New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-05
IMMIGRATION DECREASES
Commissioner Smgents AnHuai Re-
port Made PubHc.


tellectuaI and physical qualifications OF the i'm
migrants admitted to this country last year are
higher than have heretofore beer chroncled.
These are salient features Of the annual
report of Frank p Sargent. Commissioner Genera!
of Immigration. which made public to-day
The report says that in the last fiscal year Sl2HO
aliens arrived the United States of whom $4,000
were males and &c, 20 females an increase in the
females. compared with last year OF 1850 and
a decrease in the males of 64046. AS respects age
100 $50 were under fourteen years, COZ 55 were be-
tween fourteen and forty-ve and 1856 were forty
FIVE or over. OF the total number of admitted
immigrants 1888 could read but not write, los'soS
could neither read nor write. and. it is presumed
the remainder, 64O014 could both read ard write.
II also appears that 0 759 CT these aliens had al
ready been to this country 9557s brought with them
$50 each and 50l,550 brought each less imam
$50 The total amount of money shown 10 oTncers
by these S12.S7O aliens was s20SSiSSS. or Nf'os'o
more than was brought by the S57oi6 arrivals OF
the last year This fact, says the report, taken
In connection with the countries from which the
increases of the year under consideration came
furnishes assurance of a marked improvement IN
the character and thrift of the more recent I'M
migration The 2s 451 English immigrants brought
with them in the fiscal year 1903 81 o5'S6o TINS
year the a. 40 Of the race brought &,'36Isz;
the 81 500 Irish last year had s96OS2, while the
1906 Irish this year showed $lO92 ISL; 77S2 German
immigrants last year mad S24Se6S4 TINS year '4''V
possessed in hand S622,67S
T.
AT the various seaports of the United States 1894
aliens were excluded in the year, 4,79S being
paupers $50 diseased. So convicts and 1.5ol con-
tract laborers. 1T is interesting. said Commls-
sioner Sargent's report las bearing on the in
creasing attempts the part of contractors in
this country TO evade the alien contract labor law
to note that despite the diminutiOn of immigration
there was increase of 40 in the number rejected
as alien contract laborers This is a much larger
number than ever before has been refused admlS-
sion to the United States for this cause in any one
fiscal year Further along in the report Commits
soner Sargent discusses at length the evil of the
Importation of contract laborers, dwelling parucu-
larry the insuficency of laws at present on the
statute books to stop the evil at the fountain
the contractors In the United States. The comhls-
soner vigorously recommends that the law be so
amended enable the officials of the govern
ment to deal with the matter in such way as
ehectualy will put end to the evil
Commissioner Sargent recommends. in order to
prevent the entry of diseased persons, that the
physical examination of aliens be conducted
abroad. at ports of embarkation, by officers or
the United States Public Health and Marine Hos
pitaI Service
ITALY LEADS IN NUMBERS
Of the aggregate Storage immigration last year
1888 from Europe, 261S6 from Asia and
IL 75l from all other countries. The greatest num-
Der of immigrants 1913 298 came from Italy de
of 1885 from last year, while l77,l06 came
from Austria Hungary, decrease of 2SS55; ll5.l4
from Russia; &c $50 from Germany, increase of
1924: Ss626 from England. an increase of u 407;
S6142 from ireland, increase of SS2 q 1853 from
Sweden, decrease OF is 265; 90 sos from Norway,
decrease OF $50; 1,343 from Greece decrease of
2.747. and Il O92 from Scotland, increase of 1879
Of the Oriental countries Japan furnished the
greatest number of immigrants. .264. decrease
Of 5,1O4 while China supplied 4309, an increase or
200, 1t is noted in the report that more than
half of the total immigration or 42sl4 was sup
piled by the Italian. Polish Slovak and Magyar
In closing his review of the violations OF the
Alien Contract Labor law Commissioner Sargent
SAYS he is impelled TO direct attention to the fact
that the effective operating cause of violations and
law is the employer of such labor In this country
To put an end to such offences, therefore, II IS
employers, and by sufficient punishment. more
he alien induced bv them to emgrate hither to
deter them from such practices.
VIEW BASED ON LONG OBSERVATION.
This feature of the law OF necessity must be en-
forced by the officers of the Department Of Justice
operating through the courts The bureau can only
assist in securing the evidence for in such
cases, but 1t cannot refrain from expressing the
view, based upon long observation. that this which
obviously should be the strongest is for some
reason removable possibly by appropriate legsla-
latiOn to the importation of aliens under induce
ments of profitable employment in the United
Concerning the persistence with which some of
the steamships bring diseased aliens into the coun-
try, the Commissioner says this feature of admin
Istratiun mas given the bureau concern than
any other. both because of it's Importance affect
ing the health or even the life possibly of citizens
OF this country. and because OF the apparent de-
termination to bring aliens suffering with COM
municable diseases upon the chance of the latter
being able 10 effect an entrance. That the law is
being deiied by OF the companies Is plain,
from the fact that l.5G0 alien passengers thus at-
fctcd denied admission during the year. 1t
is but Just to that some Of these cases did not
reach the pcrCepuble stage of development until
after enbarkati0n but i'll most stances the agents
OF the companies, with amazing pertinacity, is-
nCred the law. as shown by the fact that during
the year there have been imposed upon them PEN
alties. under Section Of the act of March 3, 1903
amounting to $500
AS result of orders issued IA little more than a
year ago officers OF the Marine Hospital Service
stationed at the principal Eastern ports, began tn
examine aliens embarking for the United States.
OF those examined. 629 We're rejected at Yokohama
and $50 at Maya Xxi
ALIENS COLONIES DECRIED.
The Commissioner reiterates the statements he
made IN his last annual report regarding the pub
lie evils arising from the maintenance in this
country colonies OF aliens who retain their al
legiance TO their native countries and forward to
those countries the greater part of their earnings
he encouraged by people In other
tries un-American in principle and dangerous in
practice 1t is pointed out that "A $50 aliens ara
supported confined in the charitable or penal
institutions of this country. of whom 2O,4Sj
sane while the criminals number 1885,.
As TO alien seamen-a subject which has given
gent says that ii finally was decided TO inform
masters of all vessels bringing crews alien in
whole in part, that such alien seamen as might
be discharged in United States ports would assume
the status Of alien immigrants, and that the
tiers would be held accountable for them under the
immigration laws