Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1914-06-12
OPENING OF PANAMA CANAL
WILL BRING HoRDEs OF I'M
MIGRANTS TO THE WEST.
pRfStNIS VERY SERIOUS QUESTION
1t Is said That Japs Marketed 80 Per
Cent of Strawberry Crop in West
ern Washington Last Year-50
Jap Stores in Seattle.

canal II is certain our Immigration
problem is becoming more complex
and more serious III several respects
Than ever before. Heretofore Euro
pean immigration has concerned prln-
cipally the Atlantic states and orlen-
tai immigration the Pacific states.
With the canal in operation it is likely
more of the European immigration
win come through the Pacific coast
ana more OF the oriental immigration
will go through to the Atlantic coast.
In other words, there is certain to be
a more general distribution OF all
kinds OF immigration to all parts oil
the country with corresponding COM
plication OF industrial, social and race
problems. viii the Pacific coast ports
be adequately equipped to handle the
immigrants they may expect and have
we on this coast the means OF putting
these immigrants to work in occupa-
tions that will not conflict unfairly
with native Americans?
During recent years there has been
a noticeable deterioration in the char
acter of European immigration we
have been receiving, which now pre-
sents an industrial and labor problem
similar to that involved in oriental i'm
migration, though in the case of the
European immigration there is no
serious race problem involved.
Chinese exclusion has been satisfac-
tory to the people most concerned
residents of the Pacific coast states
but the admission OF Japanese and
other Asiatics is creating other orien-
tai problems of more or less serious
ness and there is a growing demand
that exclusion be extended to apply to
all Asiatics.
The seriousness of the Japanese
problem is indicated by the recent &C
ton of California in passing an anti
alien land law. CALIFORNIA; expert
ence seems to demonstrate that, once
foothold on the land is secured, Jap
anese colonization operates to the ex-
clusion of the whites by forcing them
out OF employment on the soil and by
the social incompatability of the two
races.
European immigration.
The old European immigration en-
gagged mostly in farming and funda-
mental and developing occupations,
but this immigration was highly desir-
able and thoroughly assimilative. The
present European immigration is
mostly not so desirable in character
and goes mostly to manufacturing cen
tiers where it offers the cheapest Ia
Dor. From an economic and social
viewpoint, oriental immigration is
not only undesirable but these immi-
grants are largely inclined to engage
in farming, the grocery business and
fundamental occupations where the eff
fects of this competition with native
Americans is the more serious.
The japanese problem is not con
fined to California. Portland and the
Sound cities are beginning to com
plain of similar conditions. 1t has
been recently stated that 80 per cent
of the Strawberries marketed in Sc
attic last year were raised by Japan
csc and that there are so Japanese
grocery stores in that city and sew
eral of them are in high-class resi-
dence districts.
The Japanese people are a great and
progressive nation that is destined tt
be an important factor in the politi
cal and commercial affairs of the Pa
cifc. We must give them grear
credit for their energy, courtesy anC
quickness of perception but these at
tributes, together with their lowe
scale of living, when applied in oul
own land, only make the problem al
the more serious for the white farm
ers or business men concerned. Jap
anese laborers have been excluded il
a measure since the Gentlemen
Agreement" of 1908, but this is no
deemed sufficient and yet it is no
, likely that Japan will acquiesce grace
: fully to as drastic regulations as W
have enforced against the Chinese.
immigration has played an import
ant part in the growth and develop
ment of the United States and, wit
= the better, safer and cheaper mean
of communication and travel of t
day, migration between the peoples G
different nations and all parts of tn
: world is destined to increase rattle
! than otherwise. SO wise laws an
! proper regulations governing immigr'
= ton are of the greatest Importance.
Causes of Migration.
The natural law of population is th
chief cause of migratory movement
. Migration is the necessary result {
4 the increse in population within lin
r tied areas, making establishments (
l. population necessary. Other cause
/ are Cor have been) wars, religious pc
v secutions, political revolutions, econ