New-York tribune., 1902-05-26
INFLUX OF IMMIGRANTS.
MORE THAN THIRTY THOUSAND COM
ING THIS WEEK-LIKELI TO
BE 4 RECORD YEAR.

This week viii Toe A busy for the immigration
officials Ellis Island. more than twenty thou
sand immigrants expected 10 arrive here. Nine
steamers will reach here from Italian ports with
10.5s2 board and the others will come by way
OF Southampton Liverpool, Hamburg and Bremen
in nearly as many vessels The officials have been
obliged 90 work harder this year than for many
years owing TO the Increase In immigration. At
the rate they have entered this port since January
J. 6O00sO in round numbers. viii have been admitted
by the end Of the year The annual immigration
10 the United States has exceeded this total only
four times since immigration statistics have been
collected. In the year 1881 there arrived in this
country 6s9 43 in 1882 7S s92; in 1888 63322 and In
1872 when the good times OF the Harrison admin
istration their height. 6230 0s4- Since Janu-
ary ! this year there have arrived here I'm round
numbers 235eO0, compared with l6S0D0 for the
corresponding period last
This great influx of immigrants at this time
which IS ascrbed TO the demand for unskilled
labor to carry on the immense building operations
going on in this country. is likely TO add to It's
problems. Thirty years ago" said an immigra-
ton official day two ago. the immigration
largely from the northwestern countries OF
Europe We may term these desirable
compared with those from southeastern Europe.
which NAV be considered undesirable In 1868 the
desirable constituted % per cent OF the total i'm
migration. while the undesirable amounted to but
nine-tenths Of / per cent Then large proper
ton Of the immigrants went to the Northwest
and settled in agricultural sections. In 1895, or
thirty years later, the desirable had sunk 10 %S
per cent. and the undesirable had become % per
cent of the whole. The destination of the 'unde-
sirable is eftener the city than the country.
Those classed undesirable are the Italians
from Southern Itaiy. the Greeks Rumanians.
Slavs etc. The percentage of illiterates-that Is.
those who cannot read write in any lang suaSs
Is Increasing yearly. Last year out OF the SsS,9Sl
immigrants who entered by this port 216 per cent
I07.3Z3 were OF this CLASS tBf itle 500 hi9
came in April OF this year, 2236 could neither Tead
write. More than nalt OF those VINO III
migrated from Southern Italy last year were IL
literates. and the total number Was II Z4s Oi me
Il ss5 who from this section OF Europe iIl
March 5.496 Of the illiteTate class fortusal
sent April 1870. which coo iliiterateS.
Unfortunately. Italy IS encouraging immigration
firm line. and d consequence the percentage OF
deportations has increased since he has been ih
office
two ago a well known architect said that II would
work q hardship In this country TO do anything
20 illiteTates at the present time, as ths
country need OF unSkied labor The Tea-
everything Is SO high. he said, is because
OF the scarcity of Ia bor. Americans wont do the
class Of work that the Italians viii; this work can
be by the illiterate under the supervision OF
come period of depression the large numbers OF
iliterates who could be thrown out OF employ leht
might become dangerous element IN the sl'ua-
ton"
steamship lines employed in bringing immigrants
from Italy-tWo flying the Italian flag. the liam
burg American. the North German Lloyd. the
Prince and the Anchor. Two or these the nam
burg-American and one Of the Italian lines. have
entered the Italian immigrant business WllHlh a
year The Italian lines have been Obliged to sed our
extra vessels 10 accommodate the large numbers
swarming IN this direction, and the French line mas
also had business than II could handle with
its regular steamers. and has made several Specll
trips this spring.