Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-06-06
RESTRICTION OF IMMIGRATION.

The immigration figures for May
show that during the past month the
Influx Of foreigners TO this country
reached Unprecedented figures The es-
tlmated number Of arrivals for May
Is $500. During the past twelve years
the immigration IL said 10 have
amounted to 100000 persons. There Is
many kingdom in Europe with a
smaller population than that.
The notable change In the quality Of
the immigrants has rendered the
consideration Of some practical meas
ure OF restriction desirable. The bill
recently before Congress codlhes the
existing regulations. It excludes IDIOTS,
the insane, the diseased, criminals,
paupers. Anarchists and those brought
in on contracts with employers. The
amendments which have been added
propose to establish an educational test
by which the alien who can neither
read not write in any language shall be
debarred from entrance.
The educational restriction has
caused much discussion II has been
pointed out that illIteracy Is no test Of
moral character, and that some dam
gerous criminals do not lack education.
II moral quality Is TO be considered,
the test cannot be ability to read q
few sentences IN some language.
In view OF the steadily increasing
volume OF Immigrants. It would be UNI
wise to deny that some protection liz
needed for American labor one Of the
labor leaders has recently said that.
Ignorant labor takes our Jobs and cuts
our wages" There is, no doubt, some
truth In this. But this part Of the
question has also another side II k
a fact that young America has the
greatest dislike FOR manual labor even
when the wages are high. How many
boys are there who care to learn a
trade, though they might earn, as good |
mechanics, from 81 10 S. a day? The
majority OF them seem to prefer an "of-
fee" or some profession" though
the oflce-hunters are legion. and
the professions" are crowded to
bursting, They prefer to see
the fields that require physical ex-
ertion occupied by the Ignorant for.
oigner," who does not know enough
to make living without working for
Il, and what physical exercise they
need they take ON the base ball field.
ind IN some sports, II they think they
need any at all Under the clrcum-
stances, II IL hard TO see. how the
'ountry can get along without the Inn
'ortatlon OF tillers OF the soil. the me-
hanIcs and the tolers, The work has
o be done, A country cannot be built
Up by the efforts Of professors, doctors,
dentists, lawyers teachers
nd artists, The solid substratum Of
he results of manual labor IL the first
equislte for the building up Of the
ountry Unless the fields are broken,
own and harvested, the mines opened
r. the woods converted into lumber,
nd the thousands Of varieties OF raw
iaterla converted into useful articles,
here would be no offices to hunt no
rofessions 70 practice.
This fact suggests the necessity for /
more general return TO manual (
.bor. The boys OF this country need a
better understanding Of the real a
orth Of that kind Of work which sup o
Jrts a nation. Were there no lack OF a
merlcan labor. there would be less n
anger Of influx OF foreign working
en-. We believe the most effective re- Z
rlctlon Of immigration would be the o
rcction Of more American genius and v
dustry away from the learned pro- "
ssions and back to the channels Of 1,
labor in It's numerous q
anches. \