davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-09-19
By Emerson Mcmillan.
Chairman Conciliatory Committee of I
Civic Federation.

Chairman Conciliatory Committee of the
Civic Federation.
Decidedly l favor an intelligent re-
striction of immigration on both our
eastern and western seaboards. With
out being an alarmist, venture to say
that the problem grows more difficult
each year and must ultimately de-
mand a solution. America has accom-
plished wonders in assimilating great
hordes of immigrants from many diff
ferent countries, but it is very seri-
Gus question how long at the present
rate of increase she can continue to
do so. Now it seems to me that when
foreigners come to us in such num-
bers that they form separate and dis
tinct communities, preserving their
language and traditions intact, they
constitute a menace. When such a
colony is formed it is difficult to break
up Assimilation goes on very slowly.
AS rule, the immigrant of recent
years differs from us widely in his
ideas of morality, his attitude toward
the law and in his general point OF
VIEW. w utu we lCdu VI lllC NiCiShs
crimes committed, the names are usu-
ally foreign, The Black Hand out
RACES, for instance, have doubtless
been greatly exaggerated, but such as
they are they are a foreign importa-
ton, and of very recent years.
It is undeniable, of course, that the
coming of these millions of laborers
has contributed much to the wealth
and prosperity of the country. But
should this army of workers be in
creased indefinitely? We have pop
ulation to-day in excess of 100000
very active and alert people. 1t would
seem that the natural resources OF
the country could be developed and
the great business of the land carried
forward very we'll with our present
population and it's natural Increase,
And ! am not among those who have
any fear of race suicide. The In
crease in the number of immigrants
from year to year is astonishing Can
we continue to receive this army in
definitely without some day reducing
our scale of income to that of Europe?
Does il seem probable that the Slavs,
the Russian Hebrews, the Sicilians
and others who are coming to us in
such numbers to-day will in a few
years have risen as have the Irish,
and have become as good Americans
And II these foreigners with traditions
and manners very different from our
own are not assinilated, the problem
becomes a very serious one.
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-09-19
pobson Inspsets Irrigation Work.

Secretary Dobson Of the state board
OF irrigation has returned from a trip
to the government diversion dam for
the interstate canal at Whalen. Wyo.,
forty miles from the Nebraska line.
This work is in the charge Of Bert
Forbes, formerly assistant to Mr.. Dob.
son, who has developed into quite q
water witch, having found water at
n depth of twenty feet where all
others had failed, including old set
tiers who had gone there in prairie
schooners. The canal is completed
with the exception OF the dam at the
head to control the water. By the be
ginning OF next season it ia est-
mated that there will be sufficient
water In the canal to irrigate 10000
acres of land, and before the season
closes 10000 acres, most Of which ie
in Nebraska The dam is TOO or 800
feet long and will be made OF con-
crete and cost about 100000. The
contractor began work by driving
sheet piling across the river just
above the proposed site Of the dam to
shut Off the water temporarily to per-
NIT construction. When this work is
complete a large ditch will be dug
to divert the flow Of the stream
around the proposed dam.
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-09-19
BY Robert Watchorn.
Commissioners of Immigration.

Commissioner of Immigration.
Public opinion is all wrong, or near
ly so, upon many phases of the immi
grafton question. With more than a
million immigrants a year we cannot
supply the urgent demands for labor.
The army of workers adds enormously
to the wealth and prosperity of the
country.
1t Is not the scum of Europe we are
getting, but the pick of the most ear
nest and Woodworking OF its popula-
ton. AS to the morality of the immi-
grants of to-day, it seems to me that
it compares favorably with that of
our native born population,
All this is not a matter of mere
opinion or sentiment, 1t is borne out
by the actual statistics. Mr.. Reeves
figures, it seems to me, in some re-
spects, understate the facts. He men
lions $500 year as the earning power
of these immigrants. AS matter of
fact, these men will earn more, on
the average, than a dollar n day. |
think the figure may safely be in
creased by at least so per cent. With
in a few days Mr.. Charles Lorhn, the
New York state commissioner of la,
Dor, came to me in search of men l
could not supply. He estimated that
New York state alone needed 100000
men, to whom he would pay S25 a
month and board on the farms alone.
Now, that does not look much like
overcrowding or the impossibility of
assimilating we hear so much about.
OF the million, or, to be exact, the
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-09-19
Poultry at the Fair.

