Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-11
DECREASE IN IMMIGRATION
Infowing Tide Falls Off Thirty-Nine
Per Cent Last Fiscal Year.
CONTRACT LABOR LAW ENFORCED
Nearly Two Thousand Men Are
TuBned Back mt Receiving sta
tions and 24O Arrested
and Deported.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 10-As shown by
the annual report of the commissioner of
immigration for the fiscal year ended June
3O 1908, the work of the bureau was In
many respects the most comprehensive and
interesting ever performed by It, Despite
a decrease of 80 per cent In immigration,
the report shows that the work of the
bureau increased nearly 20 per cent during
the fiscal year.
The report of f. II. Larned. deputy COM
missioner of immigration, under whose di-
rection the report WAS prepared, owing to
the death of Commissioner General Frank
p. Sargent, shows the year was remarkable
for reduction OF the number OF aliens en-
tering the United States. The total immi-
grafton for the year was 7S2,S70. which was
5O2. .479 less than for the year 1907 During
the fiscal year of 1907. 1904 aliens were
rejected: during the last year 1892 were
rejected
Increase of Population.
BY reason of an amendment TO the law,
the report for the first time furnishes fig
ures which show approximately the net in
crease In population by immigration. The
figures indicate that the net increase was
2O9S67. OF the aliens admitted 630,6n were
between the ages of II and A years. OF
! those admitted 1928 could neither read
nor write, and 2,31O could read. but could
not write. Therefore, about 26 per cent
| were illiterate, a decrease Of per cent in
| comparison with 1907. The total amount of
| money brought into the country by arriv-
ing immigrants was $17,794.226, an average
of almost $23 a person. During the year
| there were turned back at the ports 10,9O2
j aliens-about ! $40 per cent of the total
number applying for admission.
1t is pointed out that the last year was
| abnormal concerning emigration well as
! concerning immigration, the same reasons
which reduced the latter having operated
/ with perhaps greater force to increase the
! former
Majority from south Europe.
| The bulk of the aliens came from south
ern or eastern Europe-Italy, AUSTRIA Hun
gary Greece, Turkey and the small prln-
cpalities surrounding them Russia fur
nished 81 per cent of the total. The report
says that the change in the law extending
the filming provisions to cover the bringing
of mentally. well physically diseased
aliens to the United States. and placing
tuberculosis under the same ban. is of great
benefit. During the year 1906 aliens were
! rejected account OF physical, $40 on ac-
count of mental and 81 on account of moral
defects; to which should be added $40 re-
jected for minor physical or mental de-
fects sufficiently grave to affect ability to
earn living. The number of criminals ap-
pretended and deported increased from II
in 1907 to Al in 1903. Two alien anarchists
were refused admission. There was great
activity In the suppression OF the importa-
tion Of alien women for immoral purposes
or these women. 12i were rejected, 4S pro
curers were denied admission, while A alier
immoral women and 2 procurers were de
ported from the country; IL procurers were
convicted and sentenced to terms of i'm
prisonment and fines. A systematic cam
paign was inaugurated during the yea
against the importation Of immoral women
and the results have been gratifying WhiI
Investigations into the white slave" traf
: fic are difficult, the success attendant upoI
them has been satisfactory.
Contract Labor Law Enforced,
The report shows that the enforcement
Of the law relating to alien contract labo
was unprecedentedly successful. In the yea
1882 contract labOrers were rejected and "a
were arrested and expelled from the coun
try.
The report expresses qualification wit
what has been accomplished in enforcin
the presidents proclamation directing IN
exclusion Of Japanese and Corean laborer,
who. after securing from their own govern
ments passports to Hawaii, Canada or Mex
leo, used such passports, contrary 10 IN
CONTINUED on Second Page.)