Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1906-06-04

the period OF life when they are In
possession of their best earning
capacity, when health and vigor
abound, when they are least liable TO
become paupers or inmates of chart
table institutions as charges.
The same facts appear in the single
year of 1905; the number of immi-
grants admitted to the United States
was ops 900, and 50 per cent of that
vast number were between the ages
of fourteen and forty-four. There
were only twelve and one-half per
cent under fourteen and there were
only six per cent over forty tive years
of age. 1t seems to me that these
figures are very significant indeed, as
illustrating the potency of the pres
ent law in protecting against oe
fective classes.
Again, take the very last month,
April of the present year. The num-
Der admitted through Ellis Island was
us. 665. Those between the ages of
cent of the whole; those unoer IA
were 95 per cent, and those who
were ov As years of age constituted
only 81 per cent. These were des-
tined TO every state and territory of
The United States; but of cours
more to New York, Pennsyivani
Massachusetts, Illinois, and tie man
ufacturing states than to the others.
Then the perhaps natural fear that
the relative proportion of foreign
born to all residents Of the United
States is increasing seems not TO be
substanUiated by the census returns
for the forty years ending in 1900, for
[ find that this foreign born element
constituted Is Of the whole IN 1850,
14.44 in 1870, Ii 80 n 1880, 14.T and
13 6 in 1900
There is another fact connected
with the question of the increase of
allen population which is sometimes
overlooked and which ought TO be
mentioned l refer to the number OF
immigrantsad mitted whosubsequently
return to Europe. During tue i've
years from 1899 to 1905, inclusive,
those who have arrived IN sIeorage
from British, continental, and the
Mediterranean ports there were 4,21O
1872; but during the same period there
returned to the old countries as steer
age passengers 1,275,S03, or 81 per
ceut of the whole. SO Jnat, OUT or all
4,210, 1872, the net gain in population
coming by steerage to the United
! States during that time, has baen
probably ABOUT 1884 900, or 69 per
cent of those originally admitted.
. But most Interesting fact as bear
| ing upon one phase of this question
| is this: That in 1904 we received
| thorugn the Storage from the Med
| iterralean ports las, 1878, or 1865 more
| than came here during that year.
That is explained in part by the fact
that very many of the Italian immi-
grants who come to this country work
through the warm season, return Ill
the fall, and spend the winter at home
engaged in their small trades, and
many of them come back here in the
spring.
Another thing which has impressed
me as bearing upon the character OF
immigrants is a statement made IN
the report of the missioner gem
eral of immigration, which has been
cited by him in some of his public ad-
dresses, to the effect that this million
oNimmigrants, in round numbers,
who came to us in 1905, brought with
them S25, 900, 600; that is to say, they
brouaht S25s per capita, and he cites
the t-thafthe worlds money is but
$40 4&r capfta, while the money pei
capitai Ia circulation in the United
States is about S31, or perhaps frac
i ton more than that.
1t seems to me, Mr.. President, that
these facts, and the fact which have
already mentioned that 80 per cant Of
all thai have come TO US In the last
five Or six years a. between the ages
of Il and A, should to some extent
relieve our anxiety as. to the class Of
immigrants whom we are admitting
and should impress US with the fac
that the present law is highly directive
in its operation.
But there is still another encourag
ing feature, and that relates to the l:
per cent of the wnoie, who are und
Ia years of age. The school census .
1900 indicates that of the children o
! | natives-that is, the native white chill
dren of native parents-68.7 per cen
of the boys and II per cent of tn
girls were in school six months in tn
; | wear: of the native white children U
: foreign-p porn parents 1877 per cent o
; the boys and 90.6 per cent of the girl
were in school,; and of the childre,
who " ere born abroad SO per cen
j. of the boys and 90.S per cent of th
girls were in school, for six months @
- | U0aU year. IL Cl6drly appears IrOI
= these figures that larger percentag
q of the cnildrenof foreign born parent
J and children befn abroad were i
- school fori,saix months of that yea
y, , than thereswere of native-born chill
4; dren of native parents.
This leads US TO the proposition tina
! the remaining per cent of those ad
e mitted, who are over 45 years of age
Is constitute, in all probability, the cias
II from which we may reasonably ex
pect our greatest danger. 1t stand
Is to reason that it should be so.
u The commissioner-gen in h
e report for 1905, gives the number {
Q those who we're born abroad who ar
q inmates of insane, charitable, an
q penal institutions or the United State
II have the table before me, which
e will not take the time to read.
q 1t appears, however, that 10 pr
q cent of such inmates have been
: this country over forty years; % pc
lt cent over 81 years; 3S per cent nav
0nr