The state poultry association held
it's semi-annual meeting at the state
fair grounds, the chief business trans
acted being preparatory to the annual
meeting and exhibition of the associa-
ton which will be held in January. 1t
was decided to hold the show in Lin.
coin provided it was found that the
city auditorium could be secured for
that purpose. The winter exhibition
promises to be larger than ever before
in the history Of the asso iation, Ow-
ing to the probability that the National
White Wyandotte association will hold
its show in connection.
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-09-19
AGRICULTURAL Board Meeting.

The semi-annual meeting of the
board of agriculture took lace in the
executive building at the fair grounds.
II was decided to push the work Of ex-
tending the grounds that has been
partly finished. The reclamation where
the swine barns are will be completed
this fall. Delegates to the American
association Of state fairs to be held at
Chicago In December were appointed
in the persons Of w. H. Mellar and
Peter Youngers. o. P. Henderson,
will be delegate to the Shorthorn
Breeders association at same time.
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-09-19
To Establish Quarantine Line.

State Veterinarian McKim has
asked Governor Sheldon to fix north
and south quarantine line in Nebraska
to prevent scabies from spreading.
The western part of the state is great
ly affected with the disease, and DR..
McKim believes that he can clean up
the eastern part Of the state only by
a vigorous quarantine. This line will
run along the eastern boundary of
Boyd, Holt Wheeler and Greeley
counties, the southern boundaries of
Greeley and Valley counties, the east
ern and southern boundaries OF Gus
ter, the eastern and southern boun-
daries of Lincoln, the eastern boundary
of Chase and Hitchcock counties.
When this line is established, no cat
tie will be permitted to be taken from
the western half of the state to the
eastern for feeding purposes without
inspection or dipping. They may be
taken direct to the slaughter houses
without either.
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-09-19
Dinner to MIR. BRYAN,

The Bryan dinner, notice of which
was published some time ago, will be
held at Lincoln, Sept. "a. The demo
cratic delegates to the state eonven.
ton called by law to prepare the party
platform will be in attendance, as we'll
as Gov. Campbell of Texas and other
prominent democrats from various
states. While the announced intent
OF the diner is to boost the election
If the democratic nominee for SUI
preme Judge, Mr., Bryan will be here
md will tell what he thinks should be
lone to secure democratic success.
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-09-19
Looking for Lost Son.

John G. Millekin Of St Joseph, Mo-,
came to the state fair thinking ii
would be good time and place 10 Sc
cure some tidings of the whereabouts
Of his son, L. D. Milleken, of whom he
has lost track. He says his son has
been away from home for about twelve
years, but that a year ago he had a
letter from him, written from Have
lock, where the son was then EN-.
ployed as a telephone lineman. In
the letter he directed his father to
SEMI the response to him at Green
wood. This was done.
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-09-19
The State Fair,

The 1907 state fair is over. The
fine horses and cattle and hogs and
poultry and exhibits have been
started homeward. The big whistle
sounded the finish of the fair prompt
ly at o'clock Friday, and then the
dismantli7g began. The general
opinion o the visitors is that the fair
was a magnificent success. The visit.
ors looked more prosperous than here
tofore and the premium winners
scored higher points. Financially tn
fair is almost Up to the record of
former years.
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-09-19
Argument on sibley Law Case.

