The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1921-01-13
The Incompatible Migration
Blu Congressman Harold Knutson in "The Outlook

The first historic reference to any
general migration of a people is
found in the twelfth chapter of Gen
esis, where we are told that Abra-
ham, following the command of God
took his tribe from Haran in Meso-
potamia in. the land of Canaan
Since the migration of the Israelites
under 4 Graham, there has been a
constant movement of people from
one part of the earth to another. I'm
til comparatively recent times no
governmental restrictions were found
necessary to place on wanderers, but
as society became more highly or
ganized and civil and property rights
more clearly defined nation after ma
ton found it necessary to impose
such regulations and restrictions as
would tend to safeguard the inter-
ests of the country to which the i'm
migrant sought admission.
Thus it was necessary for congress
to impose certain passports = require
ments on persons seeking to enter
or leave this country after our en-
trance into the world war. All who
had looked into this subject foresaw
a large influx of immigration into
this country following the conclu-
sion of peace. The past year has
fulfilled this expectation and amply
justified the precaution taken by
congress. If anything, l should say
that we had rather underestimated
the volume of immigration that
would set in after the war.
1t is interesting to note how i'm
migration to this country has grown
the past 100 years. l herewith sub
nit short table giving such immi-
grafton by decades:
: 21-1S30-143,439.
1S31-1S40-599,125
1S41-1S5O-1,713,251.
1S51-186O- 2,59S,214. &
1861-1S70-2,318,824.
1871-18SO-2,S12,191.
1881-1S90-5,246,616.
,426.
From 1900 to 1910, S,796,308 i'm
migrants or nearly three times as
many as in any previous decade,
came to our shores. The above fig
ures are extremely interesting and
furnish much food for thought for
the student of political economy,
During the past year 100000 i'm
migrants have come here from Eu-
rope, most of them from the south
ern part, where we have in the past
looked for our cheap, unskilied Ia
Dor. Today Ellis Island, the main
gate of entry into this country, is
crowded far beyond its capacity, and
as a result it is not possible for our
immigration officials to examine each
candidate for admission with that
care, which the best interests Of the
country demand. To meet the stu
alton temporarily the committee OF
immigration and naturalization OF
the house authorized its chairman,
Congressman Albert Johnson to re-
port out bill on the first day OF the
present session that will limit entry
into this country to certain near
blood relatives in direct line OF Am
erican citizens and Of those VINO
have declared their intention of be-
coming citizens. The strong features
of this bill, which, by the way, is
only intended as a temporary stop
gan measure to give the committee
time to work out carefully perman-
ent immigration law, is that the cltl-
zen or declarant must first make pup
LEGATION for the relatives admission,
also that a suitable bond may be re-
auired of the petitioner to insure that
The newcomer will not become a pup
ic charge. If the commissioner OF
immigration is satisfied that sucn
relative is likely to prove a desirable
acquisition, he may issue permit
1nder such regulations as ne may
prescribe. The good features OF these
provisions are obvious.
In the attempt to mold our opn-
ons and conclusions into the enact
nent of permanent immigration leg
Station, careful consideration must
,e given to several important phases
# this great question.
The first of these, of course, is the
one. Shall we permit hum
lreds of thousands of unskilled Ia
,orers to food our overcrowded cities
when the question of unemployment
S already causing US grave concern
Secondly, shall we give welcome to
men whose coming to this country
results from a desire on the part OF
certain foreign governments to RIO
themselves of desperate members OF
he red hordes now over-running Eu-
rope?
Of course in making final decision
we must be fair to those who in good
faith. and weary of the old order OF
life in war-wrecked Europe are eager
TO enroll themselves as loyal citizens