professional class, Slab were
| KILLED laborers, 163.b0S were laborers.
| nile 1874 94i including women and chill
| ran had no specified occupation.