The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-09-30
FOREIGN LABOR.

Professor Frank Julian Warne. staff
correspondent OF the Philadelphia Public
Ledger, is writing a series Of interesting
articles for that paper from Wilkesbarre
Pa, on "The Slav Invasion of the An
thracite Region" and the facts and fig
ures which he furnishes are most signifi-
cant. He says that in 1850 in all the
northern section of the anthracite region
of Pennsylvania more definitely in Lack
awanna county, there were but eighty
representatives of The Slav races. By
1880 these had increased to s.1sl, and by
1900 to61S,S1S. In Luzerne county the Slavs
have Increased from 449 in 1880 to 1880
IN 1890 and to 1926 in 1900.
In view Of these statistics 1t Is not sur
prising to hear this intelligent writer say
that the Savs have largely displaced
4 Engllsh-speakng miners and caused more
or less OF Generalization in the mining
region. The slav is able to live on less
money, for his standard of living Is not
so high as that Of the American work
s man. 1.-THE tendency of this competition
e from the start" says Mr.. Warne was
3 to establish minimum wage in the vari-
Gus occupations about the colleries.
which was not. as general statement.
sufficient to support the Notwithstanding
mine workers comparatively high stand
) ard of living. If this standard had been
the same for all mine workers the ten
dency would have been for wages to re-
main near the point set by it We have
seen. however, that there was a continual
inflow of lower Slav standards, adding
to the over-suppy of labor. The stand
ard varied, therefore. among the differ
cnt groups. The standard Of the lowest
group was set by the individual having
the fewest wants. and these were mere
physical demands for existence"
When we speak of the cost of living
many things are to be taken in b consid-
Grafton. In China many laborers live on
few cents worth Of rice day, and
even In America there are those who live
or bacon and meal in a one-room cabin,
and manage to support life fairly we'll.
But laborers who try to maintainsa COM
Portable home and give their children an
education find the cost OF living much
greater. It all depends on the standard
of living.
!. 1t may be argued from an economic
point of view that 1t Is well to keep the
standard of the workingman low. so that
his wages may be kept down, to the
profit of those who employ him. But
clearly this is not in the interest Of socl-
city. The man .Eho has low standard
is not as good arcitizen as the man who
has high standard. And If we would
improve the character of our citizenship
VIC must encourage the people at large
to have high ideals 1t may be In the
interest of the mine owners, and incident
ally In the interest OF the consumers OF
coal to have the mines operated by
.6lays. But as general proposition It is
not in the interest of American society
and American government to have Slavs
and Chinese and others whose standard
OF living is low to come in and compete
with American workmen. and either re-
sduce the Americans standard of living
or drive him out Of occupation.
Immigration statistics Just sent out
from Washington continue to beat rec
ords, and total arrivals of over 100000
aliens the present fiscal year seem now
assured.
Last years total was s57o46, which was
az o54 in excess OF the number OF arrivals
IN any previous year. An increase of only
twenty-five per cent. over last years fig
Sures would make this years total more
Nfi,an 100000. but the Increase for the
\ INST two months of this fiscal year
amount to S6,lS4. or thirty-eight per cent,
more than the corresponding months in
last year. II the same rate of increase
We maintained throughout the year the
RRrand total will be 1,17S952
So says a Washington correspondent,
land he adds that there is little change
Nm the character of the immigration shown
by the August figures. The three coun-
ktries of Austria Hungary, Italy and Rus
eia continue To supply more than one-half
of the total number of arrivals
These are the men who are disp.acing
American workmen in the mines. How
long will 1t be before they displace them
in other branches OF industry? Yet Re
publlcans are forever telling us that tho
& tariff Is levied to protect American work
men against foreign competition. Let tho
american workman study these facts and
figures and decide for himself how much
protection he gets out OF the tariff,
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