Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1908-08-03
Inspector at New York Has
Much Better Report to
Make for the Pres
ent Year.
FEWER ALIENS
ARE sent BACK
The Steamship Companies Weed
Out Undesirables on the Other
Side Because of StriCter Exam
ination at American Ports.
STANDARD Is Improved.

New York, Aug 3.-That the great
American immigration problem is at
last solving itself, in that the class
of immigrants now coming to these
shores is remarkably improved, and
that the Infamous system of the trans
atlantic steamship trust Is at last
broken, Is the expressed belief of
Robt. Watchorn, commissioner of I'M
migration at the Ellis island station.
Last year 1,005,756 aliens passed
through the Ellis island station This
year, according to report that will
in few days be sent to the depart
ment at Washington, 5S5,790 immi-
grants were admitted from the port
Of New York. :,
The report shows that of the num-
ber admitted this year the average
was exceptionally high in general
health, morals and finances. Better
still, the number of immigrants bound
for the great west and the south had
increased and fewer than ever ex-
pressed an intention TO settle in the
densely populated cities.
The traffic of the steamship trust,
aided and abetted by the officials OF
European cities, to induce a large in
fiux here of undesirable classes from
the slums of the cities of the old
world, is waning. In June of this
year not one immigrant failed to pass
the examinations.
The total deportations for the year
were 1919 which, considering the
number of arrivals, indicates that the
government, under the new laws, has
set her foot down hard, and will no
longer countenance the system of the
steamship trust which dumped upon
American shores the pestilental, un-
worthy and cast-off human rubbish
of all Europe
The steamship agents in this city
report that, during the fiscal year
just ended, they barred out $3.50 ap-
plicants for steerage passage at all
European ports-a number that
would gladly have been accepted a
year ago with golden reward to the
trust. Under the now rigid inspection
the steamships agents knew that to
bring the army of undesirables to this
port would mean that they would
simply be deported at the trusts ex-
pense while the government might
subject the trust to a fine of 500 for
each offense.
The effort of the immigration de-
partment to follow up the government
inspection and deport undesirable
aliens within three years after entry
was successful. For all causes 72O
men and women were sent back. all
having become public charges after
entrance. OF this number more than
half were insane.
'It is a fact" said Commissioner
Watchorn," that the class of immi-
grants has been steadily improving
since 1903. The law of that year fines
the steamship companies 500 for
the steamship companies 800 for
each physically underable alien and
requires that he be taken back. When
the fines grew large in the aggregate
the directors of the steamship COM
panies awoke and quickly put a dam
per on the ambitions of their foreign
agents. They are finding it cheaper to
do the wedding out on the other side.
The law Of last year, preventing the
landing of the mentally weak, shows
excellent results, and Is really more
effective than even its trainers hoped
for. For instance, II one OF a family
VI c. blll 10 bdiiIh Out lut ICN
law. the entire family often is kept
from making the voyage. II there Is
one weak member OF family there is
probability that others are not up to
the highest standard.
But the most hopeful part Of the
situation. to my mind, is that there
are more able-bodied young people
coming here than in years, and these
people are heading for the fields OF
the west or plantations OF the south,
where they will labor to populate dis
trlcts that only need human hands,
and where they will find rich rewards
in reclaiming arid and neglected land.
1.-The youth OF the immigrants Of
today is a magnificent sign of the inn
proved condition. Just think OF the
5S5,970 admitted 473495 were young
men and women or children, all un-
der the age Of "a at any rate, and "a
is young for well people II IS almost
i'm possible for the cities to assimilate
old foreigners and IL is the old men
and women who are still fockng to
the centers OF population,
"Thls year the largest number OF
immigrants came from Austro-Hun-
gary. while Russia sent the second
largest number. Heretofore the second
largest number has been from Italy.
Il d ,,nug m third ra1aaa