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61sT CONGRESS \ KKN4TK /Bocmunre
SdSemon ( fefcNATi, \No.747
KEPOUTS Of THE IMMIGRATION COMMISSION
ABSTRACTS OF REPORTS OF THE IMMIGRATION COMMISSION
WITH CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS AND VIEWS OF THE MINORITY
(IN TWO VOLUMES: VOL. I)
PRESENTED BY MR. DILLINGHAM
DECEMBER 5, 1910. — Referred to the Committee on Immigration and ordered to be printed, with illustrations
WASHINGTON
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1911
THE IMMIGRATION COMMISSION.
Senator WILLIAM P. DILLINGHAM, Representative BENJAMIN P. HOWELL.
Chairman. Representative WILLIAM S. BENNET.
Senator HENRY CABOT LODGE. Representative JOHN L. BURNETT.
Senator ASBURY C. LATIMER.O Mr. CHARLES P. NEILL.
Senator ANSELM J. McL/AURiN.6 Mr. JEREMIAH W. JENKS.
Senator LE ROY PERCY. « Mr. WILLIAM R. WHEELEE.
Secretaries:
MORTON E. CRANE. W. W. HUSBAND. C. S. ATKINSON.
Chief Statistician: FRED C. CROXTON.
Extract from act of Congress of February 20, 1907, creating and defining the duties of the
Immigration Commission.
That a commission is hereby created, consisting of three Senators, to be appointed by the President of the Senate, and three Members of the House of Representatives, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and three persons to be appointed by the President of the United States. Said commission shall make full inquiry, examination, and investigation, by subcommittee or otherwise, into the subject of immigration. For the purpose of said inquiry, examination, and investiga- tion said commission is authorized to send for persons and papers, make all necessary travel, either in the United States or any foreign country, and, through the chair- man of the commission, or any member thereof, to administer oaths and to examine witnesses and papers respecting all matters pertaining to the subject, and to employ necessary clerical and other assistance. Said commission shall report to Congress the Conclusions reached by it, and make such recommendations as in its judgment may fieem proper. Such sums of money as may be necessary for the said inquiry, examina- tion, and investigation are hereby appropriated and authorized to be paid out of the ''immigrant fund" on the certificate of the chairman of said commission, including fell expenses of the commissioners, and a reasonable compensation, to be fixed by the President of the United States, for those members of the commission who are not Members of Congress; * * * .
! o, Died February 20; 1908.
1 6 Appointed to succeed Mr. Latimer, February 25, 1908. Died December 22, 1909. c Appointed to succeed Mr. McLaurin, March 16, 1910.
II
LIST OF REPORTS OF THE IMMIGRATION COMMISSION.
Volumes 1 and 2. Abstracts of Reports of the Immigration Commission, with Conclusions and Recom- mendations and Views of the Minority. (These volumes include the Commission's complete reports on the following subjects: Immigration Conditions in Hawaii; Immigration and Insanity; Immi- grants in Charity Hospitals; Alien Seamen and Stowaways; Contract Labor and Induced and Assisted Immigration; The Greek Padrone System in the United States; Peonage.) (S. Doc. No. 747, 61st Cong., 3d sess.)
Volume 3. Statistical Review of Immigration, 1819-1910— Distribution of Immigrants, 1850-1900. (S. Doc. No. 756, 61st Cong., 3d sess.)
Volume 4. Emigration Conditions in Europe. (S. Doc. No. 748, 61st Cong., 3d sess.)
Volume 5. Dictionary of Races or Peoples. (S. Doc. No. 662, 61st Cong., 3d sess.)
Volumes 6 and 7. Immigrants in Industries: Pt. 1, Bituminous Coal Mining. (S. Doc. No. 633, 61st Cong., 2d sess.)
Volumes 8 and 9. Immigrants in Industries: Pt. 2, Iron and Steel Manufacturing. (S. Doc. No. 633, 61st Cong., 2d sess.)
Volume 10. Immigrants in Industries: Pt. 3, Cotton Goods Manufacturing in the North Atlantic States— Pt. 4, Woolen and Worsted Goods Manufacturing. (S. Doc. No. 633, 61st Cong., 2d sess.)
Volume 11. Immigrants in Industries: Pt. 5, Silk Goods Manufacturing and Dyeing— Pt. 6, Clothing Manufacturing— Pt. 7, Collar, Cuff, and Shirt Manufacturing. (S. Doc. No. 633, 61st Cong., 2d sess.)
Volume 12. Immigrants in Industries: Pt. 8, Leather Manufacturing— Pt. 9, Boot and Shoe Manufac- turing—Pt. 10, Glove Manufacturing. (S. Doc. No. 633, 61st Cong., 2d sess.)
Volume 13. Immigrants in Industries: Pt. 11, Slaughtering and Meat Packing. (S. Doc. No. 633, 61st Cong., 2d sess.)
Volume 14. Immigrants in Industries: Pt. 12, Glass Manufacturing— Pt. 13, Agricultural Implement and Vehicle Manufacturing. (S. Doc. No. 633, 61st Cong., 2d sess.)
Volume 15. Immigrants in Industries: Pt. 14, Cigar and Tobacco Manufacturing— Pt. 15, Furniture Man- ufacturing—Pt. 16, Sugar Refining. (S. Doc. No. 633, 61st Cong., 2d sess.)
Volume 16. Immigrants in Industries: Pt. 17, Copper Mining and Smelting— Pt. 18, Iron Ore Mining— Pt. 19, Anthracite Coal Mining— Pt. 20, Oil Refining. (S. Doc. No. 633, 61st Cong., 2d sess.)
Volume 17. Immigrants in Industries: Pt. 21, Diversified Industries, Vol. I. (S. Doc. No. 633, 61st Cong., 2dsess.)
Volume 18. Immigrants in Industries: Pt. 21, Diversified Industries, Vol. II— Pt. 22, The Floating Immi- grant Labor Supply. (S. Doc. No. 633, 61st Cong., 2d sess.)
Volumes 19 and 20. Immigrants in Industries: Pt. 23, Summary Report on Immigrants in Manufacturing and Mining. (S. Doc. No. 633, 61st Cong., 2d sess.)
Volumes 21 and 22. Immigrants in Industries: Pt. 24, Recent Immigrants in Agriculture. (S. Doc. No. 633, 61st Cong., 2d sess.)
Volumes 23-25. Immigrants in Industries: Pt. 25, Japanese and Other Immigrant Races in the Pacific Coast and Rocky Mountain States. (S. Doc. No. 633, 61st Cong., 2d sess.)
Volumes 26 and 27. Immigrants in Cities. (S. Doc. No. 338, 61st Cong., 2d sess.)
Volume 28. Occupations of the First and Second Generations of Immigrants in the United States— Fe- cundity of Immigrant Women. (S. Doc. No. 282, 61st Cong., 2d sess.)
Volumes 29-33. The Children of Immigrants in Schools. (S. Doc. No. 749, 61st Cong., 3d sess.)
Volumes 34 and 35. Immigrants as Charity Seekers. (S. Doc. No. 665, 61st Cong., 3d sess.)
Volume 36. Immigration and Crime. (S. Doc. No. 750, 61st Cong., 3d sess.)
Volume 37. Steerage Conditions — Importation and Harboring of Women for Immoral Purposes — Immi- grant Homes and Aid Societies— Immigrant Banks. (S. Doc. No. 753, 61st Cong., 3d sess.)
Volume 38. Changes in Bodily Form of Descendants of Immigrants. (S. Doc. No. 208, 61st Cong., 2d sess.)
Volume 39. Federal Immigration Legislation— Digest of Immigration Decisions— Steerage Legislation, 1819-1908— State Immigration and Alien Laws. (S. Doc. No. 758, 61st Cong., 3d sess.)
Volume 40. The Immigration Situation in Other Countries: Canada— Australia— New Zealand— Argen- tina—Brazil. (S. Doc. No. 761, 61st Cong., 3d sess.)
Volume 41. Statements and Recommendations Submitted by Societies and Organizations Interested in the Subject of Immigration. (S. Doc. No. 764, 61st Cong., 3d sess.)
Volume 42. Index of Reports of the Immigration Commission. (S. Doc. No. 785, 61st Cong., 3d sess.)
Ill
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.
THE IMMIGRATION COMMISSION,
Washington, D. C. , December 5, 1910. To the Sixty-first Congress :
I have the honor to transmit herewith, on behalf of the Immigra- tion Commission, a report in two volumes entitled u Abstracts of Reports of the Immigration Commission, with Conclusions and Rec- ommendations and Views of the Minority." In addition to abstracts of the more extended reports of the Commission, these volumes include the complete reports on the following subjects : Immigration Con- ditions in Hawaii; Immigration and Insanity; Immigrants in Charity Hospitals; Alien Seamen and Stowaways; Contract Labor and Induced and Assisted Immigration; The Greek Padrone System in the United States; Peonage.
Respectfully, WILLIAM P. DILLINGHAM,
Chairman*
IV
CONTENTS.
Page.
Introductory 1-4
Brief statement of the investigations of the Immigration Commission, with
conclusions and recommendations and views of the minority 5-49
Brief statement of the investigations —
The immigration legislation of 1907 9
Membership of the Commission
Organization of the Commission
Purpose of the inquiry
Plan and scope of the inquiry
Investigations in Europe
Investigations in the United States 15
Racial classification of immigrants 17
Methods of work 20
Reports of the Immigration Commission 21
Conclusions —
Sources of immigration and character of immigrants
Causes of the movement
Immigration of diseased aliens 26
Immigration of criminals 27
Immigration of the mentally defective 28
Contract labor and induced and assisted immigration
The padrone system
Importation of aliens for immoral purposes
Steerage conditions
Immigrant homes and aid societies 30
Immigrant banks 31
Boards of special inquiry
Immigration and crime
Immigration and the public health
Immigration and pauperism
Congestion of immigrants in cities
Immigrants in manufacturing and mining 37
Recent immigrants in agriculture 39
Artificial distribution of immigrants 40
Japanese and other immigrants on the Pacific slope 40
Assimilation of immigrants 41
Children of immigrants in schools 43
Changes in bodily form of descendants of immigrants 43
Recommendations 45
Views of the minority 49
Abstract of the statistical review of immigration to the United States, 1820
to 1910 51-118
Number of immigrants, 1820 to 1910 56
Sex, 1820 to 1910 57
Country of origin, 1820 to 1910 59
\ Sex and race of immigrants, 1899 to 1910 97
\Illiteracy, 1899 to 1910 98
Occupation, 1899 to 1910
Financial condition of immigrants 102
Immigrants who have been in the United States previously 104
\ Destination of immigrants in the United States 105
\ Aliens debarred at United States ports 1 10.
Aliens leaving the United States 112
Abstract of the report on distribution of immigrants, 1850 to 1900 119-160
Growth of foreign-born population
Concentration in cities 139
Age 146
Voting age and citizenship 148
Illiteracy and ability to speak English 156
VI Contents.
Page.
Abstract of the report on emigration conditions in Europe 161-204
Old and new European immigration . 166
Attitude of European countries toward emigration 168
Character of European emigration 169
Sex 171
Age 172
Occupations of emigrants
Literacy in Europe 175
Money shown by immigrants 178
Permanent and transient emigration 1 79
Extent and permanence of the return movement ] 81
Effects of the return movement in Europe 184
Causes of emigration 185
Assisted immigration 192
Emigration of criminals 192
Examination of emigrants abroad ; 193
Abstract of the Immigration Commission's dictionary of races or peoples.. 205-283
Introductory 209
Races or peoples 217
Abstract of the report on immigrants in manufacturing and mining 285-541
Scope and method of the investigation —
Geographical extent of the investigation 293
The principal branches of mining and manufacturing studied 293
Extent of information secured 294
Field methods employed i 295
Preparation of data 295
The present discussion . 296
Summary of data secured according to principal industries —
Iron and steel manufacturing 297
Slaughtering and meat packing 298
Bituminous coal mining 300
Glass manufacturing 301
Woolen and worsted manufacturing 302
Silk goods manufacturing and dyeing 303
Cotton goods manufacturing 304
Clothing manufacturing 305
The manufacture of boots and shoes 306
Furniture manufacturing 307
Collar, cuff, and shirt manufacturing 308
Leather tanning, currying, and finishing 309
Glove manufacturing 310
Oil refining 311
Sugar refining 312
The manufacture of cigars and tobacco 313
Statistical summary of results —
Explanation of methods of presentation 315
Households studied 315
Members of households 317
Racial composition of operating forces of mines and manufacturing
establishments at present time 320
Racial composition of the operating forces of 16 selected industries. . . 335 Period of residence in the United States of foreign-born employees
and members of their households 348
Industrial condition abroad of members of immigrant households
studied 357
Principal occupation abroad of immigrant wage-earners 361
Principal occupation in this country at the present time of industrial
workers and members of their households 363
Average weekly earnings according to general nativity and race of
employee 366
Average daily earnings according to general nativity and race of
employee 370
The range of weekly earnings according to general nativity and race
of employee 374
The range of daily earnings according to general nativity and race of
employee ' 379
Contents. VII
Abstract of the report on immigrants in manufacturing and mining — Contd. Page. Statistical summary of results — Continued.
Average weekly earnings according to industry and general nativity
and race of employee 383
Average daily earnings according to industry and general nativity
and race of employee . 396
Average daily earnings according to industry and general nativity of
employee 401
Average hourly earnings in the slaughtering and meat-packing indus- try, according to general nativity and race of employee 403
Annual earnings of male heads of families 405
Annual earnings of male wage-earners in the households studied 407
Annual earnings of female wage-earners in the households studied 409
Annual family income 412
Sources of family income 413
The immigrant and organized labor 417
Rent in its relation to standard of living 419
Boarders and lodgers 422
Size of apartments 426
\ Size of households 428
l Congestion 430
A Literacy 438
Conjugal condition .. 447
Visits abroad 461
Age classification of industrial workers 463
Ownership of homes 467
Status of children in the households studied 470
Ability to speak English 474
Citizenship 484
The industrial significance of recent immigration —
Recent expansion of American industry 491
Increase in the number of wage-earners 491
Employment of immigrant labor 493
Reasons for the employment of recent immigrants 493
Conditions which made possible the extensive employment of recent
immigrants 494
Present day industrial communities 495
Salient characteristics of the recent immigrant labor supply 498
Effect of the competition of recent immigrants upon native Americans
and older immigrant employees 500
Effect of the employment of recent immigrants upon labor organiza- tions 530
Effect of the employment of recent immigrants upon industrial organ- ization and methods 538
Effect of the employment of recent immigrants upon working
relations 540
Effect of the employment of recent immigrants upon wages and hours
of work 540
Effect of the employment of recent immigrants upon the establish- ment of new industries 541
Abstract of the report on recent immigrants in agriculture ; 543-615
Introductory —
Older immigrant race groups in agriculture 547
Scope and method of investigation —
Communities investigated, by races 551
Scope of investigation 553
Purpose of investigation. 554
Method of investigation. 555
General survey of the races studied —
Italians in agriculture _ 559
Italians in the southern States 566
Italians in New York State 572
Hebrew rural communities 575
Poles in agriculture _ 581
Bohemians and other races in agriculture 587
\
VJii Contents.
