The Washington herald., 1907-12-16
ALIENS RUSH HERE
Asia Sent America 10000 in
Twelve Months
COMMISSIONERS REPORT OUT
Mr.. Sargent Says immigration Is
Growing by 100000 a year, De-
Traffic. Wants Surgeons Stationed
Abroad, and Vast improvements.

With net increase TO ou population
BY immigration of 100000 per annum,
which Is less than the present rate of
natural increase, the United States would
reach the density of China in about four
generations. or, more particularly. in one
hundred and thirty-four years, az which
time we would have a population of
S00OO.OC0"
This interesting statement is made in
the annual report of Frank p. Sargent,
Commissioner General of Immigration,
covering the fiscal year 1907, ended June
30 last. To it he adds
This is in no sense an estimate of
future population; it is simply an illustra-
tion Of the present pace"
Many Important Recommendations.
Important recommendations looking to
further amendment of the laws govern
Ing the admission of aliens are incor-
porated in Commissioner Sargent's report
Among other recommendations made by
him are the following:
That legislation be adopted TO check
violations of the immigration laws by
professed seame4
That public health and marine hos
pital surgeons be stationed at the prin-
9apal foreign ports Of embarkation TO
examine aliens applying for passage to
the United States.
THAT either by the adoption OF addi-
tional legislation or by international
agreement an arrangement may be per
fected by which the detection of members
of the criminal class may be assured
preferably a requirement that as a pre-
requisite TO examination, aliens shall pre-
sent reports granted them by their own
governments.
That an International conference on
emigration and immigration. for the hold
ing of which provision is made in the
new immigration act. be called at the
earliest practicable date"
In point of numbers, the fiscal year 1907
was the banner year period in the his
tory OF the immigration service Aliens
10 the number Of 1,2S5.349 We're admitted.
as compared with 11O0,73J in 1906. The
total amount Of money brought into the
country by immigrants IN the year was
$25,5g9,OOO. or an average of almost $50
per person. Europe contributed 1886
persons TO the volume Of immigration
More than 1900 came from Asia, amCng
them 10000 Japanese and 961 Chinese
It is estimated that from 1920 20 1897
more than 25.C0O,OO0 aliens landed at ports
OF the United States The proportions
from each country during the entire
period are as follows: United Kingdom.
30 per cent; Germany. p per cent: Scan
dinavia Denmark. Norway. and Sweden),
Z per cent; Italy. 10 per cent; Austria
Hungary, 10 per cent; Russia. g per cent:
France. 2 per cent; Switzerland. I per
cent. and countries not specified, per
cent.
white Slave Traffic"
Referring to the white slave traffic"
or the importation Of girls and women,
the Commissioner General Of ImmiZra-
ton says:
This was among the first of the i'm
migration evils TO engage the attention
Of Congress, a section of the act of 1873
being devoted thereto. It's Importance
has increased in due proportion to the
growth of immigration itself. and no
small part of the duties Of the service
has consisted in trying to prevent the
importation and to effect the deportation
Of such persons. There can be no deny
Ing the assertion that apparently. and
on the surface at least, there has been
in recent years a marked decrease in this
nefarious business. so appropriately
termed the white slave traffic Reports
reach the bureau from all quarters for
eign and domestic. indicating that the
combined efforts of those abroad and in
this country interested In wipinS out this
disgraceful blot upon our Christian civ
iliZation have accomplished considerable
But the bureau Is satisfied from the ex-
perlence Of its field officers that much
still remains TO be done"
The commissioner general urges that a
number of thoroughly qualified women,
equipped with n sufficient knowledge Of
foreign languages. should be selected and
appointed for service on the vessels OF
several of the larger steamship lines.
their duty being TO travel from foreign
ports on the vessels with the alien
wcmen. mixing freely with them. forming
their acquaintance. and gathering every
available bit of information concerning
their antecedents and their purposes and
hopes in coming 10 America. Thus could
be gained II is believed, accurately aud
in detail. data which could be placed be-
fore special boards of inquiry upon ar
rival at the United States ports. enabling
such boards to pass intelligently upon the
admissibility Of the alien women.
To Improve Ellis Island.
fle
Ellis Island station, Commissioner Gen
eral Sargent says:
The station first to be considered and
discussed in any report bearing upon i'm
migration is, Of course, that located at
Ellis Island. New York Harbor. Through
that port have come during the past
year 1.O04.75s Of the L2S5S49 aliens admit
ted to the United States The bureau
has repeatedly drawn particular atten-
tion TO the utter inadequacy of the Ellis
Island station 10 meet the unforeseen con-
ditions that have arisen since the erec-
tion of the original building. Some ex-
tensive improvements and additions have
been provided for, notably the building
of new island, and the construction of a
hospital thereon, and the alteration and
remodeling of the interior Of the station.
but 10 make equipment what it should
he will require further extensions"
New $123,OOO Ferryboat.
The commissioner renews his recon-
mendation for the immediate construc-
tion of a refrigeratng plant at a cost
of $35,oG0. and new ferryboat to cost
$l25OOo.
To facilitate the proper handling Of the
baggage OF arriving aliens By making
available the new baggage 70 I'm now IN
course Of constructor en- the east end cf
the island. the haroo- in the vicinity oS
the baggage room. the commissioner
; says should be dredged so as to permit
the docking of vessels Immediately along
side. To do this work il is estimated that
an appropriation of $4,000 will be :, =
quired. He also recommends an appro-
priation OF $4,000 for additional hos1,;tf,l
facilities and Of S15n Q00 for o,.-,,,t, g.