Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1910-11-23

H%tH TrW..' wv ELLsZy LSLAZD
F A million South Europeans come
to the United States every year
for century, what will the aver
age American be like at the end
of that time? What will be the
effect Of these millions Of fertile peo-
pie upon the ultimate product Of the
melting pot? If the American blood
becomes largely that Of the peasants
IF those down-trodden countries Will
the dominant traits of the present be
lost?
These are questions that are raised
BY the figures issued by the commits
Bioner of immigration, for those fig
ures show a striking accentuation OF
the immigration tendency that has de-
veloped with in the last decade. So
far has the tendency gone that for the
fiscal year recently closed it is shown
that SO per cent of all corners have
been from the races of South Europe
and Eastern Asia. The men who are
wont to look far ahead in the prob
lens Of national well being are be-
coming alarmed with the record OF
each succeeding season.
For the year ending June 30 last.
1,041,570 immigrants landed in this
country. OF these 868.193 weer from
the Mediterranean sea countries.
only 1887 were from all the rest
Of the world-S3 per cent. as against
II per cent. Even this II per cent.
cannot be counted as having ten
dency to continue the present Ameri.
can type, for in it Is included such dis
tinctly different races as Japanese,
Chinese, Mexicans, Africans.
The point is therefore that the
whole influence Of immigration is
toward breaking down the American
citizenship as it exists today by put
ting In its stead the blood of races
that heretofore have had nothing to
do with its making. These people
have been coming to America for such
a short time that the effect that they
are destined to have in the course Of
amalgamation Is an absolutely un-
known quantity. II the stream of i'm
1IAOA NOAkAAu0S AZ 0SN~AOe@A~0
with the present tendency the Amer
lean of the future Is to be new crea'
ture under the sun, but whether i'm.
proved by the process or mongrel,
only time can tell.
Diverting tho Tide.
The necessity of adopting some
means to divert the tide of 1mmigra'
ton from the congested centers to the
country, where advantages not to be
found in the larger cities are afforded,
is also a subject deserving of serious
consideration.
Information has been compiled
showing the states and territories to
which alien steerage arrivals were
destined, their professional occupa.
ton; and the races or peoples Of
which they were members. Attention
| is called to the fact that the newcom
ers congregate around or in the large
urban settlements, fact that suggests
as a means of ave1ting the dangers
OF alien colonies and facilitating the
amalgamation with the people of this
country of the steadily increasing
stream of alien immigration, appro
pirate action, either state or federal
tor their distribution to points where
their services can be best utilized
and they can most speedily learn the
benign effects of Industrious and law
observing life. But a small number
Of the arrivals are destined to the
southern and western states, nearly
oil going to the eastern and middle
Notwithstanding there is a demand fo1
labor. from the former. especially II
the agricultural sections.
The Nations "Gateway!"
Ellis island Is great interrogation
point to the immigrant. In the course
Of the regular Official routine at leas
40 questions are asked him. But ever
after he has passed inspection and /!
turned over to the railroad department
in the immigrant station he has to re
spond to twice as many more. Almos
at every step the immigrant has t
set down his bags or bundles or babiel
and reply to some interrogation.
In more ways than this Ellis islam,
Is the great Interrogation point Q
+. America. One of the most serious prob
lems that the United States has t,
solve today Is how to put up the bar
high enough to keep out undesirabl,
and Objectionable immigrants and ye
to let in those that will be useful an,
valuable citizens in the years to come
There are many phases to this BIZ
problem. Another is how to distribute
the aliens throughout the country an,
to keep them from crowding into tn
already densely populated portions Q
the big cities there to become me1
ace rather than q benefit.
From the ships that arrive fror
southern Europe the steerage passer
gers are swarthy of skin and gay wit
kerchiefs Of brilliant colors. Nor
than ,one-third Of the immigrants tina
have been arriving in the last seve
or eight years are from the south 9
Italy. The steamers from ports o
the eastern shore Of the Adriatic brin
immigrants of stockier build and fail
er complexion, although some POI
tions Of the Austro- Hungarian empir
send men and women that are as dar
as those from Sicily. More than on,
J fourth OF the immigrants that no,
lpour through the portal at Ellis islam