davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-09-21
CONGRESSMAN PLANNING
TRIP TO THE ISTHMUS

VIZ ASHINGTON.-A subcommittee
w of the committee on appropria-
lions of the next congress will go to
the isthmus in November to inyesd-
gate Secretary Taft's canal estimates
for 1909, if present plans are carried
out.
The proposed visit is the outcome
of suggestion from Representative
James A Tawney of Minnesota, chair
man of the appropriations committee
in the last congress, who was at the
isthmus following the adjournment
last March. He believes it will be to
the best interests of the service, as
well as to those directly and indirect
~ in charge of the administration of
the forces at work there, if the mem
bers of the appropriations committee
having in charge the preparation of
the sundry civil bill go to the isthmus
with the estimates for the next fiscal
year and consider them carefully with
the officials having supervision of ex-
penditures for all kinds of work being
done.
The suggestion has met with a
hearty response from those identified
with the commissions work, who be-
Geve that a great deal of good will
result from a heart to heart talk be-
tween the congressman who prepare
the appropriation and the officials
who spend it, and that it will clear
away in advance any misapprehen-
sions or misunderstanding that may
exist as to the business and propriety
of alloting the money estimated to be
necessary for the years. work. OF
particular Importance is the proposed
visit regarded at the present time,
when the question is now before the
president whether the commission
can lawfully expend during the pres
ent fiscal year any more money than
was specifically appropriated, Col.
Goethals having reported to the au-
thorities in Washington that the work
has progressed SO rapidly that it will
be in the interest of true economy to
exceed that amount to the extent of
$4,000, 900, and by reason of which
he thinks years time will be saved
in the completion of the great water
way
Officials here think congress may.
as result of the observations of the
members of the appropriations COM
mittee who go to the isthmus, see fit
to provide legislation under which
work may proceed, regardless of the
appropriations, if this authority does
not already exist The committee
will return to Washington in time for
the opening of congress in December.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-09-21
sx Emerson Mcmillan.
Chairman Conciliatory Committee of tn
Civic Federation

Chairman Conciliatory Committee of the
Civic Federation
Decidedly 1 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 a 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. When we read of the violent
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
1t 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 10000, 900
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 well with our present
population and its natural increase
And 1 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 Europe2
Does 1t seem probable that the Siavs,
the Russian Hebrews, the Sicilians
and others who are coming to us in
such numbers to-day win In few
years have risen as have the Irish.
and have become as good Americans
And If these foreigners with traditions
and manners very different from our
own are not assimilated. the problem
becomes very serious one
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-09-21
BIG GROWTH IS SHOWN
IN THE DAIRY INDUSTRY

EVER since that day, nearly three
IL centuries ago, when spotted calf
went for walk through the fields of
a Massachusetts Bay colony, and so
laid out the first street in New Eng
land. old Brindle and her family have
been of much Importance, in the do
nestle and commercial life of Amer
lea. This is the cows only recorded
use as street-makers. but as producers
of the great milk, butter and cheese
supply of the nation they have a
series of long and successful years
back of them.
The dairy industry of the United
States is congenial study for those
who like statistics. The growth has
been tremendous. There are more
than 21,000,000 cows MIXED in the
United States every day, each gives
$500 pounds of milk a year, making
the annual output of this country
about 100000, 900 pounds of milk.
1t is disposed of in various ways. A
little over half of it is required for
the making of butter, 1,O0O,000.000
pounds of it. goes into condensed
milk, 5000, 100000 into cheese, and the
rest is sold as cream, fed to the
calves, or divided among the people of
the country, each of whom should re-
ceive seven-tenths of pound of milk
day-a good-sized tumbler full.
If the COWS were all told off and as
signed to specific duty in this dairy
products business, 100000 of them
would be required to furnish the milk,
condensed milk and cream; $500, 900
would conflne their attention solely
to butter, and would each be expected
to furnish 1917 pounds year; $780,
600 would be assigned to the cheese
industry, and the remaining number
would have the raising of all the
calves.
AS each individual in the United
States is supposed to eat 20 pounds
of butter each year, the Brindle fam
lily cannot quite supply it, so we still
import something like $4,000 pounds
to make up the deficiency. One-third
of the nations output of butter comes
from the farms where 100000 farm
ers and their families, still churn it.
pack it in frkins or tubs and deliver
it to the nearest shipping point. Over
5000 factories make the rest of the
100000, 900 pounds that we use an
nua1ly.
Chicago, New York, Philadelphia,
Boston and st. Louis are the great
butter distributing centers of the
country. Shipped by express, or
freight, by boat or rail, the butter
reaches these points at all seasons
of the year and is Immediately put in
cold storage to await the demand, q
continual temperature of from 90 de-
grees Fahrenheit to below zero being
Maintained.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-09-21
CRUSADE ON GAMBLERS
IS LED BY ROOSEVELT

d RESIDENT ROOSEVELT is inter
1 ested deeply in the crusade against
gambling in the District of Columbia.
He is more than cooperating with the
local authorities The campaign is
made under his direction. He has
thoroughly impressed upon the dis
trict commissioners his determination
announced in one of his speeches, to
make Washington a clean city. AS
the commissioners are his appointees
and can be removed at his pleasure,
1t is not surprising that the incum-
bents show zeal in the work cut out
for them.
In raid on alleged bucket-shops re-
Gently secret service officers were con-
spicuous. The explanation of the
presence of federal officers is that the
president is determined that the local
laws shall be enforced and that gam
bling shall be suppressed. The metro
politan police and detective forces
are sufficiently strong. numerically, to
do the work, but to see that it was
performed thoroughly secret service
men were detailed. Whether they
have been. assigned to keep tab on
local police is not known. 1t is known,
however, that much of the evidence
upon which the raids were made was
gathered by the federal detectives
No cry will be raised by the district
commissioners of federal interference
The prosecutions which are to follow
In the courts will be directed by a
presidential appointee, the district at
torney,. who in the District of Colum-
bia has charge of all cases before the
criminal courts
The president alsr, is giving hearty
federal cooperation in the Efforts to
make Washington q clean city from
{ sa-sta-y point Of view
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-09-21
BY Robert Watehorn.

