The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1905-03-18
IMMIGRATION QUESTION.
Probable Shifting of the Race Problem as
a Result of the Acquisition of q
Million New Residents.
New Orleans Times Iaa,.,.ea4
New Orleans Times-Democrat.

New Orleans Times Democrat.
We are to have another big year OF
immigration-the war and the threaten.
ing condition of affairs in Europe
promise this. All the indications are
that the total arrival of immigrants in
this country will exceed both last wear
and the previous one, and may reach
the million mark.
In 1908 the arrivals numbered 857.-
600; in 1904 the tide fell to e12, 200. For
the first six months of the present ifs
cal year the immigration has already
reached half a million, as compared
with 403, 900 in 1908 and 1928, 900 in 1904.
We are already $4,000 ahead, with
every probability that this gain will
be increased rather than diminished.
Russia is naturally furnishing a
large part of this immigration, inelud-
ing Slavs as well as jews, and the
Russian strikes are likely to give an
impetus to the tide Of population pour
ing from the empire. This immigra-
tion for the half year is $4,000 as
against $4,000 the previous half year
and 81 900 in 1902.
While the immigrants, as whole,
are not Of as good a class as those
who came half a century ago; that is,
are more ignorant Of American affairs
and more difficult TO assimilate, the
bulk Of them are industrious, hard
working people, who come to this
country looking for work, and are only
too glad to get the toughest kind of
labor at very small wages.
Does the United States want these
newcomers? And especially does the
south want them? Some months ago
there were strong declarations in favor
of turning a portion of this immigra-
ton south. 1t was urged on the
ground that we need more labor for
the development of our latent resources
and that it would tend to solve the race
question, rendering the employers in
dependent of negro labor. This was
recommended by Commits
sioner of immigration Sargent; and
as there seemed at the time no opposi-
ton to the movement on the part of
northern employers, it looked as
though very large percentage of the
newly arrived immigrants would settle
in the south, if they did not land at
southern ports. New Orleans was
naturally recommended as the best
port for receiving and handling these
newcomers and distributing them
the south and southwest.
We have heard but little of the
of recent months. The i'm
migrants have certainly not arrived
here; and the movement has lost very
much of its vitality. New Orleans has
shown little disposition to avail itself
IF the opportunity to become the point
of distribution for European immi-
grants. the station which we were
asked to established here and which
y absolutely necessary for this busi-
aess has not yet been chosen; but while
We have done nothing whatever il this
natter, Galveston has been actively at
work and has prepared to handle the
business.
In the meanwhile the southern inn
migration plan, Of turning white i'm
Migrants and settlers in this direc-
ION, accompanied by tide Of negro
northwafd, which will nat
lrally keep up at the same time, is
to arouse some suspicion,
I not apprehension, in the north, on |
N the ground that it is plan to I'M
DAD the race question on that sec
ion. The Albany IN. W Times
Union, for instance, complains bitterly |
# this plan, and says of it:
'tThose who are feliciting the plan
# immigrants to the south, where la
,or is demanded, may not realize the
of the race problem this
Ian is certain to bring about.
Immigration will be drawn south,
7hether the ships unload at Galveston
r. New York; but the resultant new
roblem should be considered with
ne of its causes.
.Some foreigners are replacing the
lack man in the cotton field as rap
lly as the change can be made. They
o the work well, accept low pay, and
re said to be steadier. Unless some
briking objection develops, this sys-
I'm will be extended.
"What, then, will become of the
egro? He will be thrown out of en-
loyment in q hostile land. No op-
ortunity viii be offered for other pur-
lits at his old home, if, indeed, he
ere equipped to grasp them.
"His haven, naturally, will be the
orth, and the south will have shifted
8 race problem to the north. Is the
orth prepared to meet it? What pro-
lsion will be made for the influx OF
labor far in excess OF the de- {
and?
Ieals and environments, will find his
lanees more uneven than those of the
orthern of his own color, and his !
more irresistible
Immigration il likely to become a
ivial matter, compared with the ef-
ct of its development upon the shift {
y of a great national puzzle"
The objection raised BY the Times !
MON has been pressed by other north
"a papers, which, however, are not
lite as candid. The Chicago Chron- t