The San Francisco call., 1904-12-05
FEWER ALIENS
ENTER COUNTRY
Report Shows Falling Off
Of FOrty-Six Thousand In
migrants During the Year

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4.-Immigration
tc the United States decreased mate
rally during the last fiscal year, and
it is notable fact that the moral, in
tellectual and physical qualifications
OF the immigrants admitted to this
country during the past year are high
er than ever before. These are two sa-
lient features of the annual report Of
Frank P. Sargent. Commissioned Cen
eral Of immigration, which was made
public to-day.
During the past fiscal year S12,s7O
aliens arrived in the United States, Of
whom 549, 100 We're males and 26S, 40 fe-
males, an increase in females. as com
pared with last year, of 1880, and a
decrease in males of 64, ,0z6. OF the
total number 1883 could read, but not
write, 16S,903 could neither read nor
write, and it is presumed the remain
der, 64O,0 could both read and write;
s5,5T5 brought with them $50 or more
each and 5O1, $50 brought each less than
$50. The total amount of money shown
to officers by these S12,870 aliens was
$50, .SSS. or S4,776S76 more than was
brought by the S57 .046 arrivals of last
year.
At the various sea ports 1894 aliens
were excluded during the year, 4,79S
being paupers, 1850 diseased, 35 con-
victs and 1.501 contract laborers.
1t is interesting" says Sargent, "as
bearing on the attempts on the part of
contractors in this country to evade the
alien labor law TO note that. despite
the diminution of immigration, there
was an increase of 415 in the number
rejected as alien contract laborers. This
is a much larger number than has ever
before been refused admission to the
United States in any one fiscal year"
OF the aggregate steerage immigra-
tion 767 933 came from Europe, 26,1 1S6
from Asia and is, Isl from all other
countries. The greatest number of
Immigrants from one country 193, ,296
came from Italy, a decrease of 1896
from last year; 1914 from Russia,
46,3S0 from Germany. an increase of
1924; 9S,626 from England, an increase
Of 12,407; SO, 142 from Ireland, an in
crease Of S32: q, 763 from Sweden, a
decrease of 1926; %, sos from Norway
a decrease of 653; II, ,343 from Greece, a
decrease Of 2747, and ITO from Scot
land, an increase Of 4949. OF the ORR
entail countries Japan furnished the
greatest number Of immigrants IA ,264,
a decrease of $3.50: while China supplied
1909, an increase OF POO.
1t is noted in the report that more
than half of the total immigration, or
421 .s44, was supplied by the Italian,
Polish. Slavik and Magyar races.
Commissioner Sargent says that the
cause Of violations and attempted vio-
lations of the alien contract labor law
is the employer Of such labor in this
country. To put an end to such Of
fenses it is necessary for the law to
reach such employers and by sufficient
punishment, more potent than the mere
expulsion or deportation of the aliens
induced by them to emigrate hither, to
deter them from such practices.
Concerning the persistence with which
some of the steamship companies bring
diseased aliens into the country, the
Commissioner says this feature has
given the bureau more concern than
any other because Of its Importance as
affecting the health, or even the life
possibly, of citizens Of this country
and because of the apparent determine
tion TO bring aliens suffering with COM
municable diseases upon the chance of
the latter being able to effect an en-
trance. That the law is being defied by
some OF the companies is plain from the
fact that 1860 alien passengers thus af-
fiicted We're refused admission during
the year"
Comparatively little difficulty has
been experienced during the year in the
enforcement Of the Chinese exclusion
act. although about the usual number
of cases has been handled.
Commissioner Sargent says that par
amount in Importance to all other legis-
lation in regard to alien immigration
the bureau considers some adequate
measure for the distribution of aliens
who are admitted to this country"