New-York tribune., 1903-05-10
IN APRIL, 92,778.
Tremendous Rush Of Europeans to
1mericd.
1nlericd.

In view of the growing volume of immigration
the fascinating question, What is the future
citizen of the United States to be like? is being
nressed more and more upon the attention OF
those who have wrought and made the country
what il is to-day-a land where every one mas
an opportunity. The improved business conol-
tons with their consequent effect upon puliolhs
operations, are attracting to this country year
after year more and more of the class OF people
who dig in the earth. 1t is not now because
this country is an asylum for the politically op-
dressed but because il is a great gold mine
that the current Of immigration tending toward
these shores is swelling. Last year the hunlpet
Of immigrants who landed in this country was
lacking 100000 equal to the total of the natiVe
stock living in New York City. This year II Is
estimated that 100000 newcomers will reach
This country This will establish a new record
fo- one years arrivals In April alone S-'i'o
arrived here. There have not been SO MANY al
rivals in one month since 1SSl
C4ustave Nichaud in a recent article in The
Century Magazine" attempted to give an an
swer based on the proportions of three lngredi-
ents to be found here. He divided the Whlte
races into three classes according TO thelr
canbaIic index-the relation of the length and
breadth of the head They were the Baltc'
which includes the inhabitants of the British
ern plain of Germany; the Alpine, which IN
cIudas the Deoples living on the mountain ranges
beginning in Asia Minor and stretching across
Furope and the Mediterranean, the most emo
tionaI Of the three embracing the populations Vi
tie countries bordering upon the Mediterranean
Sea According to his figures, the approximate
a+bpic composition of 100 immigrants landed in
this country within the period 1o5o-lo9o was:
Baltic 81; Alpine. 10; Mediterranean, .. Be
tween 1890 and 1900 the proportion was o3 y
and II. respectively. In the following two years
il was respectively 30, II and 70.
These figures are not needed to prove to US
that the races from the neghborhood of the
Mediterranean, especially that one whose home
is in Southern Italy, are coming in increasing
nunbers Where there is earth to be dug there
comes the Italian dig il. The stocky, globu-
TAR headed people of the Alpine race, and the
art loving aginative. dark skinned men and
women dwelling on the shores of the Medlter-
rtnean Sea, gaining rapidly ON the repre-
5entatives of the Baltic race with their altru-
SIN. their push their love of Work-Which the
Mediterranean race does not like so Well-their
love of order and cleanliness. their sincerity and
their vastly higher percentage of hteracy. The
number of the latter vending their way hither
is actually decreasing.
The other day man who has been connected
With the Bureau of immigration Ellis Island
for many years asked, What distinguish
ing characteristics have you observed in the
representatives of the different races passing
before you?' He seemed to he doubtful of his
ability t. mention any. Il can never be sure
that any characteristic is a distinguishing one,
he said. 1t is so likely to show itself in the
representative of some other nation al any
line. I pick out something that seems to be
characteristic of nation, and in the course
Of tine an immigrant of another exhibits
the same characteristic.
Perhaps this man has gone below the surface
so deeply that he has come 10 the universal
characteristic of mankind. The Italians he
said, are polite They display some of the
Machia vel.ian principles They will do any