Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1903-06-05

That the Laws on This Subject Need
Changing-One Reason why We Do
Not Get n Better Labor Class.
Steerage arrivals by steamship after
steamship at New York of the great
Atlantic fleets point the fact that this
is to be a record breaking year in i'm
migration, says the New York World.
There are too many indications thHt
the incoming food of population is by
no means made up completely of de-
sirable elements. So the subject of
restrictive laws of entry is once more
a topic of conspicuous interest. In a
paper contributed to the latest issue
of the quarterly Federation, Immlgra-
ton Commissioner Williams of the port
of New York calls attention TO the
fact that we are today executing laws
which were framed mainly in 1891 and
1898, since which time vast changes
have occurred in the character and ma
tionalities of the aliens who seek q
new home in the United States. Any
intelligent discussion of further requi-
site legislation must be preceded by
thorough appreciation of the changes
above referred to, which have been so
gradual that the country as whole
has only recently begun to realize that
today we are adding annually l per
cent to our population from portions
of Europe which twenty years ago sent
us hardly any people. To consider the
tonic Of i'm mi itTra tinp tnluu n ming
the same as it did in 1882, merely be-
cause in both years the total aggregate
amount was about equal, is to entirely
overlook the radical sociological, in
dustrial, racial and intellectual distinc-
tions which exist between the Anglo
Saxon, Teutonic and Scandinavian
races and the Slav, Magyar, Italian,
Greek and Syrian races.
1t is almost certain, the commits
sioner considers, that had our early
immigration proceeded from those por
tons of eastern and southern Europe
which are now sending sucn large
numbers of illiterate aliens into our
great cities this country would not
now enjoy its present civilization.
| The occupation of those who are now
coming here and the portions of the
country to which they proceed are
roughly stated as follows: Out of 700,-
600 who arrived last year about 5000
were professionals, 10000 were skilled
workmen, 100000 were unskilled la
borers and 100000 We're women and
children with no occupation.
Seventy per cent intended to settle
in New York, New Jersey, Pennsyl-
vania and Massachusetts. New York
state alone received over 100000. Con-
siderably less than 10 per cent went
west and about per cent south. The
statistics show, and 1t is a we'll known
fact, that the great stream of immi-
grafton today is city Immigration,
and that the bulk of the immigrants do
not go, and cannot be urged to go, into
the unsettled parts of the United States
for the purpose of developing them.
The pauper statistics show that about
thirty aliens out of every 10000 become
objects Of charity, whereas in the case
Of the native born, both white and
colored, only nine out Of every 10000
persons become such.
1t is probably true that the United
States needs all the ablebodied and
intelligent laborers that it can procure,
and at the present time no steps should
be taken which will result in prevent
ing such people from coming here. On
the contrary we must strive to so keep
| ,l,1 hnIn tai
grade of intellectual and economic fit
ness.
Germany and England have a large
surplus population, and yet these coun-
tries are sending us but few immi-
grants The commissioner says he does
not attempt to answer fully the eco
nomic question suggested by these
facts. but suggests that the present
large influx of undesirable and unin-
telligent people from southern and
eastern Europe may be at least one
Of the reasons why we do not get the
better labor that used formerly to
come here The indiscriminate cry for
additional labor is today largely the
cry for the cheapest labor of Europe
and Mexico, the presence of which
tends to cheaper our standards, to
drive out American laborers and keep
the best European laborers from COM
ing here.
The commissioner cites repulsive
physical conditions which have led
Health Commissioner Lederle to refuse
any longer to receive immigrants with
contagious diseases in the city hos
pitals Notwithstanding the receipts
from this source amounted to S25,OOO
per year, and says: "In view of these
facts and of the wretched appearance
and absolute poverty Of considerable
number of the aliens who arrived in
this country during the fiscal year end
ing June, 1902, think you will be
somewhat shocked to learn tnat less
than four-fifths of per cent Of these
aliens were excluded, and you will
agree with me that this percentage
did not afford the country the neces-
sary protection"