Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1902-10-23
ABOUT IMMIGRATION.
The Annual Report Of tho Com
missioner Made Public.
IlJY ITALIANS have CONE HERE.


Washington, Oct. 20.-The annual
report OF the commissioner of immi-
grafton has been made public. 1t
shows that Of the 64S,743 immigrants
who arrived in the United States dur
ing the last fiscal year 466,369 were
men and 1894 women. OF the en-
tire number Of arrivals Italy supplied
the most, 17S,375, an increase OF A.
$40 over the number for 1901; Aus
tria- Hungary came next, 1889, an
increase Of $500, and Russia 1O7,347,
an increase of $4,000. Most European
countries showed an increase, but
there was q falling off Of 1923 in the
arrivals from Ireland. The total
from that country was 29,13s. The
figures concerning Asiatic immigra-
tion show q decrease of $40 from
China, the total being 1,649, and an
increase from Japan Of 9,O01, or ITO
per cent, the total being 14,270. OF
the entire number arriving 162,1SS
were unable to read or write, but ~
e6a were under IA years Of age. Com
menting upon this circumstance,
Commissioner Sargent says:
ut can be roughly estimated from
the foregoing figures how effective
h excluding aliens would be read.
ing test such as that proposed dur
ing the recent session Of congress,
which would not be applied TO chill
drcn under Is and adults over 5O."
The total number Of aliens refused
permission to land was 4,974, or about
two-thirds Of one per cent. Of the to.
tel arrivals. OF these 1914 were
psupers, 100 had loathsome diseases,
nine were convicts and 275 contracted
1aborers. Referring to the rejection
Of those coming under contracts, the
report says:
although immigration has been
largely increased, the number refused
admission during the year as alien
contract laborers has decreased, as
compared with those barred upon
similar ground last year, from 1877 to
H5. The assumption which might
naturally arise from these figures,
that the successful administration Of
che law had checked attempts to gain
access to the United States in disre-
gard of its provisions, is inadmis-
slble, in view Of the frequency of the
complaints which have reached the
bureau upon this subject during the
year under consideration"
Reference is made to the alien con-
tract labor BILL pending in the SEN
ate. The commissioner expresses the
hope that 1t may pass during the
next session. He adds:
"The increase of alien immigration
has been not quite one-third over
that Of 1901, but the comparative IN
crease of diseased aliens for the same
period has been more than two to
one. The same races which exhibited
the largest number of diseased per-
sons last year maintain their pre-
eminence in this respect for the year
under consideration.
"These figures show conclusively
the necessity for legislation which
shall inhict upon the transportation
lines who have the means of protect
ing themselves from the effect of
violation Of the law by competent
medical inspection at the port of for
eign embarkation, a penalty proper
toned to the gravity of the risk to
the health of the American people
by bringing diseased aliens to ports
Of this country. The present penalty
II the mere return of the diseased
alien at the cost Of the offending
line. This, however, is virtually no
penalty"