The Yale expositor., 1910-11-18

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
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 fig
ures show a striking accentuation of
the immigration tendency that has de-
yeloped with in the last decade. So
far has the tendency gone that for the
fiscal year recently closed IL is shown
that S3 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 we'll being are be-
coming alarmed with the record of
each succeeding season.
For the year ending June 80 last,
LOAF $50 immigrants landed in this
country. OF these $685. weer from
the Mediterranean sea countries
only 1887 were from all the. rest
of the world-SS 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
| Ian
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 it's 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 un-
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 a new crea-
ture under the sun. but whether i'm
proved by the process or mongrel,
only time can tell.
Diverting the 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 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, a 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 OF federal,
for 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
all going to the eastern and middle
notwithstanding there is a demand for
labor from the former. especially in
the agricultural sections.
The Nations Gateway"
Ellis island is a 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 OF 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
lens 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 o;