The motion to remand to the state
supreme court from the federal court
the suit to test the constitutionality
OF the Sibley law will be argued this
week. This is the case where Attorney
General Thompson, acting for the
state railway commission, fled a pc
tition for an injunction to prevent the
'Xpress companies from violating the
Sibley law, and which the express
ompanies transferred to the federal
court.
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-09-19

In many circles throughout the coun-
try there Is In progress a serious dis
cussion as to the ACCESSIBILITY Of curb
ing the immigration flood. This nat
uraliy has led up to the question Of the
immigrant, his value or his menace,
and his position in the social machine.
The New York Herald has invited
opinions on the subject, and presents
the views of three men who may reason
ably be said to have studied the
situation. We reproduce them below:
BY Sidney A. Reeve.
Former Professor of Steam and Hydrau-
lie Engineering at Worcester Polytech-
mic Institute and Lecturer at Harvard.
Current conversation and the peri
odical press are full of condemnation
of our lax restriction of immigration.
All the evils to which our country is
heir are explained by the undesirable
horde" of aliens which Is pressing into
the land with ever increasing volume
The steady increase in criminality
which has now become unquesuoned
is attributed to this overflow" Of the
undeslrables from the older countries,
and these countries are accused of col
lusicn with the steamship companies
toward a promotion of the volume of
migration. That portion of our citi-
zens which is Interested In the labor
market is In chronic rebellion against
this influx of cheap labor, destined to
compete upon an un-American basis
with American labor. Those of us
who are interested in purity of poll
tics see in the inflowing torrent cur
rent supply of corruptibles upon
whose votes political machines may
be reared and supported.
Upon every side arises this denun-
citation of immigration. Nor is it re.
cent phenomenon. Look up the litera.
ture OF immigration, and you will find
the decade of 1840-1S50 supplying its
fair quota of "kicks," in goodly proper
ton to what our increased population
puts forth to-day. For 60 years we
as a nation. regardless of whether oul
continent yet contained undevelopeC
territory, as in 1S47, or undevelopec
possibilities, as in 1907, have been OBJ
jecting strenuously to immigration.
Meanwhile the immigration has
been steadily increasing, except dur
ing the period of the civil war, and a
the end of the 60 years we enjoy phe
nomenal prosperity.
There is an inconsistency here
somewhere between the theories o.
the pessimists and the facts, and bis
one. too.
What are the facts?
Question of Crlminality.
AS to crimiHality, we can find none
supporting the theory that in genera
immigration is of a criminal sort
Here and there may be found mino
facts and figures on that side, it Il
true. The southern Italians, withou
question, are unusually illiterate an
NJ addicted to the settlement of differ
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-09-19
Railroads Must Answer.

The railway commission refused to
grant more time to the railroads in
regard to hearing on freight rates
on grain. The hearing will begin this
week with the Burlington. The rail
ways coyly asked that the grain rate
proposition be deferred for two
months.
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-09-19
Grain Rate Hearing.

The state railway commission win
listen to the protest of the railroads
on Monday in the matter Of the Or
der reducing rates on grain an aver
age Of 10 per cent the state over. The
railroad men tried to get this hearing
postponed, but we're unsuccessful.
They intend to bring in lot of evil
dence, and testimony will be taken
showing the cost of hauling the grain,
If that is possible. Chairman Winnett
and Rate Clerk Powell went 10 Iowa
on Friday to investigate grain rates
in that state and to look over the
schedules.
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-09-19
County Exhibits at Fair.

In the county collective exhibits
Washington won first money in the
eastern division, Kearney in the CEN
trail and Brown in the western. The
counties scored and received money
ac follows.
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-09-19

1,001,756, immigrants last year more
than ten per cent we're over the age
limit and a great proportion brought
their wives. About so per cent. may
be classed as workers. But in another
sense they were all workers. There
were no idlers, scarcely one who
would shirk his duty And as to their
morality, the average is certainly
good. These immigrants are placed
upon a probation for three years.
Should they get into trouble in this
time they are liable to be deported.
Last year there were for all causes
less than 1900 deported. l question
If our native born population can show
better record.
The modern immigrant of to-day, it
seems to me, is greatly misunderstood.
We have a great deal of talk about
the menace of the immigrant from the
south of Europe. A few decades ago
most Of the immigrants came from
Ireland, while Germany ranked second
and Great Britain third. Italy and
Russia sent comparatively few. To-
udy luS olIudJlOu ID DIdCJCdlly Ie-
versed. Last year we received 100000
from Italy, $4,000 from Russia and
but $4,000 from Ireland and 10000
from Germany. From Austria and
Hungary some $4,000 reached our
shores. 1t is unfair to say that the
north Of Europe is no longer repre-
sented. But are the immigrants from
the southern countries dangerous or
undesirable? The statistics of crime
do not prove it. The Italian is hard
worker. We should remember that
the Latin people were highly civilized
when the north of Europe was peo-
pied with savages. The southern
countries may not have progressed Of
late, but the impulse is still there, and
with unlimited opportunities of Amer
lea before them who can tell what
they may not accomplish in the fu-
ture?
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-09-19

