Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1906-01-04
FUTURE IMMIGRATION
RUSSIi, AUSTRIA, HUNGARY
SARGENT TdlNKS WILL LEAD
HiohWArER MARK FOR ITALIANS
HAS BEEN REACHED - Ex-
cERPTS FROM REPORT.
CONTRACT LABOR.

Washington. Dec. 10. - 10 present.
Ing the annual report of the Bureau
Of Immigration, Commissioner General
Sargent refers to the magnitude and
gravity of the problems presented by
the growth of the alien population in
the United States.
These problems" he declares,
loom so largely In the prospect OF
our country that 1t may be said with.
out giving just cause to charge exag
geration. that all other questions Of
public economy relating to things
rather than to human beings shrink in
20 comparative inslgnihcance."
The total alien arrivals reported FOR
the year Of 1925, 400 represents an
increase over the preceding year of
1889. of which the continental ports
oil the United States report 196.940 as
compared with arrivals there last
year. and the Canadian ports 1880.
At the insular ports the increase was
?.S49. although the arrivals at Porto
Rico were less by 81 than in 1904.
| There also was a large increase In ar
rivals at Southern ports, while de
crease Is shown for the Pacific ports
which is accounted for in some meas
ure by the Russian,Japanese war.
or the increased arrivals above re
ferred to-, Austria. Hungary sent 9S,
5S7 over its quota of 1904 Russia 80,
I56, Italy 2s,1S3 and the United King.
dom 1854. This Increase from the
last mentioned country, says the com.
missioner. Is somewhat offset by the
decreases from Germany, Switzerland
and Sweden. Notwithstanding the in.
crease from Italy. that country, says
the commissioner, may be regarded as
having probably reached the high
water mark. From this showing Com
missioner Sargent ventures the predic'
ton that the chief sources OF future
increases in immigration are those
two In Europe which have the greatest
resources In population, probably, to
dispense with-Russia and Austria
Hungary.
with the facts in view" he says
1T will be possible to calculate with
reasonable certainty on the character
OF immigration in Its greater bulk fol
some years to come-at least of Euro
pean immigration"
, The Importance of n proper under
|, standing OF the contract labor law Is
dwelt upon In the report. No feature
. OF the immigration law, he declares
has proved so difficult Of enforcement
as that which was passed for the pro
/ lection OF labor In this country from
. unfair competition by aliens. The CHIEF
| obstacle In the way of such enforce
/, ment, he attributes to the erroneous
/ impression that II is n measure wrunp
, from Congress against its will by the
, powers OF organized labor exacting al
It could obtain rather than seeking
simple Justice.
This impression is so widely preva
lent, he says, that II produces at least
an Indifference to the enforcement OF
the law, II not a hostile bias against il
and credits the law.making branch OF
the Government with no worthier mo-
tive for enacting Il than selfish fear
Because OF such impression, he de
olares, the bureau finds its efforts "a
, enforce the law either reluctantly sub
ritted to or resisted, actively or pas
sively, and itself viewed as In some
sort a branch or agency Of organized
labor, sensitive to that body's interest
responsive to its wishes, and thus es
sentially different from other parts OF
the executive government OF the Unit
ed States.
Perhaps labor itself" he adds, us
not altogether free from blame for
this false public impression, and thus
unconsciously has played into the
bands of those interests which find II
TO their account to ALLEVIATE public
sympathy by encouraging such a
yiew."