Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-12-12
IMMIGRATION.
Decrease in Number Of
Aliens in Past Year.
Only 1926 Japanese Have Ar
rived Here During 1903.
Other Interesting Facts Contained
in Report Of Sec. Straus.

Washington, Dec. 11.--Important and
Unusual statements and recommended
tons are made by Secretary Oscar S.
Straus in the sixth annual report of
| the Department of Commerce and La
Dor made public.
Our age" says Secretary Straus,
has been very properly called ali era
OF commercial development and eXpan-
sion, and the United States, by reason
| of it's many exceptional advantages, it's
houndless natural resources, and pos
sessing a growing, intelligent, energet-
| ic enterprising and self-reliant popula-
| ton, is reaping y greater share of in
dustrial and commercial prosperity
| than any of the other nations Of the
world. AS the head Of the department,
| it has been my constant aim soto adj
minister it's various branches as TO
| afford the greatest amount of assis-
lance. information and guidance to the
various industrial and commercial ac-
| tivities that come under it's administra-
| tive scope
| Particular attention is devoted by the
| secretary in his report to the Bureaus
| Of immigration and Naturalization,
| Corporations and Labor. While other
bureaus of the department are impor-
| tant, the three mentioned bear the
| more directly upon the material inter-
ests of the people than do any of the
| others. The report, as it relates to
| them, scarcely can he considered as an
ordinary departmental report. as it
! is replete with information, suggestion
and human interest.
| Concerning the Bureau Of Immi2ra-
ton, Secretary Straus points out that
| up to the close of the Civil War all
| our laws We're framed to encourage
| Immigration and that since then Amer
| iCan legislation, while not hostile to
| immigration has been directed toward
| the elimination of undesirable classes
a" result of this legislation the
n rcentage of foreign-borE persons in
| our population has remained practical
~ stationary for forty years. Concrete
| II the percentage Of foreign born in
1850 was 1872, while ip 1900 it was 1877.
| During a portion of the past fiscal
year" says Secretary Straus. and eN-
tending into tie present, this country
| has suffered an industrial depression
| due to Il number Of causes. among
others to overproduction, which were
W orld wide, but perhaps for the time
| ht ing more accentuated in this than
| in the other commercial counties" The
| effect of this depression upon immi-
g alton was immediate. the fiscal year
| Of 1908 showing a falling off in imni-
81 alton Of about 80 per cent. Deduct
| ing the total departures of aliens from
| tie total arrivals during the fiscal
y, ar, the net increase of alien popula-
| ton WAS 209.S67 About 26 per cent. of
those admitted were illiterate. The
| total amount Of money actually
llough: into the country by arriving
aliens was s17.194,22 an average of
almost $23 per capita Warrants of de-
p' rtation We're issued in the cases of
| 1856 aliens. ana 10,902 aliens were re-
jtcted at the port of arrival, In the
last ten years the accepted figures Of
| Immigration are actually IS per cent
IN excess Of the net immigration"
| Considerable space is devoted to the
| in coming of Japanese. which shows a
| 81 adual but sure reduction in the num-
| lr During the year the net increase
in Japanese population was only 1926.
| Sc cretary Straus says that the Japan
es4 ard American governments are CO.
| operating to enforce the law respect
| in; the coming Of Japanese laborers
to this country.
| Greater success has attended the ef-
| forts of the department to enforce the
al en- contract labor law during the
| last year than in any preceding year.
| 1t is pointed out that 1.-The greatest
| vi"lators of the contract labor laws are
| the American manufacturers Labor
| ulions, too, have at times been found
| among the ViOatorS of the law. Dur
| In, the year 1882 contracts were reject
| ed. an increase of thirty-four per cent.
| over the reflections for 1907 In ALL 211e
| contract laborers were dcpOrted during
| the year. Particular efforts were di-
rected toward the suppression of the
" lite slave traffic this country coop
Grating with many European govern
merits to concert proper measures to
attain this purpose.
| The great work Of the division Of in
formation in the distribution of alien
| Immigrants. through the country is
considered at length Secretary Strauss
| regards the work of this division as of
the highest Importance, as it tends 10
| relieve the congestion of aliens in
urban centres of population. Attep-
| ton also is devoted to the division Of
M tIralization which shows that 224f
| courts have been engaged in the last
year in comforting naturalization upon
| aliens. During the year 1852
declarations of intention and 43,s7s pc
| titions of naturalization We're fled
| Through the Department of Justice
1903 cases. for the cancellation of il
| legally granted certificates We're in
sttuted and in 451 of the. cases the
certificates We're withdrawn Sugges-
tons are made of important amend
mcnts to the legislation relating to the
| naturalization of aliens
Some space is devoted to a consider
ation of the operations of the Bureau
Of Corporations. but. on account Of the
character of the work of that bureau.
little definite information is disclosed.
The Secretary says that the Bureau
now. has on hand Investigations of the
tobacco, steel and lumber industries,
inland waterways. the International
Harvester Company, and further in