The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-05-26
INFLUX OF FOREIGNERS
The Immigration Problem and
Efforts to Solve 1t.
WHY RESTRICTION IS ADVOCATED

That the Laws on This Subject Need
changing-one Reason why We Do
Not Get Better Labor Glass.
Storage arrivals 10y steamship after
steamship at New York Of the great
I 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 that
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
/ paper contributed to the latest issue
Of the. quarterly Federation, Immigra-
! 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
1893, since which time vast changes
have occurred in the character and ma
tionalities Of the aliens who seek
new home IN the United States. Any
1 intelligent discussion Of further requi-
site legislation must be preceded by a
thorough appreciation of the changes
! above referred to, which have been so
gradual that the country as a whole
has only recently begun TO realize that
today we are adding annually ] per
cent TO our population from portions
OF Europe which twenty years ago sent
us hardly any people TO consider the
topic Of immigration today as meaning
the same as it dig 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-
lions which exist between the Anglo
Saxon, Teutonic and Scandinavian
races and the Slay, Magyar Italian,
Greek and Syrian races.
1t is almost certain, the commits
sioner considers, that had our early
immigration proceeded from those poT-
tons Of eastern and southern Europe
which are now sending such large
numbers Of illiterate aliens into our
great cities this country would not
now enjoy IT'S present civilization.
I liz O1IMlldlhpiA vi iAAONt VIII AAG INV
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, 10000 were unskllled 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
I state alone received over 100000 Con-
siderably less than 10 per cent went
west and about 2 per cent south, The
statistics show, and it is a well known
fact that the great stream Of immi-
grafton today is city immigration,
! and that the bulk Of the immigrants do
not 20, and cannot be urged TO 20, into
/ the unsettled parts of the United States
for the purpose of developing them.
| The pauper statistics show that about
I 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 viii result in prevent
ing such people from coming here. on
the contrary we must strive to SO keep
out those who are below certain
4 grade OF intellectual and economic fit
/ ness.
Germany and England have a large
surplus population, and vet 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 rcpulsive
physical conditions which have led
Health Commissioner Lederle to refuse
any longer to receive immigrants with
contagious diseases In the city hos
pitfalls Notwithstanding the receipts
from this source amounted to $4,000
per year, and says: I'm view Of these
facts and Of the wretched appearance
and absolute poverty Of a considerable
number Of the aliens who arrived In
this country during the fiscal year end
ing June, 1902, l think you win be
somewhat shocked to learn that less
than four-flfths Of per cent Of these
aliens were excluded, and you viii
agree with me that this percentage
did not afford the country the neces-
sary protection
CostIiest of War ships.