\
Abstract of the report on recent immigrants in agriculture — Continued. Page. Seasonal agricultural laborers —
Introductory 593
Race composition 594
Sources whence recruited 595
Conditions of employment 596
Housing conditions 598
Standard of living 599
Americanization . 600
General sociological survey of the immigrants in rural communities from
whom information was secured 601
Abstract of the report on Japanese and other immigrant races in the Pacific
Coast and Rocky Mountain States 617-694
Introductory 621
Scope and method of investigation 625
European and Canadian immigrants 644
Chinese 654
Japanese 660
East Indians 676
Mexicans 682
Conclusions 691
Immigration conditions in Hawaii 695-722
Early immigration 699
Effects of annexation 701
Recent immigration 702
Assisted immigration since 1905 703
Immigration statistics 708
School attendance 1 714
Economic status of immigrants 714
Accumulation of wealth by immigrants 717
Land and settlement 718
General conditions attending immigration 720
Abstract of the report on immigrants in cities 723-772
Introductory 727
Results of investigation'. 727
Method and scope 731
Summary for seven cities 732
Composition of population 733
Living conditions 741
Economic status 760
Assimilation 768
Abstract of the report on occupations of the first and second generations of
immigrants in the United States 773-838
Male breadwinners 778
General laborers 779
Miners and quarrymen 782
Iron and steel workers 783
Textile-mill operatives , 786
The building trades 788
Clerical pursuits 790
Salesmen, agents, and commercial travelers 793
Professional service ta 795
Agriculture 799
Female breadwinners. 803
Servants and waitresses 804
The needle trades 806
Textile-mill operatives 810
Clerical pursuits 813
Saleswomen. 815
Teachers 818
Table A: Male breadwinners 821-829
Table B: Female breadwinners 830-838
Index .. . 839-902
INTRODUCTORY.
The complete report of the Immigration Commission consists of 42 volumes. In volume 1 there is presented a brief history of the organization and work of the Commission, together with its conclu- sions and recommendations, but this volume, as well as volume 2, consists for the most part of abstracts of the more extended reports of the Commission upon various phases of the subject under consid- eration. In preparing these abstracts it was the purpose of the Commission to present in a condensed form some of the more essential results of its investigations, and while the various abstracts lack the great mass of important statistical and other data contained in the reports upon which they are based, it is believed that they are suffi- ciently exhaustive to meet the requirements of the average student of the immigration problem.
Included in the two volumes are the complete reports of the Commission on various subjects, and also the present United States immigration laws and regulations, the treaty, laws, and regulations governing the admission of Chinese, and the United States naturali- zation laws and regulations.
The reports and abstracts of reports included in the two volumes are as follows :
Statistical review of immigration to the United States, 1820-1910. — This abstract is based on a statistical work of the same title which contains a compilation of all available statistics relative to immigra- tion to the United States from 1819, when such data were first recorded, to June 30, 1910.
Distribution of immigrants, 1850-1900. — An abstract of a report of the same title which was prepared under the direction of the Com- mission by Dr. Joseph A. Hill, chief statistician of the Division of Revision and Results, Bureau of the Census, assisted by W. F. Hick- ernell, special agent. The report is based on United States Census reports.
Emigration conditions in Europe. — Based on the report which resulted from the Commission's investigations in the principal immi- grant-furnishing countries of Europe.
Immigrant races or peoples. — An abstract of the dictionary of races or peoples which was prepared for the Commission by Dr. Daniel Folkmar, assisted by Dr. Elnora C. Folkmar.
Immigrants in manufacturing and mining. — An abstract of the reports on immigrants in industries, as follows: Bituminous-coal mining, iron and steel manufacturing, cotton-goods manufacturing in the North Atlantic States, woolen and worsted goods manu- facturing, silk-goods manufacturing and dyeing, clothing manu- facturing, collar, cuff, and shirt manufacturing, leather manufac- turing, boot and shoe manufacturing, glove manufacturing, slaugh- tering and meat packing, sugar refining, glass manufacturing, agri- cultural implement and vehicle manufacturing, cigar and tobacco manufacturing, furniture manufacturing, copper mining and smelt-
Introductory.
ing, iron-ore mining, anthracite-coal mining, oil refining, diversified industries, and the floating immigrant labor supply. This abstract and the reports upon which it is based were prepared under the direc- tion of the Commission by W. Jett Lauck, superintendent of agents, who also had charge of the main field work in this branch of the Commission's inquiry.
Recent immigrants in agriculture. — An abstract based on the Com- mission's general report of the same title, which report concerns the status and progress of recent immigrants of various races who have entered agricultural pursuits in States east of the Rocky Mountains. This branch of the inquiry was conducted under the direction of the Commission by Alexander E. Cance, Ph. D., of Massachusetts Agri- cultural College, who also prepared the general report and abstract upon the subject.
Japanese and other immigrant races in the Pacific Coast and Rocky^ Mountain States. — An abstract based on the Commission's report of the same title. The abstract and the report upon which it is based were prepared by Prof. H. A. Millis, of Leland Stanford Junior University, who as superintendent of agents had charge of the Commission's general investigations in the Western division of States.
The immigration situation in Hawaii. — This is the complete report upon the subject and was prepared for the Commission by Dr. Victor S. Clark.
Immigrants in cities. — An abstract based on the Commission's report of the same title which treats of the social and economic status of recent immigrants in congested districts of New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Buffalo, Cleveland, and Milwaukee. The -field work in this investigation was conducted under the direction of the Commission by Dr. E. A. Goldenweiser, special agent, and the report was prepared by Doctor Goldenweiser and Mary Louise Mark, special agent, assisted by Nellie F. Sheets.
Occupations of the first and second generations of immigrants in the United States. — An abstract of a report of the same title which was prepared under the direction of the Commission by Dr. Joseph A. Hill, chief statistician of the Division of Revision and Results, Bureau of the Census. The report is based on unpublished data from United States Census schedules.
The children of immigrants in schools. — An abstract of the Com- mission's general report on the status of the children of immigrants in the public schools of 37 cities and the parochial schools of 24 cities. The data upon which this report is based were collected and tabulated under the direction of Dr. Roland P. Falkner. Before the completion of the work, however, Doctor Falkner resigned from the service of the Commission to become financial representative of the Republic of Liberia, and the abstract was prepared by Fred C. Croxton, chief statistician of the Commission, assisted by Frances W. Simonds.
Immigrants as charity seekers. — An abstract of the Commission's report of the same title. This report concerns the activities of federated charity organizations in 43 cities during the winter of 1908-9. The inquiry was conducted with the assistance of Mr. Francis H. McLean, field secretary of the field department for the extension of organized charity in the United States, and the field work was superintended and the report prepared under the direction of the Commission by Jessie C. Lloyd, special agent.
Introductory.
Immigration and crime. — An abstract of the Commission's report of the same title, both of which were prepared under the direction of the Commission by Leslie Hay ford, special agent.
Immigration ana insanity. — This is the complete report of the Com- mission upon the subject, and was prepared under the direction of the Commission by Earle Clark, special agent.
Immigrants in charity hospitals. — This is the complete report of the Commission upon the subject, and is based on data collected by the Commission in Bellevue and Allied Hospitals, New York City, dur- ing the seven months ending February 28, 1909. The report was prepared by Fred C. Croxton, chief statistician of the Commission, assisted by Inez M. Clark.
Steerage conditions. — An abstract of the Commission's report of the same title (S. Doc. No. 206, 61st Cong., 2d sess.) which was prepared by Anna Herkner, special agent, and presented to Congress December i3, 1909. The report is based on reports of Miss Herkner and other special agents of the Commission who traveled in the steerage of transatlantic ships and on vessels engaged in the coastwise trade.
Immigrant homes and aid societies. — An abstract of the Commission's report of the same title which was prepared under the direction of the Commission by Martha E. Dodson, special agent, who also had charge of collecting the data upon which the report is based.
Importation and harboring of women for immoral purposes. — An abstract of the Commission's report of the same title (S. Doc. No. 196, 61st Cong., 2d sess.) which was presented to Congress December 10, 1909.
Alien seamen and stowaways. — This is the complete report of the Commission upon the subject, and is based in part on investigations made for the Commission by Inspector Samuel A. Eppler, of the United States Immigration Service.
Contract labor and induced and assisted immigration. — This is the complete report of the Commission upon the subject. It is based in part upon the investigations of Commission agents and in part upon data furnished to the Commission by Inspector John Gruenberg, of the United States Immigration Service.
The Greek padrone system in the United States. — This is the com- plete report of the Commission upon the subject, and was prepared for the Commission by Inspector A. A. Seraphic, of the United States Immigration Service.
Immigrant banks. — An abstract of the Commission's report of the same title (S. Doc. 381, 61st Cong., 2d sess.) which was presented to Congress February 24, 1910. This report was prepared by W. K. Ramsey, jr., special agent, under the direction of W. Jett Lauck, superintendent of agents.
Peonage. — This is the complete report of the Commission upon the subject, and is based on investigations conducted under the direction of a special committee of the Commission.
Fecundity of immigrant women. — An abstract of a report of the same title which was prepared under the direction of the Commission by Dr. Joseph A. Hill, chief statistician of the Division of Revision and Results, Bureau of the Census, assisted by Julius H. Parmelee. The report is based on unpublished data from United States Census schedules.
Introductory.
Changes in bodily form of descendants of immigrants . — An abstract of a report of the same title which was prepared for the Commission by Franz Boas, professor of anthropology, Columbia University, New York. A partial report upon the subject (S. Doc. 208, 61st Cong., 2d sess.) was presented to Congress December 16, 1909.
Federal immigration legislation. — An abstract of a report of the same title which was prepared under the direction of the Commission by Frank L. Shaw, special agent.
Steerage legislation, 1819-1908. — An abstract of a report of the same title which was prepared under the direction of the Commission by Glen Edwards, special agent.
The immigration situation in other countries. — An abstract of the Commission's report on the immigration situation in Canada, Austra- lia, New Zealand, Argentina, and Brazil. The complete report on Canada (S. Doc. 469, 61st Cong., 2d sess.) was presented to Congress April 1, 1910. The reports on Australia and New Zealand were prepared under the direction of the Commission by Mary Helen Eagan, and the reports on Argentina and Brazil by Mary Mills West.
The complete reports of the Commission include the following, of which no abstract was made :
Digest of Immigration Decisions.
State Immigration and Alien Laws.
Statements and Recommendations Submitted by Societies and Organizations Interested in the Subject of Immigration.
The first named consists of a digest of the principal judicial deci- sions and opinions in cases arising under the statutes and treaties relating to the exclusion and deportation of aliens, which was com- piled for the Commission by John W. Clifton, special agent. The digest is confined chiefly to decisions rendered by courts of final jurisdiction. The cardinal principles of law involved in the cases adjudicated are presented, for the most part, through brief extracts taken from the opinions delivered.
The report on State immigration and alien laws, which also was compiled by Mr. Clifton, contains the principal legislative enactments of the various States respecting immigration and aliens, including the earlier laws of some of the seaboard States for the regulation of the movement from foreign countries.
The Commission's plan of work did not include formal hearings, and consequently but little testimony, in the ordinary meaning of that term, was taken. However, various societies and organizations were invited by the Commission to submit statements and recommen- dations relative to the subject under consideration and the invitation was quite generally responded to. These statements and recom- mendations are published in a separate volume in the Commission's general report.
BRIEF STATEMENT OF THE INVESTIGATIONS OF THE
IMMIGRATION COMMISSION, WITH CONCLUSIONS
AND RECOMMENDATIONS AND VIEWS
OF THE MINORITY.
CONTENTS.
Page.
Brief statement of the investigations:
The immigration legislation of 1907....' '. 9
Membership of the Commission 11
Organization of the Commission 12
Purpose of the inquiry 12
jplan and scope of the inquiry v 13
Investigations in Europe 14
Investigations in the United States 15
Racial classification of immigrants 17
Methods of work 20
Reports of the Immigration Commission 21
Conclusions:
Sources of immigration and character of immigrants 23
Causes of the movement 25
Immigration of diseased aliens 26
Immigration of criminals „ 27
Immigration of the mentally defective 28
Contract labor and induced and assisted immigration 29
The padrone system 29
Importation of aliens for immoral purposes 30
Steerage conditions 30
Immigrant homes and aid societies 30
Immigrant banks 31
Boards of special inquiry 32
Immigration and crime 33
Immigration and the public health 34
Immigration and pauperism 35
Congestion of immigrants in cities. 36
Immigrants in manufacturing and mining 37
Recent immigrants in agriculture 39
Artificial distribution of immigrants 40
Japanese and other immigrants on the Pacific slope 40
Assimilation of immigrants 41
Children of immigrants in schools , 43
Changes in bodily form of descendants of immigrants 43
Recommendations 45
Views of the minority 49
7
BRIEF STATEMENT OF THE INVESTIGATIONS OF THE IMMIGRATION COMMISSION, WITH CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS AND VIEWS OF THE MINORITY,
BRIEF STATEMENT OF THE INVESTIGATIONS.
The Immigration Commission was created by section 39 of the immigration act of February 20, 1907, which provides as follows :
That a commission is hereby created, consisting of three Senators, to be appointed by the President of the Senate, and three members of the House of Representatives, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representa- tives, and three persons to be appointed by the President of the United States. Said commission shall make full inquiry, examination, and investigation, by subcommittee or otherwise, into the subject of immigration. For the purpose of said inquiry, examination, and investigation said commission is authorized to send for persons and papers, make all necessary travel, either in the United States or any foreign country, and, through the chairman of the commission, or any member thereof, to administer oaths and to examine witnesses and papers respecting all matters pertaining to the subject, and to employ necessary clerical and other assistance. Said commission shall report to Congress the conclusions reached by it, and make such recommendations as in its judgment may seem proper. Such sums of money as may be necessary for the said inquiry, examination, and investigation are hereby appropriated and authorized to be paid out of the "immigrant fund" on th£ certificate of the chairman of said commission, including all expenses of the commissioners, and a reasonable compensation, to be fixed by the President of the United States, for those mem- bers of the commission who are not members of Congress ; * * *.
THE IMMIGRATION LEGISLATION OF 1907.
When the bill ° which was finally enacted as the immigration law of February 20, 1907,6 was reported from the Senate Committee on Immi- gration March 29, 1906, it proposed several important amendments to the existing law. However, no change in the immigration policy of the Government was suggested. The " head tax " on immigrants was increased from $2 to $5 ; imbeciles, feeble-minded persons, unac- companied children under 17 years of age, and persons "who are found to be and are certified by the examining surgeon as being men- tally or physically defective, such mental or physical defect being of a nature which may affect the ability of such aliens to earn a living," were added to the excluded classes ; the provision of existing law ex- cluding prostitutes was amended to also exclude " women or girls com- ing into the United States for the purpose of prostitution or for any other immoral purpose; " steamship companies were required to fur- nish lists of outgoing alien passengers; and the creation of a divi- sion of distribution in the Bureau of Immigration was authorized.
a Senate bill 4403, Fifty-ninth Congress, first session. 6 See Volume II, pp. 731-744.
72289°— VOL 1—11 2 9
10 The Immigration Commission.
In the Senate the bill was amended by the insertion of a literacy test, which provided for the exclusion from the United States of—
all persons over sixteen years of age and physically capable of reading who can not read the English language or some other language; but an admissible immigrant or a person now in or hereafter admitted to this country may bring in or send for his wife, his children under eighteen years of age, and his parents or grandparents over fifty years of age, if they are otherwise admissible, whether they are so able to read or not.
The bill as amended passed the Senate May 23, 1906.
The House of Representatives Committee on Immigration and Naturalization, to which was referred Senate bill 4403, on May 29, 1906, reported by substituting another bill, which, however, did not differ materially from that of the Senate. The " head-tax " pro- vision was the same and the additions to the excluded classes prac- tically so, a literacy test similar to that of the Senate being advised. The bill as originally reported by the House committee also provided for the exclusion of every adult male who had not $25 in his pos- session, and every female alien and every male alien under 16 years not possessed of $15, provided that $50 in the possession of the head of a family should be considered a sufficient amount for all members of such family, except grown sons. In a subsequent report, pre- sented June 11, 1906, the money-qualification feature was omit- ted. Each of the House reports was accompanied by a minority report, signed by two members of the committee, in which the in- creased "head tax" and the educational-test provisions were dis- agreed to. In the House of Representatives the bill was amended by striking out the increased " head-tax " provision and the provision for a literacy test and by inserting a section creating the Immigra- tion Commission. The House also adopted the so-called "Littauer" amendment, which provided as follows:
That an immigrant who proves that he is seeking admission to this country solely to avoid prosecution or punishment on religious or political grounds, for an offense of a political character, or prosecution involving danger of imprison- ment or danger to life or limb on account of religious belief, shall not be deported because of want of means or the probability of his being unable to earn a livelihood.
