The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1910-11-18

II 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 tho
melting pot? If the American blood
becomes largely that Of the peasants
Of 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
sioner Of immigration, for those hg-
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 1t is shown
that 50 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 80 last,
1,041,570 immigrants landed in this
country. OF these S68,193 weer from
the Mediterranean sea countries.
only 1887 were from all the rest
of the WORLDS per cent. as against
II per cent. Even this II per cent.
cannot be counted as having a 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 it's 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 IN
known quantity. If the stream of i'm
migration continues in accordance
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 immigra
ton from the congested centers to the
country, where advantages not to bt
found in the larger cities are afforded
is also a subject deserving of serious
consideration.
Information has been compiled
showing the states and territories tc
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 averting 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 small number
of the arrivals are destined to the
southern and western states, nearly
Bill going to the eastern and middle
Notwithstanding there is demand for
labor from the former, especially in
ehe agricultural sections.
The Nations Gateway"
Ellis island Is great interrogation
point to the immigrant. In the course
of the regular official routine at least
40 questions are asked him. But even
after he has passed inspection and is
turned over to the railroad department
in the immigrant station he has to re.
spond to twice as many more. Almost
at every step the immigrant has to
set down his bags or bundles or babies
and reply to some interrogation
In more ways than this Ellis island
Is the great Interrogation point OF
America. One Of the most serious prob
lems that the United States has to
solve today is how to put up the bars
high enough to keep out undesirable
and Objectionable immigrants and yet
to let in those that will be useful and
valuable citizens in the years to come.
There are many phases to this big
problem. Another is how to distribute
the aliens throughout the country and
to keep them from crowding into the
already densely populated portions OF
the big cities there to become men
ace rather than a benefit.
From the ships that arrive from
southern Europe the steerage passen-
gers are swarthy of skin and gay with
kerchiefs of brilliant colors. More
than one-third of the immigrants that
have been arriving in the last seven
or eight years are from the south of
Italy. The steamers from ports on
the eastern shore of the Adriatic bring
immigrants of stockier build and fair
er complexion, although some por-
tions of the Austro- Hungarian empire
send men and women that are as dark
as those from Sicily. More than one
fourth of the immigrants that now
pour through the portal at Ellis island