The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-12-20
MIGHTY INFLUX
OF FOREIGNERS
To Shores Of United States During
The Last Fiscal Year.
MILLION MARK PASSED
Total Number Of Immigrants Arriving from
Various Countries Placed at 1926, 349.
South Gets Goodly Share.

immigration for the year ending
June 80, 1907, was vastly greater than
in any previous year in the history of
the United States. The fact, with all
its interesting and important details,
is placed in strong light in the an
nual report of Frank P. Sargent, com.
missioner general of immigration and
naturalization, which was made pub
lie at Washington Sunday. Of this
great food of immigrants, Commits
sioner Sargent says:
"An army Of 1,285,349 souls, they
have come, drawn hither by the free
institutions and the marvellous prosper
ity Of our country-the chance here
afforded every honest toiler to gain
livelihood by the sweat of his brow
or the exercise of his intelligence
surprising in numbers the record of
all preceding years"
The immigration for the year 1907
exceeded that for 1905 by 1864, and
that for the year 1906 by 258,S50, or
an increase of over the year 1906 Of
more than H. per cent, and over the
year 1905 Of more than rs per cent
During the fiscal year 1906, 12,432
aliens were rejected at our ports; dur
ing the past fiscal year, 1864, an
increase of 632; hence the total num-
Der of those who have sought admis'
sion in 1907, viz: 1,298,413, exceeds
the number who applied in 1906, viz:
1,119,167, by 1926.
Commissioner Sargent says it is Of
particular significance that many i'm
migrants landed at ports in the south
during the past year, and he refers
especially to party of 473 Belgians--
excellent types of immigrants-recei
ed at Charleston, S. c., having been
induced to go there by the state au-
thorities. The increase of immigration
to the south, the commissioner says,
"is directly connected with the grow
ing desire of the southern states to
draw within their boundaries a nun.
Der of the better classes of immi-
grants, it being considered by practi-
cally all of the leading men Of that
section that the future development
and welfare Of the south depend upon
it's ability to receive and absorb
reliable laboring and farming ele-
ment."
Striking increases are also shown
at New Orleans, Galveston and Homo
lulu.
Interest naturally attaches to the pro-
portionately large immigration from
Japan. While the exclusion laws have
rendered practically nil the immigra-
ton from China, the immigration from
Japan, although relatively not great,
has doubled in the past year This
increase is significant, too, because it
comes in the face Of regulations adopt
ed by the American government, with
the assent of Japan, which it was
supposed, would curtail the immigra-
ton Of japanese to this country very
materially. The reports show that
thousands of Japanese landed in Mex.
leo during the past year, and ultimate
ly gained admission, surreptitiousIy,
into this country Once in the Uni.
ted States it was impossible to locate
them, except in the rarest instances.
The total amount of money brought
into the country by arriving aliens was
SIS, 1893, or an average of almost
$40 per person.
Of the 1904 aliens who were turned
back during the year, 1,434 were con-
tract laborers, 80 per cent less than
in the preceding year.
In discussion of the new immigra-
ton act, Commissioner Sargent very
strongly urges that advantage be taken
of a provision it contains for calling
an International conference on immi-
grafton and emigration.