Secretary of State George G. JunkiE
is in receipt of letter from E. T.
Roemer, civil engineer of New York,
in which a request is made for copies
of the laws governing interpretations
in Nebraska, together with informa.
ton about franchises and charters.
Mr. .Roemer gave the information that
capital is in sight in the east to I'm
ance the long-projected north and
south railroad running from Nebraska
to the gulf. He did not say which
company was being favored or the
prospective route.
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-09-19
AS to Pauper Labor.

A great deal of the misunderstood
ing Is due to the use Of that term pau
per labor. l have estimated tnat
every immigrant in coming to Amer
lea spends on an average from $50 to
500 for transportation. This includes
his fare from his home to the point Of
departure, the crossing of the Atlantic
and the railroad fare to his destina-
ton. In other words, they spend up
ward of $100,000,000 a year in search
of work. Let us suppose, for sake OF
argument, that Russia suddenly held
out great opportunities for money
making so that Americans by the mil
lion were attracted there. 1t seems to
me that 100000 native born citizens
might have some difficulty in raising
$100,000,000 for transportation. And
in addition this army of incomers car
ried with them more than $20,0O0,000
in cash.
There is, of course, urgent need Of
the restriction of immigration, but
such restriction is already in force.
The laws governing the situation are
very rigid; they have been devised by
intelligent men, familiar with the sit
uation, working in sympathy with
these people as well as in the best in
terests of the country. And the laws
are being enforced AS the need for
further restriction occurs it will re-
ceive due attention. Meanwhile the
demand for laborers throughout the
country Is very urgent. The immi-
grants are adding hundreds of mil
lions of dollars to the wealth Of
America, while they help themselves
to broader and more prosperous life.
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-09-19
$5,ooo,ooo,ooo Per Annum.

During the last 20 years some 49,
900, 900 or 100000 immigrants have
arrived. The exact figure does not
matter, for all we wish is an estimate
of the number now alive and working,
and many who came before 1887 are
that. If these people are producing
an average of $500 worth of goods
and children apiece their current pro-
ductivity is now $4,000, 100000 per an
mum.
This is 200 times as much as our
new automobiles cost us last year.
This enormous fund of current income
we should have lost had we rigidly
excluded immigration in 1887.
How much capital do these immi
grants embody, not in their pockets
or bank accounts, but in their strength
Of body and character?
Assume that out of the 1900, 00C
aliens arrived since 1887 100000
are now adult males. For each OF
these that you kill his family can col.
lect from you, by law, $4,000. He
must be worth at least half that. That
is to say, we have got from Europe
during the last two decades, for moth
ing, working machine which capital.
ICES at from 25,OOO,OOO,0O0 to 5O,OOO,.
100000.
This figure agrees fairly well with
our estimate of the animal productiv-
| ity of this great human machine. But
the eXactness of the figures does not
matter. 1t is plain that, however they
may be modified in detail, they will
| still remain enormous Our crops
have certainly been enormous of re.
cent years, but 1t has already become
plain that they cannot stand alone as
an explanation of our remarkable
prosperity. We not only grow hun
| dreds of millions of dollars worth OF
corn, wheat, and cotton at the cost OF
much labor each year, but we also i'm
bibe from another continent, without
cent of cost to ourselves, upward OF
billion dollars worth OF human live
stock per annum.
We do not hesitate to assign a solid
value to every other form of live stock
which the land needs for it's working
| Why should not our immigrants be
| figured as similar asset?
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-09-19