In conference between the two Houses the Senate receded from its provision relative to a literacy test ; the House receded from the Lit- tauer amendment; the "head-tax" provision was compromised by fixing the amount at $4, instead of $5 as provided by the Senate and $2 as provided by the House; the House amendment creating the Immigration Commission was agreed to, with an amendment which provided that the Commission should consist of three Senators, three Members of the House of Representatives, and three persons to be ap- pointed by the President of the United States, instead of two Sena- tors, three Members of the House, and two citizen members, as was provided in the House amendment. The section creating the Com- mission was further amended in conference by the addition of the following provision:
* * * The President of the United States is also authorized, in the name of the Government of the United States, to call, in his discretion, an inter- national conference, to assemble at such point as may be agreed upon, or to send special commissioners to any foreign country, for the purpose of regulating by international agreement, subject to the advice and consent of the Senate of the
Brief Statement of the Investigations. « 11
United States, the immigration of aliens to the United States ; of providing for the mental, moral, and physicial examination of such aliens by American con- suls or other officers of the United States Government at the ports of embarka- tion, or elsewhere; of securing the assistance of foreign governments in their own territories to prevent the evasion of the laws of the United States govern- ing immigration to the United States ; of entering into such international agree- ments as may be proper to prevent the immigration of aliens who, under the laws of the United States, are or may be excluded from entering the United States, and of regulating any matters pertaining to such immigration.
The conferees also added a new section (sec. 42) to the bill amend- ing section 1 of the passenger act of 1882 relative to air space allotted to steerage passengers, and amended section 1 of the immigration bill under consideration by inserting the following provision:
That whenever the President shall be satisfied that passports issued by any foreign government to its citizens to go to any country other than the United States, or to any insular possession of the United States, or to the Canal Zone, are being used for the purpose of enabling the holders to come to the continental territory of the United States, to the detriment of labor conditions therein, the President may refuse to permit such citizens of the country issuing such pass- ports to enter the continental territory of the United States from such other country, or from such insular possessions, or from the Canal Zone.
It will be noted from the above that the attitude of the Senate and that of the House of Representatives toward the immigration ques- tion differed radically. In adopting the literacy test provision the Senate clearly favored restriction, as did the House committee, but the House of Representatives not only rejected this provision and refused to increase the "head tax," but, in adopting the Littauer amendment, seemingly indicated a willingness to >make even the existing law less formidable.
In view of the fact that the legislation finally agreed upon was a compromise and made no radical change in existing law, the creation of a commission charged with making " full inquiry, examination, and investigation " of the subject under consideration was clearly an admission that the evidence at hand was insufficient to warrant a con- gressional verdict either for or against a change in the immigration policy of the Government. The Commission as created viewed the situation in this light, and its only purpose has been to execute the will of Congress accordingly.
MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMISSION.
On February 22, 1907, the Vice-President appointed as members of the Immigration Commission on the part of the Senate, the following Senators : Hon. William P. Dillingham, of Vermont, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Immigration, and Hon. Henry Cabot Lodge, of Massachusetts, and Hon. Anselm J. McLaurin, of Mississippi, both of whom were members of the same committee. Mr. McLaurin, at his own request, was excused from service on the Commission, and on March 2, 1907, Hon. Asbury C. Latimer, of South Carolina, also a member of the Committee on Immigration, was appointed to fill the vacancy. On March 2, 1907, the Speaker of the House of Represen- tatives appointed as members of the Commission on the part of that body, Hon. Benjamin F. Howell, of New Jersey. Hon. William S. Bennet, of New York, and Hon. John L. Burnett, of Alabama. Mr. Howell was chairman, and Messrs. Bennet and Burnett were members,
12 The Immigration Commission.
of the House Committee on Immigration and Naturalization. The President of the United States appointed as representatives of the executive department on the Commission, Hon. Charles P. Neill, of the District of Columbia, Prof. Jeremiah W. Jenks, of New York, and Mr. William R. Wheeler, of 'California. Mr. Latimer died February 20, 1908. and on February 25, 1908, Hon. Anselm J. McLaurin was again appointed to the Commission. The latter died December 22, 1909, and on March 16, 1910, Hon. Le Eoy Percy, of Mississippi, was appointed as his successor. With the exceptions noted the mem- bership of the Commission remained unchanged.
ORGANIZATION OF THE COMMISSION.
The Commission organized April 22, 1907, by electing Hon. William P. Dillingham, chairman ; Morton E. Crane, of Massachusetts, secre- tary and disbursing officer ; and W. W. Husband, of Vermont, clerk of the United States Senate Committee on Immigration, and C. S. Atkinson, of New Jersey, clerk of the House of Representatives Com- mittee on Immigration and Naturalization, secretaries. Fred C. Croxton, of the United States Bureau of Labor, was later chosen as chief statistician of the Commission. In the early part of the work Mr. Croxton was assisted by Erville B. Woods, and later by Mary Louise Mark. In the final preparation of the reports of the Com- mission, H. Parker Willis wras the editorial adviser. Mr. Atkinson was, at his own request, furloughed without pay on June 1, 1908, and from that date was not actively engaged in the work of the Commission.
PURPOSE OF THE INQUIRY.
As previously stated, the act creating the Commission directed that it should "make full inquiry, examination, and investigation, by sub- committee or otherwise, into the subject of immigration," and the Commission has followed this instruction.
In the beginning two plans of work were considered. One plan contemplated bringing together in a new form already existing data ; conducting an inquiry into the effectiveness of the existing immigra- tion law and its administration, and by means of hearings securing information and expressions of opinion from persons interested in various phases of the subject under consideration. By the second plan it was proposed to utilize such existing data as might be con- sidered of value, but also to make an original inquiry into funda- mental phases of the subject which had previously been considered only in a superficial manner, or not at all.
After due consideration the Commission reached the conclusion that the first-mentioned plan, no matter how carefully it might be carried out, would yield very little new information that would be of value to Congress in a serious consideration of the Government's im- migration policy. Consequently it was discarded in favor of an original investigation which, it was perfectly apparent, would neces- sarily be more far reaching and involve more work than any inquiry of a similar nature, except the census alone, that had ever been under- taken by the Government.
Brief Statement of the Investigations. 13
PLAN AND SCOPE OF THE INQUIRY.
Briefly stated, the plan of work adopted by the Commission in- cluded a study of the sources of recent immigration in Europe, the general character of incoming immigrants, the methods employed here and abroad to prevent the immigration of persons classed as un- desirable in the United States immigration law, and finally a thorough investigation into the general status of the more recent immigrants as residents of the United States, and the effect of such immigration upon the institutions, industries, and people of this country. As above suggested, the chief basis of the Commission's work was the changed character of the immigration movement to the United States during the past twenty-five years.
During the fiscal year 1907, in which the Commission was created, a total of 1,285,349 immigrants were admitted to the United States. Of this number 1,207,619 were from Europe, including Turkey in Asia, and of these 979,661, or 81 per cent, came from the southern and eastern countries, comprising Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Montenegro, Poland, Portugal, Roumania, Russia, Servia, Spain, Turkey in Europe, and Turkey in Asia.
Twenty-five years earlier, in the fiscal year 1882, 648,186 European immigrants came to the United States, and of these only 84,973, or 13.1 per cent, came from the countries above enumerated, while 563,213, or 86.9 per cent, were from Belgium, Great Britain and Ireland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, and Switzer- land, which countries furnished about 95 per cent of the immigration movement from Europe to the United States between 1819 and 1883.
During the entire period for which statistics are available — July 1, 1819, to June 30, 1910— a total of 25,528,410 European immigrants, including 106,481 from Turkey in Asia, were admitted to the United States.0 Of these, 16,052,900, or 62.9 per cent, came from the northern and^ western countries enumerated, and 9,475,510, or 37.1 per cent, from southern and eastern Europe and Turkey in Asia. For conven- ience the former movement will be referred to in the Commission's reports as the " old immigration " and the latter as the " new immi- gration." The old and the new immigration differ in many essentials. The former was, from the beginning, largely a movement of settlers who came from the most progressive sections of Europe for the pur- pose of making for themselves homes in the New World. They en- tered practically every line of activity in nearly every part or the country. Coining during a period of agricultural development, many of them entered agricultural pursuits, sometimes as inde- pendent farmers, but more often as farm laborers, who, neverthe- less, as a rule soon became landowners. They formed an important part of the great movement toward the West during the last century, and as pioneers were most potent factors in the development of the territory between the Allegheny Mountains and the Pacific coast. They mingled freely with the native Americans and were quickly assimilated, although a large proportion of them, particularly in later years, belonged to non-English-speaking races. This natural bar to assimilation, however, was soon overcome by them, while the racial identity of their children was almost entirely lost and forgotten.
0 See pp. 61 to 64.
14 The Immigration Commission.
On the other hand, the new immigration has been largely a move- ment of unskilled laboring men who have come, in large part tempo- rarily, from the less progressive and advanced countries of Europe in response to the call for industrial workers in the eastern and middle western States. They have almost entirely avoided agricultural pur- suits, and in cities and industrial communities have congregated together in sections apart from native Americans and the older immi- grants to such an extent that assimilation has been slow as com- pared to that of the earlier non-English-speaking races.
The new immigration as a class is far less intelligent than the old, approximately one-third of all those over 14 years of age when ad- mitted being illiterate. Racially they are for the most part essen- tially unlike the British, German, and other peoples who came during the period prior to 1880, and generally speaking they are actuated in coming by different ideals, for the old immigration came to be a part of the country, while the new, in a large measure, comes with the intention of profiting, in a pecuniary way, by the superior advan- tages of the new world and then returning to the old country.
The old immigration movement, which in earlier days was the sub- ject of much discussion and the cause of no little apprehension among the people of the country, long ago became thoroughly merged into the population, and the old sources have contributed a comparatively small part of the recent immigrant tide. Consequently the Commis- sion paid but little attention to the foreign-born element of the old immigrant class and directed its efforts almost entirely to an inquiry relative to the general status of the newer immigrants as residents of the United States.
In pursuance of this policy the Commission began its study of the subject in the countries of Europe which are the chief sources of the new immigration, and followed the emigration movement to ports of embarkation, across the ocean in the steerage, and finally to every part of the United States and into practically every line of activity in which the new immigrants were to be found.
The general plan and scope of the Commission's work are briefly stated in the pages following.
INVESTIGATIONS IN EUROPE.
The main subjects considered in the European inquiry were as follows :
1. Causes of emigration, natural and artificial.
2. Economic conditions in Europe and the effect on emigration to the United States.
3. Steamship companies and their agents as factors in promoting emigration.
4. Classes and character of European emigrants.
5. Emigration of criminals.
G. Attitude of European governments toward emigration.
7. Laws of the various countries respecting emigration and emi- grants.
8. Effect of the United States immigration law in preventing the embarkation of undesirable emigrants.
Brief Statement of the Investigations. 15
9. Medical examination of intending emigrants at ports of em- barkation and elsewhere, and practicability of having such exami- nations made by United States medical officers.
10. United States consular officers as a factor in regulating immi- gration.
11. International regulation of emigration and immigration.
INVESTIGATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES.
Before undertaking investigations in the United States several months were spent in examining existing data upon the subject under consideration with special reference to material which could be utilized in a study of the effect of the new immigration upon the United States, in both an economic and a sociological sense. It was found that in the United States census schedules for 1900 there were considerable data relating to the general subject that had not been utilized, and by courtesy of the Department of Commerce and Labor this material was made available for the use of the Commission, with the result that a valuable and interesting report on the occupational status of immigrants and their children and another on the relative fecundity of foreign-born and native-born women were prepared. In the meantime the Commission's investigations into the white-slave traffic and some other subjects were undertaken.
The main object of the Commission, however, was to secure data which would show as clearly as possible the general effect, in a broad sense, of the new immigration movement upon the people, the in- dustries, and the institutions of the United States, and in order to ac- complish this it was found imperative that a large amount of original statistical data be collected. Consequently a broad and comprehen- sive plan of work was adopted, and in the winter of 1908 the Com- mission's field investigations, which eventually were extended to every part of the country, were inaugurated.
The plan of work under which the field investigations of the Com- mission wrere carried on contemplated an extensive inquiry into the status of the new immigrants and including the following subjects:
1. Congestion of immigrants in New York, Chicago, Boston, and other large cities.
2. Immigrants as industrial workers in the leading industries, in- cluding effect on wages, employment of native-born workers, condi- tions of work, etc.
3. Effect of recent immigration on wages and other conditions in various trades, from the standpoint of native-born and older immi- grant workers in such trades.
4. Progress of immigrant industrial workers.
5. Recent immigrants as residents of industrial communities.
6. Recent immigrants in agriculture.
7. Immigrant children and the children of immigrants in schools.
8. Extent to which recent immigrants and their children are be- coming assimilated or Americanized, and agencies promoting or re- tarding Americanization.
9. The physical assimilation of immigrants. 10. Alien criminality.
16 The Immigration Commission.
11. Immigrants in penal and reformatory institutions.
12. Immigrants in institutions for the insane.
13. Immigrants as charity seekers in various cities.
14. Immigrants in charity hospitals.
Other features included in the Commission's plan of work and which required the collection of original data through field agents were:
1. An inquiry concerning the importation of women for immoral purposes — the " white slave " traffic.
2. An investigation of immigrant homes, aid societies, and em- ployment agencies.
3. An investigation of the immigrant bank system, which included also an inquiry relative to the amount of money sent abroad by immigrants.
4. An investigation of conditions under which immigrants are carried at sea.
5. The original plans of the Commission contemplated, in connec- tion with the general field work, an inquiry into the alleged holding of immigrants in peonage in various pa*rts of the country. This was made the subject of a special inquiry, however, because of the fol- lowing resolution by the House of Representatives, adopted March 2,1908:
Resolved, That the Immigration Commission be requested to make an investi- gation into the treatment and conditions of work of immigrants on the cotton plantations of the Mississippi Delta, in the States of Mississippi and Arkansas, and upon the turpentine farms, lumber camps, and railway camps in the States of Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, and other States; and to report them at as early a date as possible.
In addition to the various branches of the investigation requiring field work, the plan of the Commission contemplated digest work as follows :
1. Review of national and state legislation respecting immigration.
2. Review of United States and European legislation for the regu- lation of the steerage-passenger traffic.
-5. Digest of judicial decisions on aliens, immigration, and the im- migration and Chinese-exclusion laws.
4. The immigration situation in other immigrant-receiving coun- tries and the laws of such countries regulating the movement.
5. Statistical review of immigration to the United States from 1819 to date, including revision of data for the earlier years from original reports.
6. Geographical distribution and general status of the foreign-born and their children in census years 1850 to 1900, from census reports.
As previously stated, hearings in the ordinary meaning of that term were not included in the Commission's plan of work. In lieu of this several important societies and organizations interested in vari- ous phases of the immigration question were invited to submit in writing such statements as they desired to bring to the attention of the Commission. In response to this invitation several interesting statements were received and these are made a part of the Commis- sion's report.
Brief Statement of the Investigations. 17
RACIAL CLASSIFICATION OF IMMIGRANTS.
Since 1899 the Bureau of Immigration has classified arriving immigrants by races or peoples, as well as by country of last perma- nent residence, and this plan was followed by the Commission in collecting and compiling original data respecting the foreign-born element in the population of the United States. The bureau's classi- fication of races or peoples, which was also adopted by the Com- mission, is as follows:
African (black). Korean.
Armenian. Lithuanian.
Bohemian and Moravian. Magyar. Bulgarian, Servian, and Montenegrin. Mexican.
