The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-06-06
Tho Influence on Europe Of Return
ing Entgrants.

ing Emtgrants.
The effect, past, present and pros
1psGtixe, produced upon the social and
political condition of the United States
by the millions of emigrants who have
come hither from Europe during the
last sixty years is a subject of endless
discussion, but very little attention has
been given to the retroactive effect pro-
duced on their home keeping country
men by emigrants returning from
America to their native lands. With
500, 900 Of these in 1907 the influence
must have been considerable. An in
dependent investigation Of the ques-
ton has been undertaken by Mr.. Ed
WARD A. STEINER in Italy, Austria
Hungary and Russian Poland, and we
find the outcome of his observations set
forth in the June number of the .Ameri-
can Rerieu OF Repieus.
To appreciate what these returning
emigrants have done we should recall
the fact that previously to the begin
ming of emigration to America the
Slavic peasants both in Hungary and
Poland were gradually losing their
allotments OF land and were deteriorat-
ing physically and socially. Intern
perance and Incidence we're driving
them into the hands Of usurers, and they
were. fast dropping into the landless
class and into dependence upon casual
labor. The returning emigrant from
the, United States set a very different
example. He evinoed an eagerness Ia
buy the land which the dearth OF labor
and the resultant rise Of wages often
forced large land owners to sell. Mr..
STEINER says that during the years
between 1899 and 1905 the land owned
by peasants increased in some districts
as much az 40s per cent, and even II
AZ the enigrant furnishing districts in
Austria Hungary and Russian Poland
are taken together, the increase in -four
years reached the remarkable figure OF
l73 per cent. The deduction from these
facts is that not only was money brought
back from the United States and in
vested in land, but the home keeping
peasant also was led by example to be-
conemore industrious and thrifty. Mr..
STEINER has been told, he SAYS. by
unbiased land and manufac-
tufers that while wages have risen in
the countries named nearly 90 per cent
since the emigration to the United
States began, the efficiency of the
workers in almost all departments has
been increased correspondingly.
II seems, too, that the change in the
standard of living among laborers in
Austria Hungary and Russian Poland
has been so great as to be almost incred.
ible. Usurers to a very large extent
have been driven out Of business, and
the peasants house has ceased to be a
mud hut with a straw matched roof
indeed this type of dwelling has been
according to Mr.. STEINER, condemned
by law at the initiative of returned
emigrants. The rural s~hopkeepers re.
port that they have been obliged tc
augment their stock by many varieties
Of goods and that the peasant now
wants the best there is in the market
Noteworthy is the demand for Amer.
lean clothes. The returned emigran'
from the United States can he recog.
nized by his necktie and collar, anc
especially by his shoes and the golc
filing in his teeth. Mr.. STEINER recalls
that he asked Pastor HoLUBEK Of Bosac;
in Hungary what effect the returned
emigrant had produced upon his parish
The reply was; The returned emigran