enCeS Dy SLllettO. we even lQentlIy
the Italians roughly with the Black
Hand system of blackmail. The south
Italians are but a small fraction of all
immigration; the class of crimes to
which they are prone is minor one
in our criminal records; the black
mail extorted by the Black Hand is
but a drop in the bucket compared
with the volume of eXtortion currently
practiced by American business men,
within and without the law, against
American-born victims.
Viewing the situation broadly, there
is no decisive evidence pointing to
the criminality of the average immi-
grant. There is much pointing to his
superiority over the average native
American to industry, sobriety and the
patient liberation of adverse condi-
lions without outbreak. Indeed, the
most decided evidence on this point
comes from Great Britain, which coun-
try complains that of all her immi-
grants the Americans are the most
criminal, being three or four times as
bad as the average of the rest and
ten times as bad as the Poles and
Hungarians.
We do not conclude from this too
hastily that America Is ultra Grim
inal. But we quote it to signify that
he who seeks statistical support for
anti-immigration views, doing it in
sincerity and breadth, is apt to meet
with sour comfort
Standard of immigrants.
Our own conclusions are that the
vast majority of immigrants are slight
ly above our American standards in
industry, sobriety and patient self-re-
straint though they are undoubtedly
below us in initiative. They come
from countries where unceasing toll
Is the price of life, and where the get
rich-quick microbe is virtually ur-
known In their Netherlands drunken
ness is minor crime, whereas in
| Great Britain and America it is a ma
jor one. And as to patience under
conditions inviting to revolt, America
is proud of standing first among all
the nonLatin peoples of the temperate
zones in her promptness TO resent pub
licly, by the passive rebellion of the
strike, If not by actual violence, the
presence of conditions unnecessarily
hard. Our complaint against the i'm
migrants must be that they are too
patient and submissive for American
standards, rather than that they are
too violent and resentful.
AS to illiteracy, it is true that the
immigrants are below our standard.
What of It? Education is a thing of
itself, neither conducive to nor antag,
onistic to morality and happiness. 1t
may be powerful tool to both. But
it is often used as an equally power.
full tool against both Our educated
classes are not always the happiest
ones. Our worst and biggest crooks
are the educated ones.
In short, a man is of value to a
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-09-19

country solely according TO whether
he produces more, of material or Of
morality, than he consumes. He may
produce very little, yet II his wants
are less than that little he is still a
profitable investment for the nation
He may, on the other hand, apparently
produce millions; yet II he consumes
more than that, or II he undermines
our standards OF morality, or II he
is found to produce actually much
less than he apparently produces, he
may be great source Of loss, in spite
OF his prominence and power.
The people understand this well
1t is their habitual application OF this
new economic trysquare to men in the
public eye which is now making mil.
lionairism so uncomfortable.
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-09-19
What Is immigration Worth?

To which class, then, belongs the
average immigrant? Is he producer
or a dissipator Of net wealth and NOR
atty? If the former what is our i'm
migrant worth. net, to the nation?
The law says that dead male adult
constitutes loss Of $4,000 to his fam
lily. In this it strikes a rough average
and draws no distinction of any sort
between individuals. So it is hard TO
get at 1t in that way.
The average adult male immigrant
(and half Of our immigrants are Of
this sorD earns at least $500 per an
mum soon after his arrival. Rather,
that Is what he is paid. My estimates
have led me to state, elsewhere, that
his actual productivity is from three
to four times that amount, the balance
going to pay the cost of doing "busi-
ness" with what he produces and con-
sumes. But the benefit of this doubt
will be left, for the present, to the op-
position.
The right will be reserved, however,
to class all immigrants under this fig
ure, for the majority of them have
been here long enough to expand their
income beyond $500. That is to say,
most of those who were classed as
children at the time of entry are now
adults. OF the women some are off
set in their unproductivity by the men
who earn more than $500; the rest
are producing more than that value in
the form of children.