New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-20

who bristled with figures and facts TO prove that
immigration should be restricted. of Eliot Nor
ton, president OF the Italian Immigration Society
IN this city, who strove convince his hearers
that the country needed immigrants and doomed
the italian as desirable settler. To add any
uncertainty that might might not exist DR.. Lee
X Frankel, Of the United Hebrew Charities, at
tackled Mr.. Ainsworth's position with great vigor
and no little sarcasm, accusing him of misquoting
and or lack OF information. and defending the
Jew from Mr.. Ainsworth's assertions that he had
brought tuberculosis and vice with him
In his general plea for restricted immigration
Mr. Ainsworth spoke of the average amount of
cash brought into the country by the representa-
uves Of different countries
THROWS THEM ON CHARITY
1T has been computed he said that the Scotch
man brings. roughly speaking S41. the Frenchman
$I. the Englishman S2S. the North Italian S22 tho
Scandinavian S6, the Russian $l4 the Hebrew s.
and the Lithuanian 81 Sc The New Yorker who
should go to Chicago. without friends work any
knowledge of the city. and with only IS in his
pocket, would be looked foohardy. but fancy
going 70 q strange country. with knowledge OF
the language friends to aid. and s. in ones
pocket 1t is this lack Of financial staying power
which throws many immigrants upon charity.
Another thng-pror 1880 immigration was
largely from the Celtic Germanic peoples, who
had less association in Europe before
coming here and amalgamated into our best ele-
ments after they did here. 1t is the Slav
and Semitic peoples who are now coming here
una these uOt only nad nttle 10 90 Win tne celtic
and Germanic peoples in Europe. but they decline
to mix with those they find here, preferring to
form into colonies and retain their customs
and languages. May not OF their lack of
success in supporting themselves be due to this
lack OF sympathy with US and our institutions?
TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS A DAY FOR
ALIENS.
I'VE paying 5000 q day in State institutions
to support aliens OF the LOO children at Ran
dars Island. about 10 per cent the children OF
aliens. At the Five Points House OF Industry. OF
the S7S parents represented by the children there
only l16 were born in this country At the insane
asylum on Wards Island of s46 patients who
were there in 1892. los Germans. 174 Irish 23S
(er about one-third) natives of the United States
SO Italians. 81 Russians etc. The House OF Refuge
at RandalPs Island had 42o boys, 81 Germans II
Irish. 10 Italians. 81 Russians and "a Americans
Many parents. who had sworn before a magistrate
that their boys were unruly IN order that they
might be sent to the House of Refuge were found
10 be boasting TO their neighbors that their
at college
THAT the Hebrew is physically a menace to New
York is Indicated by the great increase IN tuber-
culosis since the Hebrew immigration assumed
large proportions. According to DR. FrankeIs an
nuaI report there were only cent of tubercuar
cases among those applying for aid in 1880 In 1899
the proportion had risen TO per cent and In 1902
TO AS per cent 1t is granted that the Hebrew is
physically inferior to all the other peoples New
1ork by reason OF his small stature and narrow
chest. Trachoma. OF which there now forty
thousand cases in Brooklyn and Manhattan, was
practically unknown here Ave years ago.
The statement has been made lately that there
are in New-York twenty hospitals with a deficit OF
AJOOv0 Is II any wonder. with large a proper
ton OF aliens to for? Take tho following in
stance as case in hand; young girl came 20
this country four years ago For the last two
years she has been cared for by tho State in n
State hospital. She Is suffering from tuberculosis
is an epileptic and degenerate. During these two
years her drugs alone have cost tho State $50. At
an East Side institution. out OF 2GOo cases that
Were treated In year. lao Russians and
800 Americans.
RECOMMENDS RESTRICTION.
Il think the time has take steps" said
Mr.. Ainsworth IN conclusion particularly in this
city. 10 restrict immigration which leads TO re-
suits OF this kind. We have tho right insist that
people who come here shall at least be physically
capable SO that they do not become a charge on
the State within one or two years"
Mr.. Norton, IN opening his address, warned his
hearers against approaching the problem OF immi-
grafton from the viewpoint OF New-York City
on. g! myself should have hesitation IN declar-
Ing that immigration should be restricted. But
New-York IS not the whole country, and the coun-
try, IN its 5000 miles from 10 west and 200
miles from north TO south needs Immigrants The
real problem is not how 10 keep immigrants out
Of the country but how To distribute them the
country; Wo need immigrants TO take up
occupied land. and We need them to work for
Italian immigrant can do In taking up small farms
and making them pay The South IS crying for
put from 1890 $1,000 Italians on Southern farms
within the last decade If they had had The money
Italians over the country l would at once remove
from your minds any question as 10 the ACCESSIBILITY
OF letting more Italians in.
WHO'S TO DO THE D1GGING?"
Then. think of the immense amount Of digging
OF hard manual labor-that has to be done In this
country. with to do 1t except the Italian
and tho Hungarian. The volume Of this digging Is
steadily increasing and will increase long
the country IS prosperous. The ranks of the
dlggers, then, must be recruised. We already have
laws TO prevent diseased terate. criminal and
pauper persons from entering the country, and
not know. Certain 1t Is that 1t would be unwise
pass restrictions on any particular race This
immigrant viii be educated up to our IeveI-he
never will be, and 1t is not desirable that he should
be. We have got to have the pauper well the
millionaire The Italian laborer who digs the sub
way Is as necessary as we are to the country.
and then perhaps we can decide what to do
The moment the topic thrown open for
discussion DR.. Frankel jumped his feet
how quote two three lines. separate from
their context and make them appear to prove the
81 do not believe in figures. but there
figures ] should like TO read to Mr.. Ainsworh.
out OF eight hundred thousand immigrants who
were admitted to this country last year, how many
do you think were sent t. back as becoming public
a menace ought to welcome immigration
which could make SO small return of undesirabes
possible Instead Of being lax In giving aans the
benefit Of its institutions New-York City carries
It's reG9Iati9as against them so far that have
immigration authorities persons who applied to it
that they not citizens of the country.
1T Is not a question whether an immigrant
with 20 cents. A man may come here with $1,0oo
and yet not be desirable. AS to the prevalence of
tons Existing here. not to Injection TO by HeBrew
immisrants Read the reports OF the tenement