Evening star., 1901-04-10
|COURSE OF IMMIGRATION
ADDRESS BY EDw. F. McswEENEY
OF NEW YORK.
Number of Immigrants Regarded as
Business Barometer Meeting
of fAnthropoIOSicuI Society.

An address Of much interest was deliv-
cred last evening ct the regular meeting
of the Anthropological Society in the as
sembly hail of the Cosmos Club by Edward
+. McSweeney. the assistant commissioner
of immigration at the port of New York
Preceding this address Mr.. George c. May
nard read a paper on presentation OF
Early Time Keeping
Mr. NIcSweeney. in discussing the subject
of immigration, gave some historical ac-
count of the origin and cause of such move
ments. and in reference to the tide that
set toward this country from the earliest
years Of it's history he called attention to
the variety of races that were represented
THE shipping companies he said were
under no restriction until 1s19, when a
law was passed compelling certain I'M
provemeuts and the mauifesting of immi-
grants for the year 1920 Since this law
went into effect the number of immigrants
| has practically been an industrial barome-
| ter. depression in business showing With
| In two years.
Between 1850 and 1S20,'' he continued,
"only about 2Jo,On foreigners moved to
this country. which has MANIFOLD surpass-
ed all the rest OF America in acceSSlonS TO
it's population through immigration: but
between 1920 and 1900 more than 25,00S,o0o
Europeans left their homes for America
and other parts Of the new world
At High Tide.
| "The high tide of the European exodus
was reached in 1882, when the United
States alone received 100000 immigrants.
The two next greatest years in this move
ment of population We're in 1888 and 1892,
In which two years this country saw LILO
600 Europeans enter its ports, In the sew
en- years ending with 1890, 100000 Euro
peans sailed for foreign lands. The most
trustworthy data attainable justitieS the
statement that during the century Europe
h hoo Il
seeking to better their fortunes in other
lands
''The world never before saw anything
comparable with this tremendous movement
of people in 50 short a space of time. The
population that Europe has thus lost in
hundred years is greater than the total
number of Inhabitants of Great Britain and
Ireland in 1S6D, and only little less than
the number in the United States in the
same year. 1t represents third more
people than Great Britain and Ireland gain
ed in population in tn" first ninety years of
the century. It is equal to three-f1fths of
the total population of Europe in the time
of Augustus Caesar. If the ships on which
these emigrInts embarked carried. on an
average, 900 passengers G0.u00 trips have
been made ferrying them To their new
homes.
tnimpOrtant Inmi ration.
After quoting figures the lecturer said:
I'VE can thus begin to realize into what
unimpOrtance immigration from Germany
Ireland and the Scandinavian peninsular
has fallen. and MAJ see at glance that
the prominence of the influx from Slavick
Mediterranean and oriental sources is not
relative. but absolute The number from
these latter has actually doubled In few
years. while that from the former has
steadily dwindIed into insignificance and
promises soon 10 disappear an appreci-
able factor.
This, then. Is ny fear, that the pres
Ont tendency for concentration in all fields
of industrial endeav5r may be utilized In
connection with. the introduction of vast
hOrdcS Of aliens. such as | have described
to break down labor conditions and wage
standards,
The wise action Of our government In
China will pave the way for n renewal of
the Chinese exclusion act and tht. treaties
to enforce the same; and this DONE suit
able measures to project us from an un-
wholesome japanese competition, which, to
nv mind. is to be equally, If not more
feared, will follow.
Methods of Legislation.
'The practical student of lmmieration
will agree that there are two distinct
methods of legislatins upon the immigra-
tion subject; one plan Is TO pass a large
number OF laws. striking separately at
each particular class Of undesirable innmi-
grants. while the second plan proceeds
upon the idea of co1dauSing the objection
able aliens into one clearly defined statute
Of excluded classes. leaving a wise discre-
tion in the hands Of those who are charged
with the duty OF enforcing the same The
first plan is open To the objection that too
much legislation is often as fatal to the
objects sought for rs 10 legislation at ALL
for the reason that they tend TO confuse
and often eutangle ard trip themselves
where they should ne clear and easily con-
strued-
The immigration laws ought to be re-
yised and reconstructed from the very be-
ginning by experts. alter a careful study
based The FNUaFiFI4ra obtained since