Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-09-26
The Menace of the Newcomers.

The Menace of the Newcomers.
The increasing tide of immigration.
particularly as the increase is so large
IN of undesirable classes, is causing
those who are not blind to this ma
tional menace to sound the note of
warning with renewed frequency and
earnestness. The national immigra-
ton commissioner has recommended
that Congress make more stringent
laws to prevent the dumping upon our
shores annually of so much scum and
refuse from the slums of Europe. That
the governments of Europe have con-
tinuously and systematically abused
American hospitality by shipping here
increased multitudes of their diseased,
pauper and criminal classes is not to be
doubted, and the activity of the enter
prising steamship companies has aug
mented the evil. The absence of edu-
cational qualification in our immigra-
ton laws is bad enough, and cannot
he remedied too soon, but there are
other restrictions which should be
made more stringent. This is a great
country, but when a million lmmi-
grants are coming to US yearly, as IS
now the case, and most of them far
less desirable than the immigrants of
25 and so years ago. the problem of as
sanitation and AmericaniZatiOn is as
suming uncomfortable proportions.
1t is a matter of vital importance to
the whole country but it is the ma
tional metropolis which is most direct
ly and Immediately interested. A
writer in New York paper points out
what the present tendency means to
that city and state. ''Twenty-five per
cent" he says, "of the immigrants
that come to America remain in New
York state. and the greater part of
these in New York city" The total
cost of caring for the poor throughout
the state is over $24000.000 annually
and, as the foreign born are estimated
to be at least one-half. it means ST.
100000 year for their support with no
return.
Goodwin Brown. one of the highest
authorities on lunacy statistics, says
that one-half the inmates of the insane
asylums in that state are foreign born,
ard he predicts that in ten years the
alien insane will cost the United states
$4,000, 900 annually. All this makes no
account of what it costs to maintain
charitable homes for children. one-half
of whom are born of foreign parents,
and which means to New York state
another $4,000, 900 yearly. That is GER
tainly a situation that is not to be re-
sarded with complacency, especially as
it is all the while growing worse IN
stead of better. In spite of the tact
that additional restrictions have been
Incorporated in our immigration laws
he past year, the herd of ignorant ana
otherwise undesirable foreigners that
have been landed here is greater than
ever before in the same time. The
steamship companies and the poll
ticians are said to be chiefly responsible
for this. The steamship companies
bring them here because the traffic IS
profitable, and the politicians help them
TO elude the board of examiners"
But those whom the inspectors marx
for deportation are not always deport-
ed, not even perhaps in the majority OF
cases. Only the other day at new
York there were ninety-six thus
designated to be returned. but only
two of that number were sent back. or
the whole number coming here for the
wear ending June 2, 1902, only four
fifths of one per cent. applying for ad-
mission to the United States were de-
ported, while this year only tribe
over one-half of one per cent. were de-
ported. About forty-four per cent. OF
the hundreds of thousands coming from
Southern Europe in 1902 were unable 10
read and write. But their illiteracy
is not the worst problem. The in
capacity to earn livelihood and the
tendency to crowd into the cities are
dangers which make the most formid-
able part of this social and economic
problem.
In the matter of pacemaking and new