The sun., 1904-12-05
MUST SCATTER IMMIGRANTS.
CONGRESS SHOULD TAKE UP THE
SUBJECT, SAYS SARGEANT.

Present Lack Of System an Evfl-Com.
missioner Prepares an Exhaustive
Report for Congress-Sl2,S5O Inlmi.
grants Landed In Last Fiscal Year.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4.-Facts bearing on
every phase Of the immigration problem,
collected In every country Of Europe,
in Asia, Africa and the Orient. as well as
In the t'aited States, are embraced In the
annual report OF the Commissioner General
OF immigration for the fiscal year ended
JUICE 30, l9A The data were evidently
put together as a guide for Congress when
it comes to take up the question Of more
restrictive laws. The report is moro COM
prehensive, wider in scope and covers q
greater variety Of topics than any hereto
lore prepared at the Dureau OF immigration
1t looks like a copy Of pictorial publca-
ton. as 1t is profusely illustrated with pic.-
ures OF the various immigration stations,
notably Ellis Island.
The operations OF the Chinese Exclusion
act. violations of the Alien Contract Labor
law, the aiien inmates Of pubic lnst,tu.
tons, the distribution OF ahens, abuses
by the transportation companies and the
colonization schemes Of tM @ Or three foreign
governments are treatet at length by
Iolnii.is~ivner-GeLeraI SargeaLt.
Immigrants TO the lumber OF 6l2,670
landed IN this country curing the year.
Inns ID oecins Of H,li6 oompaIed WITH
the preceding twelve months. More than
T,VUo foreigners weIe tuned lack Tor
various reasons, as follows: CoDvicts.
l6i; aIaIohists, i; polygGnists, i; IICs-
ututes, III; procuIers, 3; IDIOTS. 90; insane
persons, 2OS; paupers, S2,422; persons suher-
ing from ioathsome OF dangerous con-
tagious diseases. 552s; assisted in.mi-
grants. PSI contract laDorers, S,8sl. More
than 1900 were returned one year after
Landing and 40 three years after landing.
VI the more than Sl2, 100 arrivals, 6%s, LOO
were males and 2o3. 40 we're females, an
increase in the females Of 1880 and a de.
crease in males OF 64,04o. Nearly A,OvO
coud read, but not wrte, l6S,VVU coMd
neither read nor write and it is presumed
the remainder. 640,0l4 oouId both read and
write. 1t also appears that ABOUT 5000
OF these aliens had previously been In this
country. Ninety-tive thousand brought
with them $50 or more cash, each, while
6Ol 100 brought. each, less than $50 The
tota! amount OF money shown TO offioers
by tne si!VOO aliens was $2O, ,ss4, ,sss, or
t4,7iB,e1O more than was brought BY the
" .O4o arrivals OF last year. This fact
furnishes ASSURANCE, says Lue report, OF q
mai Aed Improvement IN the character of
the more recent immigration.
Pernaps the most interesting pages OF
the rot,ort are those dealing with aliens.
inmates OF pubiio institutions. OF the
totaI Of all Glasses ~ supported or confined,
amounting to +4,e.o, there is q distribution
among tue dulerent sections proportlonhts
70 the amen population OF eacn section.
respectively. Twenty per cent. of the in
mates Of the penal and charitable insti
tutions OF New York State are shens. "a
per cent. IN Massachusetts, 10 per cent, ia
IlAnois, 4? per cent. IN Montana, IL per
cent. IN Nlsoonsln, and 81 per cent. in North
and south Dakota. An examination of
the CAUSES of confinement discloses the
significant fact that of the total not much
less than hail or 2O,<s5, are insane while
the CRIMINALS number 9.s25.
lhe hlnese exclusion act has been rigidly
enforced during the year. witt satisfactory
results, and mention is made of the TACT
that new treaty with China Is about to
be negotiated. Following cooperation with
tne Canadian authorizes, immigration
through the DOMINION has begun to mater
laiIy decline.
Commissioner Sergeant blames the trans
portation companies for the large number
OF diseased immigrants brought to this
country. The talement Is mace that every
induoe.nent is offered the prospective
immigrant, and that where he Is diseased or
m gLI lie deDarred for other reasons in
deRinities are accepted to protect the CON-
pany In case the immigrant is denied ad-
mission.
Announcement Is made that the environs
Of various stations, notably Ellis Island,
have been greatly improved during the
year. As soon as title is secured from
New Jersey, another island station will be
built south OF the New York station and a
contagious hospital constructed In accord
ance with the act OF Congress
In concluding his report Commissioner
Sergeant discusses new immigration legis-
lation as follows:
Paramount In importance to all other
new legislation In regard to alien inami.
grants, the bureau considers some ade-
quate measure for the distribution Of aliens
long as this feature Of immigration is left
TO take care Of itself OF, more properly
speaking, is left to the tender mercies Of
those who can perceive no other aspect
OF our alien population than its capacity
TO contribute to their wholly selfish in.
given careful thought 10 the subject to
confess that merely the outside of the
problem has thus far been approached.
Prompt action in this direction Is recon-
mended
.The new legislation next in importance
is suitable provision for the physical in
spection Of aliens by officers Of the public
health and marine hospital service at for
eign ports before embarkation for the
United States. Such plan is indispen-
sable to the protection Of the country from
disease as well as from such burdens as
that now borne by the State Of New York
for the care OF insane aliens only amount
ing approximately to 5000 PATIENTS