The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-10-26
ALIENS A GREAT Menace
Looks as If Influx From South
ern Europe Threatens us.
A DANGER TO THE CITIES
When immigration Was Mostly Of
Teutonic Stock, Country Was
Benefited, But Now the Class are
Such as to Prove Considerable
Menace to Country.

In an address before the Academy
of Political Science in Philadelphia
Frank p. Sargent, commissioner of
immigration, declared the country was
menaced by the hordes that are now
coming to America from southern
Europe.
Mr. Sargent said:
ut has become an established prin.
ciple of this government to frown
upon the efforts Of foreign countries
to bring to the United States to be-
come burdens thereupon, the indi.
gent, the morally depraved, the physi.
cally and mentally diseased, the shift
less, and all those who are induced
to leave their own country, not by
their own Independent volitlon and
their own natural ambition to seek
a larger and more promising field of
individual enterprise, but to carry out
some selfish scheme, devised to take
undue advantage of some classes of
our people. or for other improper pur-
pose. Such a policy is wise one, as
well as obligatory upon the govern
HeHI OI tnlS great country.
The total estimated alien imml.
grafton to the United States from 1910
to 1920 was 250,000
"The total number of arrivals for
the fiscal year ended June 80, 1908,
was S57 7046. This is the greatest mum.
Der that ever applied for admission
In single year. The nearest approach
TO this was in 1882, when $4,000 were
admitted
The character OF the arriving
aliens, however, during the past year
differs greatly from that of 1882 and
the years previous. Since the founda.
tion Of our government until within
the past fifteen years practically all
of the immigrants came from Great
Britain and Ireland. Germany and the
Scandinavian countries, and was very
largely of Teutonic stock, with large
lions of them have made their homes
with us.
"In fact, they have been the path
finders in the west and northwest.
They are intelligent, industrious and
sturdy people. They have contributed
largely to the development of our
country and Its resources, and to them
is due, in great measure, the high
standard of American citizenship.
THE character of our immigration
has now changed. During the past
fifteen years we have been receiving
a very undesirable class from south
ern and eastern Europe which has
taken the place Of the Teutonics and
Celts. During the past fiscal year
nearly 100000 of these have been
landed on our shores, constituting
nearly 70 per cent. of the entire i'm
for that year.
Instead of going to those sections
where there is a sore need for farm
labor they congregate in the larger
cities, mostly along the Atlantic sea.
board, where they constitute a dan.
gerous and unwholesome element of
our population.
"The question that individually and
vitality affects the interests of our peo.
pie is What shall we do with the
thousands that are admitted? Shall
they be allowed to form alien colonies
in our great cities, there to maintain
the false ideas and to propagate
lawless view born thereof as the re.
suit Of their experience. foreign not
alone geographically, but foreign as
well to this country in their ideas of
human liberty and individual rights?
Immigration left thus is a menace
to the peace, good order and stability
OF American institutions, which will
grow and increase with the genera.
lions and finally burst forth in an.
arcNy and disorder.
at IS thus necessary as a measure
OF public security to devise and put
In force some means by which alien
arrivals may be distributed through
out this country and thus afford the
opportunities by honest industry Of
securing homes for themselves and
their children"
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