Chinese. Pacific Islander.
Croatian and Slovenian. Polish.
Cuban. Portuguese.
Dalmatian, Bosnian, and Herzefeovi- Roumanian.
nian. Russian.
Dutch and Flemish. Ruthenian (Russniak).
East Indian. Scandinavian.
English. Scotch.
Finnish. Slovak.
French. Spanish.
German. Spanish-American.
Greek. ' Syrian.
Hebrew. Turkish.
Irish. Welsh.
Italian, North. West Indian (except Cuban).
Italian', South. All other peoples. Japanese.
In the Commission's work it was sometimes found expedient to amplify the above list somewhat, but in no case were changes made which would render noncomparable the reports of the bureau and of the Commission. In this connection it may be explained that the Commission, like the bureau, uses the term " race " in a broad sense, the distinction being largely a matter of language and geography, rather than one of color or physical characteristics such as determines the various more restricted racial classifications in use, the most com- mon of which divides mankind into only five races.0 For practical or statistical purposes such classification is obviously without value, and it is rarely employed.
In the United States, until the Bureau of Immigration departed from the custom, practically all statistics dealing with the population had been recorded by country of birth. For immigration purposes prior to 1880 this system was in the main satisfactory, for in the case of immigrants from northern and western Europe the country of birth as a usual thing also fairly established the racial status. With the development of the immigration movement from eastern and southern Europe, however, data based on a knowledge of the country of birth alone indicated practically nothing of the racial status of persons coming from such country to the United States. This may be illustrated by the fact that, according to Bureau of Immigration statistics, as many as 12 different races, all indigenous to the coun-
« See pp. 200-211.
IB The Immigration Commission.
try, are represented among immigrants from Austria-Hungary, while people of 7 distinct races come from Russia. In the case of both countries the distinctions are even greater than those indicated merely by language, for among the immigrants the Teutonic, Slavic, Semitic, and even the Mongolian races are all largely represented. The immigration movement from Turkey also furnishes a most strik- ing illustration of the mingling of emigrating races in a single po- litical division, for in the fiscal year 1907 there came from that coun- try to the United States 9,412 Bulgarians, Servians, and Montene- grins, 7,060 . Greeks, 952 Syrians, 588 Hebrews, 194 Roumanians, 1,124 Turks, and 1,437 persons of other races. It is not probable that all of these immigrants were born in Turkey, but nevertheless the figures show the uncertain value of a classification by nativity, for while in the absence of other data it might be necessary to assume that all persons of the above group born in Turkey were Turks, as a matter of fact only 1 in about 18 was really of that race.
In most European countries population statistics, including cen- suses, are recorded by the racial or language classification, and this method has also been followed in Canada for many years. The practice of recording the population of the United States by country or place of birth has been in force since the census of 1850. When the bill providing for the census of 1910 was under consideration in Congress, the Senate, at the instance of the Immigration Commission, inserted an amendment requiring that the foreign-born should be recorded by race as well as by place of birth, but the provision was eliminated from the bill in conference. Later, however, the census act was amended to provide for the enumeration of the foreign-born in the United States according to their "nationality or mother tongue." By this amendment the result desired by the Commission will be essentially attained, except in the case of certain races or peo- ples whose original language is not in general use and who speak the language of the country where they reside, and both the scientific and practical value of the census undoubtedly will be greatly enhanced.
In recommending the enactment of the above-mentioned amend- ment Dr. E. Dana Durand, Director of the Census, stated in part as follows :
It is a well-known fact that in several of the leading foreign countries, notably in Russia, Austria, and Turkey, the population is far from being homogeneous, but is made up of a number of decidedly distinct nationalities, sometimes referred to as races. The differences in racial characteristics, lan- guage, and habits of life, as between these different sections of the population, are often very marked, and unless they are recognized in enumerating the population from these countries the census will fail to disclose facts which are of much importance from the practical as well as the scientific standpoint. In considering legislation relating to immigration particularly, information with regard to the nationality of the foreign-born population is of great importance.
No adequate statistics of the number of the different leading nationalities among our foreign-born population can be secured, even by the most elaborate method of returning the place of birth. It is true that the census act does not confine the inquiry to country of birth, but reads " place of birth," so that provinces or well-recognized sections within any country can be reported as places of birth. With this in view, the instructions for the population schedule have provided for reporting persons born in Bohemia, Poland, and Lithuania. The number of Bohemians, Poles, and Lithuanians, however, does not corre- spond at all precisely with the number born in those sections respectively, and the same is still more true with regard to many other provinces and nationali- ties, i
Brief Statement of the Investigations. 19
Aside from the scientific value of a report of nationality, it appears that the members of some of the nationalities which are now largely represented in our population feel strongly opposed to a disregard of nationality in the census reports. The various Slavic nationalities coming from Austria-Hungary appear almost unanimously to object to being reported as born in Austria or Hungary, unless the additional information showing their nationality is presented, so that they will not be supposed to be Austrians or Hungarians. This strong feeling on the part of a large number of the population is likely to render it difficult for the enumerators to do their work, and may endanger the accuracy of the returns of these classes.
As far as ascertained by the Commission, the practice of classifying the foreign-born by race or people, rather than by country of birth, is acceptable to the people of such races in the United States with one exception. Indeed, as stated by Doctor Durand, many of them appear to prefer the racial classification to one of nativity, which is only natural, because as a rule they are, both here and in their native countries, more accustomed to the former.
The objection to the racial classification adopted by the Commis- sion, referred to above, was specifically directed against the use of the word " Hebrew " or " Jewish " to designate a race. This objection was voiced by several prominent Hebrews, who contended that the Jews are not a distinct race in an ethnological sense, and that the terms " Hebrew " and " Jewish " rightly refer to a religious sect and not to a race. The alternative suggested was that Hebrews be classed according to the country in which they were born. At a hearing be- fore the Commission December 4, 1909,° Hon. Simon Wolf, of Wash- ington, D. C., representing the executive committee of the board of delegates on civil rights of the Union of American Hebrew Congre- gations, appeared in opposition to the use by the Commission of the word " Hebrew " in a racial sense. Hon. Julian W. Mack, of Chicago, also made a similar argument. Mr. Wolf's argument may be briefly summarized by quoting the following extract f r&n his remarks :
The point we make is this: A Jew coming from Russia is a Russian; from Roumania, a Roumanian; from France, a Frenchman; from England, an Eng- lishman; and from Germany, a German; that Hebrew or Jewish is simply a religion.
Mr. Wolf explained, however, that the Jews are not a unit in deny- ing a racial status, but that a certain portion of the Jewish people, especially the Zionists, claim that the Jews are a race.
Subsequent to the hearing above referred to the Commission re- ceived several communications from Hebrew organizations urging the continued use of the word " Jew " or " Hebrew " to designate a race or people, one of these petitions being in the form of a special resolution adopted by the federated Jewish organizations of one of the largest cities.
While appreciating the motive which actuated the protest against the designation of the Hebrews as a race or people, the Commission is convinced that such usage is entirely justified. Unfortunately, both the terms in question are used interchangeably to designate a religion as well as a race or people, but the Commission has employed
°For report of hearing see Statements and Recommendations Submitted by Societies and Organizations Interested in the Subject of Immigration. Reports of the Immigration Commission, vol. 41. (S. Doc. No. 764, Gist Cong., 3d sess.)
20 The Immigration Commission.
them only in the latter sense in collecting and compiling data respect- ing immigrants of the various races. As a matter of fact, the terms " Jewish race " and u Hebrew race " are in common and constant use, even among Hebrews themselves. Many instances of this usage are to be found in the Jewish Encyclopedia, which, in fact, treats of the Jews as a race rather than a religious sect, as appears in the folloAving quotation taken from the introduction to that work :
An even more delicate problem that presented itself at the very outset was the attitude to be observed by the encyclopedia in regard to those Jews who, while born within the Jewish community, have, for one reason or another, abandoned it. As the present work deals with Jews as a race, it was found impossible to exclude those who were of that race, whatever their religious affiliations may have been.
METHODS OF WORK.
By far the greater part of the Commission's work has consisted of the collection and compilation of data respecting recent immigrants in the United States. Something of the extent of the investigation is indicated by the fact that original information was secured for more than 3,200,000 individuals. This number, it will be understood, does not include data secured from existing records, but only such as were directly collected by agents of the Commission, a large number of whom were employed. The nature of the information secured will be clearly understood by reference to the appendix of this report which shows the schedules used in the various inquiries undertaken.0
All of the field work of the Commission was carried on under the immediate supervision of committees or members of the Commission or the central office in Washington. This feature of the inquiry was practically concluded on July 1, 1909, and the compilation of data and preparation of reports required the employment of a large office force in Washington.
The result of the inquiry is contained in 42 volumes of varying size, and it is the hope and belief of the Commission that the intent of the Congress as expressed in section 39 of the immigration act of 1907 has been fully carried out.
A complete list of the Commission's reports is presented on the following page.
0 See Vol. II, pp. 651-727.
Brief Statement of the Investigations. 21
REPORTS OF THE IMMIGRATION COMMISSION.
Abstracts of Reports of the Immigration Commission, with Conclusions and Recom- mendations and Views .of the Minority. Emigration Conditions in Europe. Immigrants in Industries:
Bituminous Coal Mining.
Iron and Steel Manufacturing.
Cotton Goods Manufacturing in the North Atlantic States.
Woolen and Worsted Goods Manufacturing.
Silk Goods Manufacturing and Dyeing.
Clothing Manufacturing.
Collar, Cuff, and Shirt Manufacturing.
Leather Manufacturing.
Boot and Shoe Manufacturing.
Glove Manufacturing.
Slaughtering and Meat Packing.
Sugar Refining.
Glass Manufacturing.
Agricultural Implement and Vehicle Manufacturing.
Cigar and Tobacco Manufacturing.
Furniture Manufacturing.
Copper Mining and Smelting.
Iron Ore Mining.
Anthracite Coal Mining.
Oil refining.
Diversified Industries.
The Floating Immigrant Labor Supply.
Summary Report on Manufacturing and Mining.
Recent Immigrants in Agriculture.
Japanese and Other Immigrant Races in the Pacific Coast and Rocky Moun- tain States.
Immigrants in Cities. ,
The Children of Immigrants in Schools. Immigrants as Charity Seekers. Immigration and Crime. Immigration and Insanity. Immigrants in Charity Hospitals. Steerage Conditions. Immigrant Homes and Aid Societies.
Importation and Harboring of Women for Immoral Purposes. Contract Labor and Induced and Assisted Immigration. The Greek Padrone System in the United States. Immigrant Banks.
Changes in Bodily Form of Descendants of Immigrants. Statistical Review of Immigration to the United States, 1820-1910. Distribution of Immigrants, 1850-1900.
Occupations of the First and Second Generations of Immigrants in the United States. Fecundity of Immigrant Women. Digest of Immigration Decisions. Steerage Legislation, 1819-1908. State Immigration and Alien Laws. Dictionary of Races or Peoples. The Immigration Situation in Other Countries: Canada — Australia — New Zealand —
Argentina — Brazil. Immigration Conditions in Hawaii. Alien Seamen and Stowaways. Peonage.
Statements and Recommendations Submitted by Societies and Organizations Interested in the Subject of Immigration. i
CONCLUSIONS.
While it has been no part of the work of the Commission, to en- force the provisions of the immigration laws, it has been thought best to furnish from time to time to the proper authorities such infor- mation acquired in the course of the investigation as could further good administration and the enforcement of the law. City, state, and federal officials have officially recognized such assistance in their at- tempts to control the so-called " white slave traffic," in the proper regulation of the immigrant societies and homes, in securing evidence and penal certificates to accomplish the deportation of criminals, and in the administration of the Chinese-exclusion act. In some instances such information has led to local reorganization of the immigrant service. While mention is made of this matter the real work of the Commission has consisted in the collection and preparation of new material, largely statistical in nature, which might form a basis on which to frame legislation. A very condensed summary of the re- sults on some of the principal questions investigated follows.
SOURCES OF IMMIGRATION AND CHARACTER OF IMMIGRANTS.
From 1820 to June 30, 1910, 27,918,992 immigrants were admitted to the United States.0 Of this number 92.3 per cent came from European countries,6 which countries are the source of about 93.7 per cent of the present immigration movement. From 1820 to 1883 more than 95 per cent of the total immigration from Europe originated in the United Kingdom, Germany, Scandinavia, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Switzerland.0 In what follows the movement from these countries will be referred to as the " old immigration." Following 1883 there was a rapid change in the ethnical character of European immigration, and in recent years more than 70 per cent of the movement has originated in southern and eastern Europe. The change geographically, however, has been somewhat greater than the change in the racial character of the immigration, this being due very largely to the number of Germans who have come from Austria-Hungary and Russia. The movement from southern and eastern Europe will be referred to as the " new immigration." In a single generation Austria-Hungary, Italy, and Russia have succeeded the United Kingdom and Germany as the chief sources of immigration. In fact, each of the three countries first named furnished more immigrants to the United States in 1907 than came in the same year from the United Kingdom, Germany, Scan- dinavia, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Switzerland com- bined.
«* See p> 65, & Including Turkey in Asia. <-' See pp. 61-63.
23
24 The Immigration Commission.
The old immigration movement in recent years has rapidly de- clined, both numerically and relatively, and under present conditions there are no indications that it will materially increase. The new immigration movement is very large, and there are few, if any, indi- cations of its natural abatement. The new immigration, coming in such large numbers, has provoked a widespread feeling of apprehen- sion as to its effect on the economic and social welfare of the country. Because of this the Commission's investigations have been mainly directed toward a study of its general status as part of the popula- tion of the country.
The old immigration movement was essentially one of permanent settlers. The new immigration is very largely one of individuals a considerable proportion of whom apparently have no intention of permanently changing their residence, their only purpose in coming to America be^ng to temporarily take advantage of the greater wages paid for industrial labor in this country. This, of course, is not true of all the new immigrants, but the practice is sufficiently common to warrant referring to it as a characteristic of them as a class. From all data that are available it appears that nearly 40 per cent of the new immigration movement returns to Europe ° and that about two- thirds of those who go remain there.6 This does not mean that all of these immigrants have acquired a competence and returned to live on it. Among the immigrants who return permanently are those who have failed, as well as those who have succeeded. Thousands of those returning have, under unusual conditions of climate, work, and food, contracted tuberculosis and other diseases; others are in-* jured in our industries; still others are the widows and children of aliens dying here. These, with the aged and temperamentally unfit, make up a large part of the aliens who return to their former homes to remain.
The old immigration came to the United States during a period of general development and was an important factor in that develop- ment, while the new immigration has come during a period of great industrial expansion and has furnished a practically unlimited supply of labor to that expansion.
As a class the new immigrants are largely unskilled laborers coming from countries where their highest wage is small compared with the lowest wage in the United States. Nearly 75 per cent of them are males.0 About 83 per cent are between the ages of 14 and 45 years/* and consequently are producers rather than dependents. They bring little money into the country and send or take a considerable part of their earnings out. More than 35 per cent are illiterate, as compared with less than 3 per cent of the old immigrant class.6 Immigration prior to 1882 was practically unregulated, and consequently many were not self-supporting, so that the care of alien paupers in several States was a serious problem. The new immigration has for the most part been carefully regulated so far as health and likelihood of pauperism are concerned, and, although drawn from classes low in the economic scale, the new immigrants as a rule are the strongest, the most en- terprising, and the best of their class.
0 See p. 182. c gee p. 171. e See p. 176.
6 See p. 184. * See p. 172,
Conclusions of the Commission. 25
CAUSES OF THE MOVEMENT.
While social conditions affect the situation in some countries, the
E resent immigration from Europe to the United States is in the irgest measure due to economic causes. It should be stated, how- ever, that emigration from Europe is not now an absolute economic necessity, and as a rule those who emigrate to the United States are impelled by a desire for betterment rather than by the necessity of escaping intolerable conditions. This fact should largely modify the natural incentive to treat the immigration movement from the stand- point of sentiment and permit its consideration primarily as an economic problem. In other words, the economic and social welfare of the United States should now ordinarily be the determining factor in the immigration policy of the Government.