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 matter of mere
opinion or sentiment 1t is borne out
by the actual statistics. Mr.. Reeves
figures, it seems to me, in some re
sDects understate the facts. He men
lions $500 a year as the earning power
OF these Immigrants As matter of
fact, these men will earn more, on
the average, than a dollar a day. L
think the figure may safely be in
creased by at least so per cent With
in a few days Mr. Charles Lorhn, the
Dor. came to me in search of men /
could not supply He estimated that
New York state alone needed 100, 900
men. to whom he would pay $25 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
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-09-21
ARMY COURTS MARITAL
FEWER THAN LAST YEAR

THERE was a decrease of 683 trials
of officers and men of the army by
courts martial for the fiscal year end
ing June 80 last, as compared with the
previous year. according to the report
of Maj. Porter. the acting Judge advo-
cate of the army.
Thirty-four officers were tried by
court martial and nine were acquitted
Last year four officers were dismissed
from the service as compared with IA
during the previous year. The num-
Der of enlisted men tried was 1879
and sos were acquitted. The total
Number of officers and men tried was
1913.
Among the enlisted men ,1O1 were
tried for desertion, 1872 on the charge
of abZence without leave, 223 for
drunkenness, 258 for larceny, 241 for
disobedience to non-commissioned of
ficers, and 211 for disobeyfng superior
officers.
The report dwells upon the evil re-
cults following the passage of the anti
canteen act, which, it is said, has
undoubtedly caused the location near
military reservations of resorts for
the sale of Intoxicating liquors."
These places are considered highly
detrimental to military discipline
1t is suggested that the limit of
punishment should be increased for
selling clothing issued to enlisted men.
and that provision be made for takfn9
up the uniform of DISCHARGED sol
der at an appraised value :
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-09-21

ences by stiietto. We even identify
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 a 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 lis
superiority over the average native
American to industry, sobriety and the
patient federation 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 I'M
known. In their Netherlands drunken
ness is a minor crime, whereas in
Great Britain and America it is ma
jor one. And as to patience under
conditions inviting to revolt, America
is proud of standing first among all
the non-Latin 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 thing of
itself. neither conducive to NOR antag-
onistic to morality and happiness. 1t
may be a 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 .
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-09-21

In many circles throughout the coun-
try there is in progress a serious dis
cussion as to the advsabiIity of curb
ing the immigration flood. This nat
uraiIy 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 unQuestioned
is attributed to this overflow of the
undesirables from the older countries
and these countries are accused of col
fusion 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 inf1owing torrent a 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 a re-
cent phenomenon Look up the litera-
ture of immigration, and you will find
the decade of 1S40-1S50 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 our
continent yet contained undeveloped
territory. as in 1S47. or undevelope6
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 at
the end of the 60 years we enjoy phe-
nomenal prosperity
There is an inconsistency here
somewhere between the theories of
the pessimists and the facts, and big
one, too.
What are the facts:
Question of criminality.
As to criminality. we can find none
supporting the theory that in general
immigration is of a criminal sort
Here and there may be found minor
facts and figures on that SIDE it is
true The southern Italians. without
question. are unusually illiterate and
addicted to the settlement of differ
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-09-21

1.001, 756. Immigrants last year more
than ten per cent were 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 fdlers, scarcely one who
would shirk his duty And as to their
morality, the average is certainly
good These Immigrants are placed
upon 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 200 deported- 1 question
if our native born population can show
a better record
The modern immigrant of to-day, ii
seems to me, is greatly misunderstood.
We have 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 comparativelvsfew To
day the situation is pra. ically re-
versed- Last year we received 267 900
from Italy, 49,, 900 from Russia and
but "a, 900 from Ireland and 10000
from Germany. From Austria and
Hungary some 292, 1000 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?
As to Pauper Labor.
A great deal of the misunderstood
ing is due to the use of that term pau
per labor. 1 have estimated unat
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-
ward of $100,O00,00 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
100000 900 for transportation. And
in addition this army of incomers car
ried with them more than $4,000, 900
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 1mm1-
grants are adding hundreds of mil
lions of dollars to the wealth OF
America, while they help themselves
to a broader and more prosperous life.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-09-21
5000, GOO, 900 Per Annum.


During the last 20 years some 49,
000, 900 or II 600, 900 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 s5.0O0,0 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 II 900, 900
aliens arrived since 1887 10000, 900
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
OO0, O0O
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 it 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
a cent of cost to ourselves, upward of
billion dollars worth of human live
stock per annum-
We do not hesitate to assign solid
value to every other form of live stock
which the land needs for its working
Why should not our immigrants be
figured as a similar asset?
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-09-21

country solely according to whether
he produces more, of material or of
morality, than he consumes He may
produce very little, yet if 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 if he consumes
more than that, or if he undermines
our standards of morality, or if he
is found to produce actually much
less than he apparently produces. he
may be a great source of loss, in spite
of his prominence and power
The people understand this we'll
1t is their habitual application of this
new economic trysquare to men in the
public eye which is now making mil
honairism so uncomfortable.
What Is immigration Worth?
To which class, then, belongs the
average immigrant? Is he a producer
or a dissipator of net wealth and NOR
atty? If the former, what is our inn
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 it in that way.
The average adult male immigrant
land half of our immigrants are of
this s0rt) 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 $780, 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.