Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-04-01
The Problem Of Immigration.

| The Problem Of immigration.
The competition now going on be-
tween the different steamship lines.
! which run between New York and
European ports, bids fair to have an
important bearing upon the general
question of immigration. The govern
line a subsidy of 100000 for the estab-
lshment of line to Fiume. and will
endeavcr to make sure that immigrants
from that country leave from this port.
To such an extent has the Hungarian
government carried this work, that it
is said that emigrants from there, in
order to secure passports necessary to
email bic them to leave the country are
required to make Il deposit of $500 in
the Fiumc route. Whether or not there
is any rake-off for the Hungarian gov
eminent, does not appear. However.
when we consider that last year no less
than 206,000 passengers sailed from
fiumc. it is evident that the possible
ties in this direction are by no means
small. 1t is needless to say that the
competition during the present year be-
tween the Cunard and the Hamburg
American lines. together with the war
Talk, which is heard in European coun-
tries, is destined to have Il stimulating
effect 1lpon emigration to this country
fl ON foreign lands. 1t is said that the
Hamburg American liner, which sailed
from New York Il week ago Tuesday,
carried steerage passengers for $500,
decrease of $14.00 in the rates which
prevailed a few months ago. and there
is reason to anticipate an even further
reduction.
Under the circumstances, it is appar-
ent that the welfare of the American
immigration bill now pending before it.
1t is of vital importance to this coun-
try that we exercise. in the years to
come. vastly closer ana more critical
supervision of all immigrants seeking Il
permanent domicilc in this land than
has been exercised in the years past.
This country has shown wonderful
ability to absorb these newcomers, and
build them up to the standards Of
4 cit h,rt fhpra iS
limit to its capacity in this direction.
Much of its success in the years gone
by has been due to the immense area
of public land available for settling pur-
poses. This is now largely exhausted.
To such an extent is our territory
settled that immense schemes of irri-
CATION are now contemplated to bring
into cultivation large tracts of land,
once regarded as arid and unfertile, and
designated on our maps as deserts
Il is evident, therefore, that the out
let in this direction has been largely
curtailed 1t is unquestiOnably true
also that there has been a vast
deterioration in the general class of
immigration. which has come to this
country in recent years. Where form
erly it sought agricultural outlets. it
now has a tendency more and more to
huddlc in the congested districts of big
cities, and thus render the opportuni-
ties for profitable employment less and
less for the wage earncrs of those
places. From this undesirable class of
immigration have come many Crimi-
nails and an appalling increase in the
number of the insane and INDECENT.
New York State alone expcnds annual
", for the care of paupers criminals
and insane people. who have come to
this country within the past three
decades more money than was cxpen1
ed 80 years ago for the care of such pco-
pie in the whole country. Facts like
these should be carefully considered by
the American people. and such meas
urcs taken as will safeguard the
future of the country, and give us the
highest possible standard of citizenship
throughout the land