Unlike Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Australia, and other immi- grant-receiving countries, the United States makes no effort to induce immigration. A law for the encouragement of immigration by guaranteeing in this country labor contracts made abroad was enacted in 1864 but repealed in 1868. Later legislation has tended to prevent the introduction of contract laborers and assisted or induced immigration, the purpose of the Government being that the movement should be a natural one. The law respecting assisted immigration, however, does not deny the right of a person already in this country to send for an otherwise admissible relative or friend, and a large part of the present movement, especially from southern and eastern Europe, is made possible through such assistance. The immediate incentive of the great bulk of present-day immigration is the letters of persons in this country to relatives or friends at home. Comparatively few immigrants come without some reasonably definite assurance that employment awaits them, and it is probable that as a rule they know the nature of that employment and the rate of wages. A large number of immigrants are induced to come by quasi labor agents in this country, who combine the business of sup- plying laborers to large employers and contractors with the so-called immigrant banking business and the selling of steamship tickets.
Another important agency in promoting emigration from Europe to the United States is the many thousands of steamship-ticket agents and subagents operating in the emigrant-furnishing districts of southern and eastern Europe. Under the terms of the United States immigration law, as well as the laws of most European coun- tries, the promotion of emigration is forbidden, but nevertheless the steamship-agent propaganda flourishes everywhere. It does not ap- pear that the steamship lines as a rule openly direct the operations of these agents, but the existence of the propaganda is a matter of com- mon knowledge in the emigrant-furnishing countries and, it is fair to assume, is acquiesced in, if not stimulated, by the steamship lines as well. With the steamship lines the transportation of steerage pas- sengers is purely a commercial matter; moreover, the steerage busi- ness which originates in southern and eastern Europe is peculiarly attractive to the companies, as many of the immigrants travel back and forth, thus insuring east-bound as well as west-bound traffic.
72289 c— VOL 1—11 3
26 The Immigration Commission.
IMMIGRATION OF DISEASED ALIENS.
Prior to 1882, when the federal Government first assumed control of immigration, the movement was practically unregulated. Xo process of selection was exercised among the immigrants who came between 1819 and 1882, and as a result the diseased, defective, de- linquent, and dependent entered the country practically at will. With the development of federal immigration laws the situation in this re- spect has entirely changed, and while, unfortunately, the present law, from the difficulty in securing proof, is largely ineffectual in prevent- ing the coming of criminals and other moral delinquents, it does effectively debar paupers and the physically unsound and generally the mentally unsound. The law provides that debarred aliens must be returned at the expense of the steamship companies, and also that companies bringing diseased persons of certain classes whose condi- tion might have been detected at ports of embarkation shall be sub- jected to a fine of $100 in each case.a Consequently the transportation of diseased aliens has become so unprofitable that steamship com- panies have inaugurated at foreign ports of embarkation a medical inspection of intending emigrants similar to that made at United States ports. As a result of the foreign inspection, in an ordinary year about four times as many intending emigrants are refused trans- portation for medical reasons alone as are debarred here for all causes, and about ten times as many as are debarred for medical reasons only. In the fiscal year 1907, 1,285,349 aliens were admitted to the United States, and only 4,040 were debarred because of physical and mental diseases.6 When it is considered that the great majority of all immigrants now come from countries where trachoma and other contagious diseases are prevalent among the emigrating classes, the relatively small number of rejections at United States ports is good evidence of the effectiveness of the steamship-company inspections abroad.
It is highly desirable both for humanitarian and medical reasons that aliens who are not admissible to the United States should be turned back at foreign ports of embarkation, or better still, that they should not leave their homes for such ports only to be returned. It has been strongly urged by immigration officials and other students of the question that the embarkation at foreign ports of persons not admissible to the United States because of their physical condition would be more effectually prevented by a medical inspection by American officers at such ports. This plan was so strongly urged that this Government a few years ago made official inquiry respecting the probable attitude of European Governments toward it. At that time one or two Governments expressed a willingness to permit such an inspection by American officials ; others made indefinite replies to the inquiry, while others were positively opposed. No attempt was thereafter made to further the plan. After an investigation by the Commission of the situation at all the principal ports of Europe it is clear that even were its consummation possible, such an arrangement would not materially improve conditions. As a matter of fact American medical officers, in an advisory capacity, have conducted a medical inspection of emigrants at Italian ports for the past ten years and their recommendations invariably have been respected by
« See Vol. II, p. 734. b See pp. 95 and 111.
Conclusions of the Commission. 27
the steamship companies. A comparison of results at United States ports, however, shows that the proportion of aliens rejected here for medical reasons was somewhat larger among persons embarking at Italian ports than among those from several other European ports where the medical inspection was made solely by physicians employed by steamship companies. This is not a reflection on the work of American surgeons at Italian ports, which is highly efficient, but rather an illustration of the impossibility of making an absolutely effective medical inspection at foreign ports of embarkation. Con- sidering the time that elapses between embarkation at European ports and arrival in the United States and the opportunities for surrepti- tiously avoiding inspection which frequently exist at European ports, it is clear that no medical inspection abroad, however thorough it might be, would obviate the necessity of a rigid inspection at United States ports.
It has been suggested that some system ought to be devised by which intending emigrants could be physically examined as to their admissibility to the United States before leaving their homes for ports of embarkation. While an effective arrangement of that nature would be of great benefit to the many thousands annually who are turned back at foreign ports of embarkation, it is a matter over which our Government has no jurisdiction.
Steamship companies should be held responsible for the transpor- tation to United States ports of physically and mentally diseased aliens. That policy has been pursued since the first federal immi- gration law was enacted and it has increased in effectiveness accord- ingly as the bringing of such aliens became more unprofitable to the companies. The present law operates to secure a reasonably careful medical inspection by steamship companies at foreign ports of em- barkation, but as circumstances vary materially in different cases, the law should be amended so as to retain the present fine as a mini- mum but permit the imposition of a fine not exceeding $500.
IMMIGRATION OF CRIMINALS.
While control of the immigration movement so far as physical and mental defectives are concerned has reached a high degree of effi- ciency, no adequate means have been adopted for preventing the immigration of criminals, prostitutes, and other morally undesirable aliens. The control of the latter classes is a much more difficult mat- ter. In spite of the stringent law, criminals or moral defectives of any class, provided they pass the medical inspection, can usually em- bark at European ports and enter the United States without much danger of detection. A considerable number of criminals or aliens with criminal records are debarred annually at United States ports, but this results from the vigilance of immigrant inspectors or from chance information rather than from our system of regulation.
While it does not appear from available statistics that criminality among the foreign-born increases the volume of crime in proportion to the -total population, nevertheless the coming of criminals and persons of criminal tendencies constitutes one of the serious social effects of the immigration movement. The present immigration law is not adequate to prevent the immigration of criminals, nor is it sufficiently effective as regards the deportation of alien criminals who are in this country. The effective exclusion of criminals merely by
28 The Immigration Commission.
means of inspection at United States ports of entry obviously is impossible, and the movement can not be satisfactorily controlled in the absence of definite knowledge respecting the alien's criminal record in the country from which he comes.
Several years ago the Italian Government decided to assist in en- forcing the provisions of our law by refusing to issue passports to criminals subject to exclusion here. Subsequently this was enacted as a part of the Italian emigration law. As passports are not de- manded at our ports, the benefit of this act of comity has not been great, for though Italian criminals can not embark at Italian ports, they can and do come through the ports of other countries. No ap- parent attempt has been made on the part of our Government to treat this attitude on the part of the Italian Government as a basis for negotiations to secure an agreement which might have produced more practical results.
While in Italy the Commission investigated the operation of this Italian statute and found that in the main it was enforced, though in some instances acts of minor officials resulted in giving passports to criminals.
Members of the Commission found an apparent willingness on the part not only of the Italian, but of other Governments, to cooperate with us, by governmental action, in the enforcement of our immi- gration laws. The best place to bar alien criminals is in their own countries, and the best way is through the utilization of the police records of such countries. Aliens from countries where adequate records are kept should be admitted only upon the production of proper certificates showing an absence of convictions for excludable crimes. If this is done, the alien criminal can be largely barred. Under the immigration act of 1907 the President is authorized to send commissioners to foreign countries for the purpose of entering into agreements with such countries to prevent the evasion of the laws governing immigration to the United States.0 Such agreement with the principal countries from which immigration conies is the best method through which to secure the desired result.
IMMIGRATION OF THE MENTALLY DEFECTIVE.
The immigration of mentally defective aliens is reasonably well controlled under the existing immigration law. The law provides for the exclusion of insane persons, persons who have been insane within five years, and persons who have had two attacks of in- sanity at any time previously.5 Owing to the nature of mental diseases, they are not easily detected through such necessarily limited inspection as can be made at ports of arrival. When the least evidence of mental disease is exhibited by an arriving alien, such alien invariably is held for observation until his mental condition is determined. It is entirely possible, however, that persons may exhibit no evidence of insanity and yet that they may become insane within a short time after their admission. Such cases have occurred and the matter has given rise to considerable apprehension. Until some means can be devised of informing the immigration authorities as to'the previous mental history of arriving aliens, the present safe- guards are practically all that can be afforded, unless all arriving
a See Vol. II, p. 743. 6 See Vol. II, p. 732.
Conclusions of the Commission. 29
aliens are detained for observation as to their mental condition, a plan which is impracticable.
CONTRACT LABOR AND INDUCED AND ASSISTED IMMIGRATION.
Since 1884 aliens brought to the United States in pursuance of con- tracts to perform labor in this country have, with certain exceptions, been debarred by law. This provision does not apply to skilled laborers where labor of a like kind unemployed can not be found in this country. The law has been made more rigid from time to time until under its terms almost any semblance of a contract or agree- ment is now sufficient to include immigrants within the contract- labor clause. Owing to the rigidity of the law and the fact that special provision is made for its enforcement there are probably at the present time relatively few actual contract laborers admitted. There are annually admitted, however, a very large number who come in response to indirect assurance that employment awaits them. In the main these assurances are contained in letters from persons already in this country who advise their relatives or friends at home that if they will come to the United States they will find work await- ing them. On the other hand, it is clear that there is a large induced immigration due to labor agents in this country who, independently or in cooperation with agents in Europe, operate practically without restriction. As a rule only unskilled laborers are induced to come to the United States by this means.
It is impossible to estimate what part of the present immigration movement to the United States is assisted to come either by friends in this country or by persons here and abroad who advance transpor- tation contingent on the immigrants repaying the same from wages received after admission to the United States.
In earlier times a good many immigrants were enabled to come to this country through public assistance, and, in fact, it is recorded that many paupers and even criminals who had become a burden upon the public in Great Britain and some of the German States were practi- cally deported to this country. So far as the Commission is able to learn, however, no part of the present immigration movement direct to the United States is thus publicly assisted.
THE PADRONE SYSTEM.
In the case of the earlier immigration of several southern and east- ern European races to the United States the control of some individ- uals in this country by padrones has occurred. Under this system persons have taken advantage of their better knowledge of our language and conditions to control the labor of the new immigrants of the same race. The system was somewhat prevalent in the case of the earlier Italian immigrants and in such case the padrones con- trolled the labor of their fellow-countrymen in construction and other work. Later a good many Syrian peddlers Avere controlled by pa- drones who furnished them with stocks in trade and profited unduly by their labor. With the development of immigration of any such race, however, and the establishment of such races as factors in the population of the country, the padrone system has substantially disappeared. At the present time practically the only aliens under the control of padrones in any considerable numbers are the Greek boys employed in shoe-shining establishments or in peddling
30 The Immigration Commission.
flowers, fruit, or vegetables in the larger cities. This evil became so prevalent that when the immigration law of 1907 was enacted the following were included in the debarred classes :
All children under 16 years of age unaccompanied by one or both of their parents at the discretion of the Secretary of Commerce and Labor, or under such regulations as he may from time to time prescribe.
Under this provision the importation of boys by padrones has been curtailed and the Bureau of Immigration makes persistent and continual efforts to stamp out the evil. While this condition in the case of the Greeks may continue for some time, it seems altogether probable that as persons of that race progress in the United States the influence of the padrones will largely disappear, as has been the case with other European races.
IMPORTATION OF ALIENS FOR IMMORAL PURPOSES.
The Commission's investigation of the importation of women for immoral purposes, commonly known as the u white slave traffic," disclosed the fact that this business is regularly carried on between some European countries and the United States. There is a con- siderable movement of prostitutes to this country, but the most serious phase of the situation is the traffic in women and girls through both male and female procurers who make a regular business of importing alien women for houses of prostitution, as wrell as for the large number of foreign-born pimps who control these women and live upon the proceeds of their prostitution. As a result of the work and upon the recommendation of the Immigration Commission, Congress has already passed a law ° that if vigorously enforced will do much to minimize the evil.
STEERAGE CONDITIONS.
While the conditions under which immigrants are transported by sea are immeasurably better than in the days of sailing vessels or even in the early days of steam navigatfon, bad conditions are still found in the steerage of many transatlantic ships. Agents of the Commission traveled as immigrants in the steerage of 14 ships, representing practically all the more important transatlantic lines. These agents found that some of the lines had entirely abolished the proverbial steerage and substituted so-called third-class accom- modations which were in every way comfortable and satisfactory, while on the ships of some lines the old-time steerage still prevailed. These bad conditions are at the present time entirely avoidable; and as the conditions under which immigrants are brought to the United States and the treatment they receive on shipboard are matters of concern to this country, not only from a humanitarian but from a practical standpoint, measures should be taken to insure the improvement of the immigrants' accommodations, where such im- provement is needed.
IMMIGRANT HOMES AND AID SOCIETIES.
There have been established at a number of our important ports societies which, with the permission of the immigration authorities, send representatives to meet incoming aliens whose friends ani rela- tives fail to call for them. In case these immigrants need advice or a
0 See Vol. II, pp. 744-747.
Conclusions of the Commission. 31
place where they can remain in safety for a few days, these societies furnish such aid and permit them to come to the homes which have been established for that purpose. These societies and hornes have usually been founded by and are under the direction of societies con- nected" with some religious body. In a number of instances they receive subventions from foreign governments, inasmuch as they care for the immigrants of the countries concerned.
As the welfare of the immigrants, especially young women, might be materially affected by the care exercised by the representatives of these homes, it seemed wise to investigate their methods of work and the conditions Qf the homes. The results were surprising. While in a number of cases the societies were doing excellent work and the homes were giving due attention to the welfare of the young women placed in their charge, securing them positions and ascertaining that the positions were those suitable for the girls, in a number of instances it was found that the managers of the homes had apparently deceived the directors and supporters of the societies and were making of the homes mere money-making establishments for themselves. In a few cases, in order to promote their own financial advantage, the managers overcharged the immigrants, permitted the immigrant homes to remain in a filthy condition from lack of care, and even were ready to furnish to keepers of disreputable houses young girls as servants in such houses. The Commission called the attention of the immigration commissioner at Ellis Island and of the authorities at Washington to these abuses. In a number of cases vigorous action was taken, and representatives of seven societies were forbidden access to the immigrant station until a complete change in the management had been brought about. Under the vigorous action of the immigration authorities the worst abuses have been stopped and care is taken to prevent their recurrence. The homes in some places are now inspected to prevent a relapse into the former conditions. In New York escorts from Ellis Island to their destination in the city are furnished by the immigration authorities at nominal rates to those needing them. The immigration authorities need to maintain con- stant vigilance and make frequent inspections in order to prevent abuses. It is believed that the societies and homes can be ade- quately controlled by the immigration authorities without additional legislations
IMMIGRANT BANKS.
