The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-03-23

Capital and labor had not arrayed them
selves in hostile camps. That there might
be an influx of wholly dissimilar peoples
was unforeseen. Everybody was busiiy
engaged in an earnest effort TO estapiish
a great and everlasting democracy.
Then came the unfortunate but un-
avoidable conflict of the sixties. Ile
country, the whole country, was lett IN
confusion. poverty, and distress-a thlrd
of 1t in the depths of darkness and de-
spair. For the next several wears al
hands and hearts and minds were turned
necessarily toward the rehabilitation OF
personal fortunes. Everybody went TO
work with might and main, and almost
before It was realized, certainly before II
was realized by many, the present srea.
and perplexing question of immigration
confronted the country.
Recent immigration
"A wonderful change has taken place
during the last third of century.
Within that period the number of inn
migrants from the countries mentioned
has grown smaller year by year, Whlle
the number from Italy, Greece, Hun
gary, Syria and Russia has Increased
annually till it has reached enormous
and bewildering proportions.
"A million people-aliens-com each
ear iIlO Inc OfllbtQ OlatC5 VI
From almost every country of the world
they come and in increasing numbers.
Till recently comparatively few OF
them came to our state and section,
but now they are coming in astonish-
ing numbers.
Problems OF the Immigrant
This mad rush of foreigners to our
shores is perhaps the most remarkable
hon
of the current third of a century; yet
few of our people. even among the
more intelligent, have realized the
number and the immensely of the prob
lens which 1t imposes These prob
lens touch and influence every phase
of our American life. The problem OF
the immigrant is at once commercial
and Industrial social and ethical, re-
ligious and civic.
'As has been stated, the earlier i'm
migrants come of similar races and
were therefore easily welded into
homogeneous body. Most of those who
have como recently and who are now
coming In a mighty stream are dis
similar from our first settlers in race,
in language, in customs and In ideals.
ITO complicate the situation our ne
gro population is increasing rapidly,
the number having grown within 40
years from 100000 to 100000 and
most of whom are located In one sec
ton of the country. 1t would seem that
the race problem in America is suffi-
GENTLY grave and complicated without
the coming OF other and different peo-
pies, but they are coming and prom
Use to come in even larger numbers.
Complete AmaIEamation Not Possible
"It has been predicted by some stu
dents and writer's that this great and
ever changing mass of humanity win
in the course of time become in
as to form a new and distinct race
Saxon stock and which will be SUI
races. OF course few of us are ready
sible. and fewer still that 1t is prob
able.
But when we take into considera-
ton the tremendous influx of new
corners whose birth rate is large, the
increasing number of negroes and the
declining birth rate among native An
glo-Saxon Americans, there seems to be
reason for the fear that the time may
come when this country will be made
up of groups of peoples of dissimilar
or races.
'In some sections of the country, es-
pecially in the larger cities, the prob
lem of the immigrant is almost as i'm
rortant and almost as difficult of So
luton as is the race problem of the
southern states. Indeed, by some 1t
is considered to be problem more