"Immigrant banks " are important factors in the life of southern and eastern European immigrants during their earlier years in the United States. The term " bank " as applied in most cases is a mis- nomer, for the bankers are usually steamship ticket agents, small merchants, saloon keepers, or labor agents, who, because of superior intelligence and a better knowledge of conditions in this country, become the general advisers of newly arrived immigrants of the same race. A great amount of money is annually placed in the hands of these so-called bankers for safe-keeping or for transmission abroad. Except in three or four States they are entirely unregulated by law,a and in the past, through failure and defalcation, they have often been responsible for heavy losses on the part of the new immigrant population. In two or three States more or less effective measures
a See Vol. II, pp. 434-436.
32 The Immigration Commission.
have been adopted for the regulation of these " banks," and it is desirable for the protection of the immigrant that strict control be exercised over such institutions in all States where they are located.
BOARDS OF SPECIAL INQUIRY.
Boards of special inquiry are one of the most, if not the most, important factors in the administration of the immigration law. To them are referred for decision all cases held by the examining sur- geon because of disease or mental or physical defects, and also every alien who may not appear to the examining immigrant inspector to be clearly and beyond doubt entitled to land. In the case of aliens certified by the examining surgeon as being afflicted with a loathsome or dangerous contagious disease, tuberculosis, or pronounced mental defects, the board has no alternative but to exclude, and from its decision in such cases there is no appeal. In the case of persons held as contract laborers or because of the likelihood that they may become a public charge, and in other cases, the board exercises dis- cretionary power as to the admission or rejection of the alien, in which cases, however, there lies the right of appeal to the Secretary of Commerce and Labor. The boards exercise a power which if not properly used may result in injustice to the immigrant or, through the admission of undesirable aliens, in harm to the country. It is important, therefore, that these boards should be composed of un- prejudiced men of ability, training, and good judgment. Under the present law these boards are appointed by the commissioners of immigration at the various ports, from such of the immigrant officials in the service as the Commissioner-General of Immigration, with the approval of the Secretary of Commerce and Labor, shall from time to time designate as qualified to serve. At ports where there are fewer than three immigrant inspectors other United States offi- cials may be designated for service on such boards.
All hearings before boards are required to be separate and apart from the public, but a complete permanent record of the proceed- ings, including all testimony produced, is kept. The decision of any two members of the board shall prevail, but either the alien, or any dissenting member of the board, may take an appeal to the Secretary of Commerce and Labor, and the taking of such appeal shall operate to stay any action in regard to final disposal of the case until it has been passed upon by the Secretary. At all the important ports the boards of special inquiry are composed of immi- grant inspectors, who generally are without judicial or legal training. This, together with the fact that they are selected by the commis- sioners of immigration at the ports where they serve, tends to impair the judicial character of the board and to influence its members in a greater or less degree to reflect in their decisions the attitude of the commissioner in determining the cases. The character of their deci- sions is indicated somewhat by the fact that nearly 50 per cent of the cases appealed are reversed by the Secretary of Commerce and Labor, whose decision, under the law, must be based solely upon the evidence adduced before the board. This record of reversals on appeal suggests that their decisions which are not reviewed may be equally wrong.
Conclusions of the Commission. 33
In justice to the immigrant, and to the country as well, the char- acter of these boards should be improved. They should be com- posed of men whose ability and training fit them for the judicial functions performed, and the provision compelling their hearings to be separate and apart from the public should be repealed.
In view of the number and importance of these appeals from the boards of special inquiry, and the amount of time and labor de- manded of the Secretary and Assistant Secretary "of Commerce and Labor, an additional assistant secretary should be authorized by Congress.
IMMIGRATION AND CRIME.
It is impossible from existing data to determine whether the immi- grant population in this country is relatively more or less criminal than the native-born population. Statistics show that the proportion of convictions for crimes according to the population is greater among the foreign-born than among the native-born. It must be remem- bered, however, that the proportion of persons of what may be termed the criminal age is greater among the foreign-born than among natives, and when due allowance is made for this fact it appears that criminality, judged by convictions, is about equally prevalent in each class. It is obviously impossible to determine whether the propor- tion of unpunished criminals is relatively greater among the foreign or among the native born. It is sometimes stated that the detection and conviction of criminals, especially for higher crimes, is more dif- ficult in the case of the foreign-born. Probably this is true of certain localities and perhaps generally true in the case of certain nation- alities, but there is no proof that this condition applies to the foreign- born element as a whole in the country at large. It is possible that in some localities prejudice against or sympathy for foreigners influences convictions or acquittals. In large cities a part of the apparent crimi- nality of the foreign-born consists merely of violations of ordinances, which are offenses only because the persons who commit them are not naturalized. Prominent in this class of offenses is street peddling without a license in cities where such licenses are granted only to citizens.
The proportion of the more serious crimes of homicide, black- mail, and robbery, as well as the least serious offenses, is greater among the foreign-born. The disproportion in this regard is due principally to the prevalence of homicides and other crimes of per- sonal violence among Italians and to the violation of city ordinances previously mentioned.
The United States immigration law provides for the exclusion of persons who have been convicted of or who admit having committed a crime involving moral turpitude,0 but notwithstanding this a con- siderable number of aliens of the following classes succeed in entering the United States:
1. Those who have been convicted of crime abroad and have served out their sentence.
2. Those who have been convicted of crime by foreign courts during their absence from the place of trial, having escaped arrest and fled the country.
« See Vol. II, p. 732.
34 The Immigration Commission.
Besides these our law does not exclude those who are regarded at home as dangerous or suspicious persons or probable criminals.
There are two fundamental defects in the law relative to the immi- gration of criminal aliens. In the first place no adequate provision is made for securing a knowledge of the criminal record of aliens in other countries, and the inspection at United States ports that is largely depended upon for the detection of arriving aliens of the criminal class is in the nature of the case entirely inadequate to control the movement. As previously explained, ^in the case of Italy, advantage is not taken of the only instance in which arriving immigrants bring with them any written evidence as to their moral character at home.
The other serious, and in the opinion of the Commission inex- cusable, defect is the fact that aliens admitted to this country, unless it appears that such admission was in violation of law, may pursue a criminal career without danger of deportation. To deport an alien of any class is entirely within the rights of any Government, and provision should be made for ridding the United States of aliens who, within a relatively short time after arrival, become criminals. It seems entirely reasonable and just that this country should not harbor dangerous criminals of another country, especially when their residence in the United States has been so brief that their tendency to crime can not be attributed to conditions arising subsequent to their entry into this country. Under the Canadian immigration law aliens who become a charge upon the public, by reason of crime or any other cause, within three years after their arrival may be, and in consid- erable numbers are, deported to the countries whence they came. Under the British aliens act the right to deport criminals is exercised, and the Commission emphatically believes that the same principle should be applied in the United States. It is not believed that the practice of deportation should be sufficiently extended to include minor offenses, nor that the period of time within which deporta- tion could be made should be longer than the period required for naturalization.
IMMIGRATION AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH.
The effective administration of the present immigration law insures the admission to the United States of physically healthy immigrants, so that there is no adequate cause for concern in this regard. While it is true that a large part of the present-day immigration is drawn from countries where certain dangerous and loathsome contagious diseases are' prevalent among the immigrating classes, the medical inspection conducted by the steamship companies at foreign ports of embarkation and elsewhere in Europe prevents the coming to this country of great numbers of diseased aliens, and the inspection here by officers of the United States Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service effectively supplements the examination abroad.
It is doubtless true that some cases of contagious or infectious disease are introduced, and to a limited extent spread, in this country because of immigration, but there is no cause for serious alarm in this regard. From investigations of the Commission in industrial localities and from other investigations that have been made it seems probable that a considerable number of persons afflicted with vene-
Conclusions of the Commission. 35
real diseases are admitted to this country and that such diseases have been spread in many communities as a result of immigration. It is difficult always to detect the existence of such diseases by means of a medical inspection as it is now conducted at United States ports, and it would seem impracticable to make the medical examination more thorough in this regard than it is at the present time.
The Commission included within the scope of the investigation the study of cases admitted to Bellevue and Allied Hospitals in New York City.0 These hospitals are public charitable institutions, and a suffi- cient number of persons are treated there to warrant some conclu- sions relative to the existence of disease among the poorer classes of the foreign-born. While it appears that a considerable number of immigrants are treated at these hospitals for various causes within a comparatively short time after their admission to the United States, it does not appear that the number is sufficiently large or the diseases for which they are treated are sufficiently serious to warrant the con- clusion that diseased persons are being admitted in any considerable numbers. A study of these cases, however, permits an interesting and significant comparison between immigrants of the old and the new class with regard to alcoholism. Of the 23,758 cases treated at Bellevue and Allied Hospitals during the period covered by the Com- mission's inquiry, 25.5 per cent of the native-born and 18.2 per cent of the foreign-born persons involved were treated for alcoholism. Among the foreign-born this treatment was confined almost entirely to the races of old immigration, such as the Irish, Scotch, English, and Germans, while relatively very few southern and eastern Euro- peans were treated for that cause. A striking difference between the old and new immigration in this regard was also apparent to a greater or less degree in many industrial communities included in the Commission's general investigation. Some complaint was made that drunkenness interfered with the industrial efficiency of some southern and eastern Europeans, but these cases were comparatively rare.
IMMIGRATION AND PAUPERISM.
In the earlier days of unregulated immigration pauperism among newTly admitted immigrants was one of the most serious phases of the problem. In New York, Massachusetts, and other States which received immigrants in large numbers the care of those who either were paupers on arrival or became paupers soon afterwards so taxed the public resources that various attempts wrere made to levy a duty on arriving immigrants for the purpose of supporting the large number of those who became charges upon the public. It is recorded that in some cases a considerable part of the immigrants arriving on a ship would be so destitute of means of support that it was necessary to transport them immediately to almshouses, and the earlier poor- house records show that there were constantly being cared for large numbers of newly arrived foreign-born. At the present time, how- ever, pauperism among newly admitted immigrants is relatively at a minimum, owing to the fact that the present immigration law pro- vides for the admission only of the able-bodied, or dependents whose support by relatives is assured.
« See Vol. II, pp. 253-290.
36 The Immigration Commission.
The number of those, admitted who receive assistance from organ- ized charity in cities is relatively small. In the Commission's inves- tigation,0 which covered the activities of the associated charities in 43 cities, including practically all the larger immigrant centers except New York, it was found that a small percentage of the cases repre- sented immigrants who had been in the United States three years or under, while nearly half of all the foreign-born cases were those who had been in the United States twenty years or more. This investigation was conducted during the winter of 1908-9 before industrial activities had been fully resumed following the financial depression of 1907-8, and this inquiry showed that the recent immi- grants, even in cities in times of relative industrial inactivity, did not seek charitable assistance in any considerable numbers. Undoubt- edly conditions would have been otherwise had it not been for the large outward movement of recent immigrants following the depres- sion, but however that may be, it is certain that those who remained were for the most part self-supporting.
CONGESTION OF IMMIGRANTS IN CITIES.
Of late years the general impression that owing to immigration the poorer districts of the large cities are greatly overcrowded and that in consequence the living conditions are insanitary and even degrad- ing, has been so prevalent that it seemed desirable to make a very thorough investigation of this question. In consequence, in seven cities — New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston, Cleveland, Buffalo, Milwaukee — a very careful study was made of the conditions pre- vailing in the poorer quarters o*f the city inhabited by immigrants of various races. As was to be expected, many extremely pitiful cases of poverty and overcrowding were found, at times six or even more people sleeping in one small room, sometimes without light or direct access by window or door to the open air. On the whole, how- ever, the average conditions were found materially better than had been anticipated. Moreover, a comparison of the conditions in a great city like New York or Chicago with those in some of the smaller industrial centers, such as mining or manufacturing towns, shows that average conditions as respects overcrowding are very materially worse in some of the small industrial towns than in the large cities. For example, the per cent of households having six or more persons per sleeping room of the race which showed the worst conditions in these large, cities was only 5.2, whereas in the industrial centers studied in several cases the proportion was higher than this and in the case of one race as high as 9.5 per cent.&
Moreover, in the large cities the population changes much more fre- quently than is generally thought. New immigrants are attracted to these poorer residential quarters by the presence of friends or relatives and the necessity of securing living quarters at the lowest possible cost, but as their economic status improves after living in this country for some time, they very generally move to better sur- roundings. The undesirable districts of the cities that are now in- habited largely by recent immigrants were formerly populated by persons of the earlier immigrant races. Few of these are now found
0 See Vol. II, pp. 87-157. & See pp. 435 and 74G.
Conclusions of the Commission. 37
there, and these remnants ordinarily represent the economic fail- ures— the derelicts — among a generation of immigrants which, for the most part, has moved to better surroundings.
In many instances, too, where deplorable conditions were found they were due in part, at any rate, to circumstances over which the inhabitants have little direct control, such as a poor water supply or insanitary drainage — matters that should be attended to by the city authorities.
While instances of extreme uncleanliness wrere found, the care of the households as regards cleanliness and an attempt to live under proper conditions was usually found unexpectedly good, about five- sixths of all the families visited in the poorer quarters of these large cities keeping their homes in reasonably good or fair condition.
There seems to be little doubt that the various races, owing presum- ably to their differing environments in Europe, differ somewhat as regards overcrowding and the care of their apartments, but the differences are less than might have been anticipated. The reports seem to indicate clearly that the chief cause of the overcrowding is a desire of the families to keep well within their income or to save money, even at the expense of serious discomfort for the present, in order that they may better their condition in the future. The worst conditions were found among those who live in boarding groups, largely unmarried men, whose purpose in the main is to save money in order that they may send it back to their home country or return thither themselves as soon as a sufficient amount has been secured.
Although, as has been intimated, the average conditions are dis- tinctly better than had been anticipated, the bad conditions still pre- vail to such an extent that the city authorities, as well as landlords and philanthropic people, have rich opportunities of improving them. It should not be forgotten that the bad conditions can not be esti- mated by the number of people that live on a square acre, but rather by the number of people per room and per sleeping room, by the amount of air space, the opportunities for light and ventilation, and the care that is taken of the rooms. Conditions in New York, where the largest number of people live per acre, were found, generally speaking, distinctly better than in some of the other cities where less care had been taken to pass or enforce proper laws and ordinances.
IMMIGRANTS IN MANUFACTURING AND MINING.
A large proportion of the southern and eastern European immi- grants of the past twenty-five years have entered the manufacturing and mining industries of the eastern and middle western States, mostly in the capacity of unskilled laborers. There is no basic in- dustry in which they are not largely represented and in many cases they compose more than 50 per cent of the total number of persons employed in such industries. Coincident with the advent of these millions of unskilled laborers there has been an unprecedented ex- pansion of the industries in which they have been employed. Whether this great immigration movement was caused by the in- dustrial development or whether the fact that a practically unlimited and available supply of cheap labor existed in Europe was taken advantage of for the purpose of expanding the industries, can not well be demonstrated. Whatever may be the truth in this regard it is certain that southern and eastern European immigrants have
38 The Immigration Commission.
almost completely monopolized unskilled labor activities in many of the more important industries. This phase of the industrial situa- tion was made the most important and exhaustive feature of the Commission's investigation, and the results show that while the competition of these immigrants has had little, if any, effect on the highly skilled trades, nevertheless, through lack of industrial pro- gress and by reason of large and constant reinforcement from abroad, it has kept conditions in the semiskilled and unskilled occupations from advancing.
Several elements peculiar to the new immigrants contributed to this result. The aliens came from countries where low economic condi- tions prevailed and where conditions of labor were bad. They were content to accept wages and conditions which the native American and immigrants of the older class had come to regard as unsatisfac- tory. They were not, as a rule, engaged at lower wages than had been paid to the older workmen for the same class of labor, but their presence in constantly increasing numbers prevented progress among the older wage-earning class, and as a result that class of employees was gradually displaced. An instance of this displacement is shown in the experience in the bituminous coal mines of western Pennsyl- vania. This section of the bituminous field was the one first entered by the new immigrants, and the displacement of the old workers was soon under way. Some of them entered other occupations and many of them migrated to the coal fields of the Middle West. Later these fields also were invaded by the new immigrants, and large numbers of the old workers again migrated to the mines of the Southwest, where they still predominate. The effect of the new immigration is clearly shown in the western Pennsylvania fields, where the average wage of the bituminous coal worker is 42 cents a day below the aver- age Avage in the Middle West and Southwest.* Incidentally, hours of labor are longer and general working conditions poorer in the Penn- sylvania mines than elsewhere. Another characteristic of the new immigrants contributed to the situation in Pennsylvania. This was the impossibility of successfully organizing them into labor unions. Several attempts at organization were made, but the constant influx of immigrants to whom, prevailing conditions seemed unusually favor- able contributed to the failure to organize. A similar situation has prevailed in other great industries.
Like most of the immigration from southern and eastern Europe, those who entered the leading industries were largely single men or married men unaccompanied by their families. There is, of course, in practically all industrial communities a large number of families of the various races, but the majority of the employees are men without fam- ilies here and whose standard of living is so far below that of the native American or older immigrant workman that it is impossible for the latter to successfully compete with them. They usually live in cooperative groups and crowd together. Consequently, they are able to save a great part of their earnings, much of which is sent or carried abroad. Moreover, there is a strong tendency on the part of these unaccompanied men to return to their native countries after a few years of labor here. These groups have little contact with American life, learn little of American institutions, and aside from
a See p. 534.
Conclusions of the Commission. 39
the wages earned profit little by their stay in this country. During their early years in the United States they usually rely for assistance and advice on some member of their race, frequently a saloon keeper or grocer, and almost always a steamship ticket agent and c; immi- grant banker," who, because of superior intelligence and better knowledge of American ways, commands their confidence. Usually after a longer residence they become more self-reliant, but their progress toward assimilation is generally slow. Immigrant families in the industrial centers are more permanent and usually exhibit a stronger tendency toward advancement, although, in most cases, it is a long time before they even approach the ordinary standard of the American or the older immigrant families in the same grade of occupation. This description, of course, is not universally true, but it fairly represents a great part of the recent immigrant popula- tion in the United States. Their numbers are so great and the influx is so continuous that even with the remarkable expansion of industry during the past few years there has been created an over supply of unskilled labor, and in some of the industries this is re- flected in a curtailed number of working days and a consequent yearly income among the unskilled workers which is very much less than is indicated by the daily wage rates paid;a and while it may not have lowered in a marked degree the American standard of living, it has introduced a lower standard which has become prevalent in the unskilled industry at large.
RECENT IMMIGRANTS IN AGRICULTURE.
According to the census of 1900, 21.7 per cent of all foreign-born male breadwinners in the United States were engaged in agricultural pursuits, but the great majority of these were of the old immigration races. Up to that time comparatively few of the immigrants from the south and east of Europe had gone on the land, and, while during the past ten years some of the races have shown a tendency in that direction, the proportion is still small. Among the races of recent immigration which have showrn a more or less pronounced tendency toward agriculture in States east of the Rocky Mountains are the Italians and Poles, while several Hebrew agricultural colonies have been established. A considerable number of the 'Italians are to be found in various parts of the East, the South, and the South- west, where, as a rule, they have established communities, and on the whole have made good progress. In the East many have engaged in truck gardening in the vicinity of the largest cities, while in the South and Southwest they have entered fruit and berry raising and, to a lesser degree, general farming. The Poles have gone into general agriculture in many parts of the East and Middle West, while the Hebrews are, as a rule, located in the more populous States and usually near large cities. The small number of Hebrews wyho have engaged in agricultural pursuits have not been conspicu- ously successful, although in some localities they have made fair progress. The Polish farmers, as a rule, have succeeded, particularly in some of the eastern localities where they have purchased worn-out lands and succeeded in making them productive and profitable.
a See tables on pp. 371 and 407-408.
40 The Immigration Commission.
The Italians usually have been successful in general farming and especially so in truck gardening and small farming in the vicinity of large cities.
While encouragement is to be found in the experiences of the past few years, it is clear that the tendency of the new immigration is toward Industrial and city pursuits rather than toward agriculture.
ARTIFICIAL, DISTRIBUTION OF IMMIGRANTS.
In making the larger cities and industrial communities their place of residence, aliens composing the new immigration movement have continued to follow a tendency which originated with the advent of such immigrants in considerable numbers. This may be ascribed to various reasons. A large part of the immigrants were agricultural laborers at home, and their immigration is due to a desire to escape the low economic conditions which attend agricultural pursuits in the countries from which they come. With no knowledge of other conditions it is natural, therefore, that they should seek another line of activity in this country. The destination of these immigrants in the United States on arrival is controlled by the fact that they almost invariably join relatives or friends, and few of these, even among earlier immigrants of the class, are engaged in agricultural pursuits. Remaining in the cities and industrial centers they follow a general tendency of the times. The law of 1907 provided for the establishment of a division of information in the Bureau of Immi- gration, the intent being that the division should disseminate among admitted immigrants information relative to opportunities for set- tlers in sections of the country apart from cities and purely indus- trial centers. It was hoped that the division could devise means of inaugurating a movement among immigrants which would eventually result in their more equitable distribution. The apparent result, how- ever, does not indicate that the purpose of the law is being fulfilled. As conducted, the work of the division appears to be essentially that of an employment agency whose chief function is supplying indi- viduals to meet individual demands for labor in agricultural dis- tricts. It does not appear that persons thus distributed have, as a rule, been distributed with the purpose that they would become per- manent settlers in the districts to which they went, but rather that a more or less temporary need of the employer and employee was sup- plied through this agency.
No satisfactory or permanent distribution of immigrants can be effected through any federal employment system, no matter how widespread, because the individual will seek such social and economic conditions as best suit him, no matter where sent. What is needed is a division of information which will cooperate with States de- siring immigrant settlers. Information concerning the opportunities for settlement should then be brought to the attention of immigrants in industrial centers who have been here for some time and who might thus be induced to invest their savings in this country and become permanent agricultural settlers. Such a division might also secure and furnish to all laborers alike information showing oppor- tunities for permanent employment in various sections of the country, together with the economic conditions in such places.
Conclusions of the Commission. 41
JAPANESE AND OTHER IMMIGRANTS ON THE PACIFIC SLOPE.
The immigration situation on the Pacific slope differs materially from that in the States east of the Kocky Mountains. Because of the geographical location there has been no large movement of Euro- pean immigrants to the coast States. Oriental immigration, how- ever, was early attracted to California, and the coming of the Chinese was soon followed by a determined opposition to the immigration of that race, and this opposition has continued unabated.
In 1882 a law excluding Chinese of the laboring classes w7as enacted,0 and such exclusion has continued to the present time. The various laws have resulted in a steady decrease of the Chinese population until the immigration of that race is no longer a problem of present importance. In later years Japanese immigration assumed con- siderable proportions, but through a provision of the immigration law of 190T& and by agreement with the Government of Japan c this movement has been checked, and during the past two years the num- ber of Japanese leaving the country has exceeded the number ad- mitted. Recently a relatively small number of East Indians have immigrated to the coast States, and while there is no provision for the exclusion of this race their coming has been discouraged by the Federal Government. Though sentiment is divided in the matter of Asiatic immigration, the people of the coast States as a wrhole are opposed to such immigration, and the force and validity of their objections are recognized.
In the southern section of the Western division immigration from Mexico has become an important factor in the situation, the immi- gration of that race corresponding somewhat to some of the southern and eastern European races coming to the eastern States. This resemblance lies chiefly in the fact that they as a rule do not come as settlers, but as a transient and migratory unskilled labor supply. Their presence, as well as the presence of the Japanese, is reflected in the rather low economic conditions w^hich exist in mining, railroad labor, and some other activities. The Japanese are now an important factor in the agricultural and horticultural industries in California and other States, and also in the fish canneries in Washington and Oregon, and in the city trades. The East Indian has not yet come in sufficient numbers to be an important factor, but the comparatively few who have been admitted have been utilized as common laborers in various industries. One-eighth of the total population and more than three-fifths of the foreign-born on the Pacific slope are natives of the north and west of Europe, while only 2.6 per cent of the popu- lation are from southern and eastern European countries. The European peoples are well distributed geographically and indus- trially, and they have aided materially in developing industry, par- ticularly the fruit and wine growing peculiar to the coast States, and especially California. There is a general demand for more Euro- peans, both as settlers on the land and as agricultural and other laborers. It is anticipated that with the opening of the Panama Canal direct steamship communication with Europe will result in an increase of direct European immigration to the coast.
« See Vol. II, pp. 785-788. 6 See Vol. II, pp. 732 and 757-758. c See Vol. II, p. 584. 72289°— VOL 1—11 4
42 The Immigration Commission.
ASSIMILATION OF IMMIGRANTS.
It is difficult to define and still more difficult to correctly measure the tendency of newer immigrant races toward Americanization, or assimilation into the body of the American people. If, however, the tendency to acquire citizenship, to learn the English language, and to abandon native customs and standards of living may be considered as factors, it is found that many of the more recent immigrants are backward in this regard, while some others have made excellent progress. The absence of family life, which is so conspicuous among many southern and eastern Europeans in the United States, is undoubtedly the influence which most effectively retards assimila- tion. The great majority of some of these races are represented in the United States by single men or men whose wives and families are in their native country. It is a common practice for men of this class in industrial communities to live in boarding or rooming groups, and as they are also usually associated with each other in their work they do not come in contact with Americans, and consequently have little or no incentive to learn the English language, become acquainted with American institutions, or adopt American standards. In the case of families, however, the process of assimilation is usually much more rapid. The families as a rule live in much more wholesome sur- roundings, and are reached by more of the agencies which promote assimilation. The most potent influence in promoting the assimila- tion of the family is the children, who. through contact with Ameri- can life in the schools, almost invariably act as the unconscious agents in the uplift of their parents. Moreover, as the children grow older and become wage earners, they usually enter some higher occupation than that of their fathers, and in such cases the Americanizing influ- ence upon their parents continues until frequently the whole family is gradually led away from the old surroundings and old standards into those more nearly Americaji. > This influence of the children is potent among immigrants in the great cities, as well as in the smaller industrial centers.
Among the new immigration as a whole the tendency to become naturalized citizens, even among those who have been here five years or more, is not great, although much more pronounced in some races than in others. This result is influenced by language considerations and by the fact that naturalization is accomplished with greater difficulty than formerly, as the requirements are higher and expense greater, and that adequate facilities are not in all cases provided. Another reason is that many do not regard their stay here as per- manent.
In recent years the work of promoting the welfare and assisting in the assimilation of recent immigrants has been inaugurated on a large scale by various religious and civic organizations. Until recently a great part of the efforts of this nature was carried on by organizations of the various races or peoples, but now the movement has been joined by organizations composed of all classes of citizens. In general this propaganda is in the main divorced from any sem- blance of proselyting and is confined to practical efforts calculated to promote the well-being and advancement of the immigrant. Most of the societies lay particular stress upon influencing the immigrant
Conclusions of the Commission. 43
to become acquainted with the duties and privileges of American citizenship and civilization. Teaching the English language and the primary branches of learning is a prominent feature in most of this work. It does not appear that the Federal Government can directly assist in this work, but where possible effort should be made to pro- mote the activities of these organizations.
CHILDREN OF IMMIGRANTS IN SCHOOLS.
A census of 2,036,376 pupils in schools in 37 cities0 shows that 847,423, or 41.6 per cent of the total, were children of native-born fathers, and 1,188,953, or 58.4 per cent of the total, were children of foreign-born fathers — that is to say, both native-born and foreign- born children whose fathers were born abroad. Of the 1,815,217 pupils in the public schools of 37 cities, 42.2 per cent were children of native-born fathers, and 57.8 per cent were children of foreign- born fathers. Of the 221,159 pupils in the parochial schools of 24 cities, 36.5 per cent were children of native-born fathers, and 63.5 per cent were children of foreign-born fathers. The study covers practically all of the large cities in all parts of the country and a number of smaller cities whose population includes a large propor- tion of foreign-born persons.
Several cities have particularly large proportions of children of foreign-born fathers among the public-school pupils. These cities are Chelsea, Mass., 74.1 per cent, Duluth, Minn., 74.1 per cent, and New York, N. Y., 71.5 per cent. In New Orleans only 18.1 per cent of the public-school pupils are children of foreign-born fathers.
The proportion of public-school pupils in the high school is 9.1 per cent for the children of native-born white fathers, and only 4.7 per cent for the children of foreign-born fathers, although a larger proportion of the pupils of two foreign races — the Canadian (other than French) and the Scotch — than of the native-born white are in the high school. Of the pupils who are children of foreign-born fathers, three races — the Portuguese, Slovak, and South Italian — show less than 1 per cent in the high school. ,
Among pupils of some of the immigrant races the proportion of children older than the normal age for their grade is less than the proportion among pupils who are children of native-born white fathers, but among several of the races of recent immigration a much larger proportion are older than the normal age for their grade.
Among the non-English-speaking races a much greater proportion are retarded of children in homes where English is not spoken than of children in homes where English has been adopted as the language commonly used by the family.
CHANGES IN BODILY FORM OF DESCENDANTS OF IMMIGRANTS.
The question of the assimilation of immigrants under American conditions has long been looked upon as vital, and it has been much discussed, but heretofore with little accurate information. Speaking from general personal observation, people have thought that under the influence of the existing educational, social, and political con-
a See Vol. II, pp. 1-86.
44 The Immigration Commission.
ditions the immigrants gradually change their habits of life and their ways of thinking, and thus become Americans. Little or no thought has been given to the possible effect of these conditions on the physical type of the descendants of immigrants. It was suggested to the Commission that if measurements of the bodies of European immigrants and their descendants at different ages and under different circumstances could be made in a careful way by scien- tific anthropometrists, valuable results might be reached. One of the best experts on this subject, Prof. Franz Boas, of Columbia Uni- versity, was invited to direct the investigation and was put in general charge. Although the investigation has been carried on only in New York City and its immediate vicinity and with only a few races, the results, in the opinion of Professor Boas, are much more far-reaching than was anticipated. It is probably not too much to say that they indicate a discovery in anthropological science that is fundamental in importance. The report indicates that the descendant of the Euro- pean immigrant changes his type even in the first generation almost entirely, children born not more than a few years after the arrival of the immigrant parents in America developing in such a way that they differ in type essentially from their foreign-born parents. These differences seem to develop during the earliest childhood and persist throughout life. It seems that every part of the body is influenced in this way, and that even the form of the head, which has always been considered one of the most permanent hereditary features, un- dergoes considerable change.
The importance of this entirely unexpected result lies in the fact that even those characteristics which modern science has led us to consider as most stable seem to be subject to thorough changes under the new environment, which would indicate that even racial physical characteristics do not survive under the new social and climatic en- vironment of America. The investigation has awakened the liveliest interest in scientific circles here and abroad, and as the subject is one of great importance the Commission expresses strongly the hope that by either private or public means the work may be continued.
RECOMMENDATIONS.
As a result of the investigation the Commission is unanimously of the opinion that in framing legislation emphasis should be laid upon the following principles:
1. While the American people, as in the past, welcome the op- pressed of other lands, care should be taken that immigration be such both in quality and quantity as not to make too difficult the process of assimilation.
2. Since the existing law and further special legislation recom- mended in this report deal with the physically and morally unfit, further general legislation concerning the admission of aliens" should be based primarily upon economic or business considerations touching the prosperity and economic well-being of our people.
3. The measure of the rational, healthy development of a country is not the extent of its investment of capital, its output of products, or its exports and imports, unless there is a corresponding economic opportunity afforded to the citizen dependent upon employment for his material, mental, and moral development.
4. The development of business may be brought about by means which lower the standard of living of the wage earners. A slow expansion of industry which would permit the adaptation and assimilation of the incoming labor supply is preferable to a very rapid industrial expansion which results in the immigration of laborers of low standards and efficiency, who imperil the American standard of wages and conditions of employment.
The Commission agrees that:
1. To protect the United States more effectively against the immi- gration of criminal and certain other debarred classes —
(a) Aliens convicted of serious crimes within a period of five years after admission should be deported in accordance with the provisions of House bill 20980, Sixty-first Congress, second session.
(&) Under the provisions of section 39 of the immigration act of February 20, 1907,° the President should appoint commissioners to make arrangements with such countries as have adequate police records to supply emigrants with copies of such records, and that thereafter immigrants from such countries should be admitted to the United States only upon the production of proper certificates show- ing an absence of convictions for excludable crimes.
(<?) So far as practicable the immigration laws should be so amended as to be made applicable to alien seamen.
(d) Any alien who becomes a public charge within three years after his arrival in this country should be subject to deportation in the dis- cretion of the Secretary of Commerce and Labor.
a See Vol. II, pp. 742 and 743.
45
46 The Immigration Commission.
2. Sufficient appropriation should be regularly made to enforce vigorously the provisions of the laws previously recommended by the Commission and enacted by Congress regarding the importation of women for immoral purposes.
3. As the new statute relative to steerage conditions ° took effect so recently as January 1, 1909, and as the most modern steerage fully complies with all that is demanded under the law, the Commission's only recommendation in this connection is that a statute be immedi- ately enacted providing for the placing of Government officials, both men and women, on vessels carrying third-class or steerage passen- gers for the enforcement of the law and the protection of the immi- grant. The system inaugurated by the Commission of sending in- vestigators in the steerage in the guise of immigrants should be con- tinued at intervals by the Bureau of Immigration.
4. To strengthen the certainty of just and humane decisions of doubtful cases at ports of entry it is recommended—
That section 25 of the immigration act of 1907 6 be amended to pro- vide that boards of special inquiry should be appointed by the Sec- retary of Commerce and Labor, and that they should be composed of men whose ability and training qualify them for the performance of judicial functions; that the provisions compelling their hearings to be separate and apart from the public should be repealed, and that the office of an additional Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Labor to assist in reviewing such appeals be created.
5. To protect the immigrant against exploitation; to discourage sending savings abroad ; to encourage permanent residence and natu- ralization ; and to secure better distribution of alien immigrants throughout the country—
(a) The States should enact laws strictly regulating immigrant banks.
(b) Proper State legislation should be enacted for the regulation of employment agencies.
(c) Since numerous aliens make it their business to keep immigrants from influences that may tend toward their assimilation and naturali- zation as American citizens with the purpose of using their funds, and of encouraging investment of their savings abroad and their return to their home land, aliens who attempt to persuade immigrants not to become American citizens should be made subject to deportation.
(d) Since the distribution of the thrifty immigrant to sections of the country where he may secure a permanent residence to the best advantage, and especially where he may invest his savings in farms or engage in agricultural pursuits, is most desirable, the Division of Information, in the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization, should be so conducted as to cooperate with States desiring immigrant settlers ; and information concerning the opportunities for settlement should be brought to the attention of immigrants in industrial centers who have been here for some time and who might be thus induced to invest their savings in this country and become permanent agri- cultural settlers. The division might also secure and furnish to all laborers alike information showing opportunities for permanent employment in various sections of the country, together with the economic conditions in such places.
0 See Vol. II, pp. 598 and 599. 6 See Vol. II, p. 740.
Recommendations of the Commission. 47
6. One of the provisions of section 2 of the act of 1907 reads as follows :
And provided further, That skilled labor may be imported if labor of like kind unemployed can not be found in this country.
Instances occasionally arise, especially in the establishment of new industries in the United States, where labor of the kind desired, un- employed, can not be found in this country and it becomes necessary to import such labor. Under the law the Secretary of Commerce and Labor has no authority to determine the question of the neces- sity for importing such labor in advance of the importation, and it is recommended that an amendment to the law be adopted by adding to the clause cited above a provision to the effect that the question of the necessity of importing such skilled labor in a'ny particular in- stance may be determined by the Secretary of Commerce and Labor upon the application of any person interested prior to any action in that direction by such person; such determination by the Secretary of Commerce and Labor to be reached after a full hearing and an in- vestigation into the facts of the case.
7. The general policy adopted by Congress in 1882 of excluding Chinese laborers ° should be continued.
The question of Japanese and Korean immigration should be per- mitted to stand without further legislation so long as the present method of restriction proves to be effective.
An understanding should be reached with the British Government whereby East Indian laborers would be effectively prevented from coming to the United States.
8. The investigations of the Commission show an oversupply of unskilled labor in basic industries to an extent which indicates an oversupply of unskilled labor in the industries of the country as a whole, a condition which demands legislation restricting the further admission of such unskilled labor.
It is desirable in making the restriction that —
(a) A sufficient number be debarred to produce a marked effect upon the present supply of unskilled labor.
(&) As far as possible, the aliens excluded should be those who come to this country with no intention to become American citizens or even to maintain a permanent residence here, but merely to save enough, by the adoption, if necessary, of low standards of living, to return permanently to their home country. Such persons are usually men unaccompanied by wives or children.
(c) As far as possible the aliens excluded should also be those who, by reason of their personal qualities or habits, would least readily be assimilated or would make the least desirable citizens.
The following methods of restricting immigration have been sug- gested :
(a) The exclusion of those unable to read or write in some language.
(b) The limitation of the number of each race arriving each year to a certain percentage of the average of that race arriving during a given period of years.
(<?) The exclusion of unskilled laborers unaccompanied by wives or families.
« See Vol. II, pp. 785-788.
48 The Immigration Commission.
(d) The limitation of the number of immigrants arriving annually at any port.
(e) The material increase in the amount of money required to be in the possession of the immigrant at the port of arrival.
(/) The material increase of the head tax.
(g) The levy of the head tax so as to make a marked discrimina- tion in favor of men with families.
All these methods would be effective in one way or another in securing restrictions in a greater or less degree. A majority of the Commission favor the reading and writing test as the most feasible single method of restricting undesirable immigration.
The Commission as a whole recommends restriction as demanded by economic, moral, and social considerations, furnishes in its report reasons for such restriction, and points out methods by which Con- gress can attain the desired result if its judgment coincides with that of the Commission.
VIEWS OF THE MINORITY.
I recoguize the great value of the work of the Immigration Com- mission and unite in the conclusions, so far as they are based on the reports, whether they coincide with my personal and previously formed opinions or not.
A slowing down of the present rate of the immigration of 'unskilled labor is justified by the report, and, according to the report, restriction should be limited to unmarried male aliens or married aliens unac- companied by their wives and families. The reports show that in the main the present immigrants are not criminal, pauper, insane, or seekers of charity in so great a degree as their predecessors. The edu- cational test proposed is a selective test for which no logical argument can be based on the report. As the report of the Commission is finally adopted within a half hour of the time when, under the law, it must be filed, there is no time for the preparation of an elaborate dissent. I sincerely regret that I can not fully agree with the remainder of the Commission, and if time permitted I would point out the many excellent provisions contained in the report, some of my own sugges- tion. My main ground of dissent is the specific recommendation by the majority of the educational test, though there are other instances in which it has not my full approval.
WILLIAM S. BENNET.
49
ABSTRACT OF THE
STATISTICAL REVIEW OF IMMIGRATION TO THE UNITED STATES, 1820 TO 1910.
For the complete statistical review of immigration to the United States, 1820 to 1910, see Reports of the Immigration Commission, vol. 3.
51
CONTENTS.
Page.
Number of immigrants, 1820 to 1910 56
Immigration by sex, 1820 to 1910 57
Country of origin, 1820 to 1910 60
Sex ana race of immigrants, 1899 to 1910 , 97
Illiteracy, 1899 to 1910 98
Occupation, 1899 to 1910. 100
Financial condition of immigrants, 1899 to 1910 102
Immigrants who have been in the United States previously, 1899 to 1910 104
Destination of immigrants in the United States, 1899 to 1910 105
Aliens debarred at United States ports, 1892 to 1910 aiO
Aliens leaving the United States, 1908 to 1910 112
LIST OP TABLES.
TABLE 1. Immigration to the United States, 1820 to 1910 56
2. Immigration to the United States, 1820 to 1910, by decade 57
3. Per cent distribution (approximate) immigration to the United
States, by sex, for years ending June 30, 1820 to 1867 58
4. Immigration to the United States, by sex, for years ending June 30,
1868 to 1910 58, 59
5. Immigration to the United States, by sex, for periods specified,
1820 to 1910 59
6. Immigration to the United States from northern and western Europe,
southern and eastern Europe, and other countries, 1820 to 1910 61-63
7. Immigration to the United States from northern and western Europe,
southern and eastern Europe, and other countries, 1820 to 1910,
by decade .- 64
8. Immigration to the United States, by country of origin, during the
period 1820 to 1910. 65
9. Immigration to the United States, 1820 to 1910 :
Part 1— By country of origin, 1820 to 1868, inclusive 66-81
Part 2 — By country of origin and by sex, for years ending June 30,
1869 to 1910, inclusive 82-96
10. Immigration to the United States, by sex and by race or people, dur-
ing the fiscal years 1899 to 1910, inclusive 97
11. Number and per cent of immigrants admitted to the United States
who were 14 years of age or over and who could neither read nor write, during the fiscal years 1899 to 1910, inclusive, by race or people 99
12. Number of immigrants admitted to the United States reporting each
specified occupation, fiscal years 1899 to 1910, inclusive, by race
or people 100
13. Per cent of immigrants admitted to the United States reporting each
specified occupation, fiscal years 1899 to 1910, inclusive, by race
or people 101
14. Financial condition of immigrant aliens admitted to the United
States during the fiscal years 1899 to 1910, inclusive, by race or people 103
15. Number and per cent of immigrants admitted to the United States,
1899 to 1910, inclusive, who had been in the United States pre- viously, by race or people 104
16. Destination reported by immigrants admitted to the United States
during the fiscal years 1899 to 1910, inclusive 105
17. Destination of immigrants admitted to the United States, fiscal
years 1899 to 1910, inclusive, by race or people 106-109
53
54 The Immigration Commission.
Page. TABLE 18. Aliens debarred at all United States ports during the fiscal years
1892 to 1910, inclusive, by cause Ill
19. Emigrant aliens departed from the United States in fiscal years
1908, 1909, and 1910, by race or people 112
20. Immigrant aliens admitted to the United States, emigrant aliens
departed, and number departed for every 100 admitted, fiscal years 1908, 1909, and 1910, by race or people 113
21. Emigrant aliens departed from the United States in fiscal years
1908, 1909, and 1910, by race or people, sex, and age ~ 115
22. Emigrant aliens departed, fiscal years 1908, 1909, and 1910, by race
or people and length of continuous residence in United States . . 116
23. Number of emigrant aliens departed from the United States in
fiscal years 1908, 1909, and 1910, by race or people and by class
or occupation " 117
24. Per cent of emigrant aliens in each specified class or occupation
departed from the United States in fiscal years 1908, 1909, and 1910, by race or people 118
STATISTICAL REVIEW OF IMMIGRATION TO THE UNITED STATES,
1820 TO 1910,
As a part of its complete report to Congress the Immigration Commission has undertaken to bring together all official statistics relative to the immigration movement during the ninety-one years specified.0 This abstract contains the more essential data shown in the complete report.
Statistics relative to immigration to the United States date from 1819, when the first United States law regulating the carriage of steerage passengers at sea was enacted.6 In addition to the require- ments respecting the carriage of steerage passengers, the act of 1819 provided that the captain or master of any ship or vessel arriving in the United States from any foreign place should —
deliver and report to the collector of the district in which such ship or vessel shall arrive, a list or manifest of all the passengers taken on board of the said ship or ves- sel at any foreign port or place; in which list or manifest it shall be the duty of the said master to designate, particularly, the age, sex, and occupation of said passengers, respectively, the country to which they severally belong, and that of which it is their intention to become inhabitants.
The law further provided that collectors of customs should return copies of such lists or manifests to the Secretary of State, quarter yearly, which official was directed to present statements of the same to Congress at each and every session.
The first report of the Secretary of State under the law closed with the end of the following fiscal year, September 30, 1820. In addition to the other data specified in the law, the first report con- tained the names of arriving passengers, but this practice was not continued.
.Statistics of immigration were collected by the Department of State from 1820 to 1874, and by the Bureau of Statistics from 1867 to 1895. Since 1895 they have been gathered exclusively by the Commissioner-General of Immigration, whose bureau began the col- lection of these statistics several years prior to that date. The statis- tics therefore have been duplicated for a part of the period by the Bureau of Statistics and Department of State, and for a part by the Bureau of Statistics and the Commissioner-General of Immigration.
In 1903 the United States Bureau of Statistics published a mono- graph entitled " Immigration into the United States, Showing the Number, Nationality, Sex, Age, Occupation, Destination, etc., from 1820 to 1903." Undoubtedly this was the most complete and com- prehensive statistical review of immigration in existence, and except
0 See Statistical review of immigration to the United States, 1820-»1910. Reports of the Immigration Commission, vol. 3. (S. Doc. No. 756, 61st Cong., 3d sess.) & See Vol. II, p. 590.
55
56
The Immigration Commission.
for the fiscal years 1892 to 1895, inclusive, when the total immigra- tion as presented in the monograph differs from that presented in annual reports of the Commissioner-General of Immigration, the Commission accepted it as the basis of the present compilation. For the period since 1903 the data presented have been taken from annual reports of the Commissioner-General of Immigration. Since 1899 immigrants have been recorded by "race or people" as well as by country of birth or origin, and considerable data compiled on this basis have been utilized in the preparation of this abstract.0
The basis of enumeration varied during the ninety-one years cov- ered by the statistics of the Commission, and this fact should be borne in mind in comparing years. For 1820 to 1867 the data are for "alien passengers arriving;" for 1868 to 1903, for "immigrants arriving;" for 1904 to 1906, for "aliens admitted;" and for 1907 to 1910, for "immigrant aliens admitted."
NUMBER OF IMMIGRANTS, 1820 TO 1910.
The table which appears below shows the immigration to the United States for each year from 1820 to 1910, inclusive.
TABLE 1. — Immigration to the United States, 1820 to 1910.
[Compiled from official sources. For 1820 to 1867 the figures are for alien passengers arriving; for 1868 to 1903, for immigrants arriving; for 1904 to 190(>, for aliens admitted; and for 1907 to 1910, for immigrant aliens admitted. The years from 1820 to 1831 and from 1844 to 1849, inclusive, are those ending September 30; 1833 to 1842 and 1851 to 1867, inclusive, those ending December 31; 1869 to 1910, those ending June 30.]
|
Year. |
Immi- grants. |
Year. |
Immi- grants. |
Year. |
Immi- grants. |
|
1820 |
8,385 |
1851 |
379, 466 |
1882 |
788 992 |
|
1821 |
9,127 |
1852 |
371, 603 |
1883 |
603, 322 |
|
1822 . |
6,911 |
1853... |
368, 645 |
1884 |
518 592 |
|
1823 |
6,354 |
1854 |
427, 833 |
1885 |
395 346 |
|
1824... |
7,912 |
1855 |
200,877 |
1886... . |
334 203 |
|
1825 |
10, 199 |
1856 |
200, 436 |
1887 |
490 109 |
|
1826 |
10,837 |
1857 |
251,306 |
1888 |
546, 889 |
|
1827 |
' 18, 875 |
1858... |
123, 126 |
1889 . |
444 427 |
|
1828 |
27, 382 |
1859 |
121,282 |
1890 |
455 302 |
|
1829... |
22, 520 |
I860 |
153, 640 |
1891 |
560, 319 |
|
1830 |
23, 322 |
1861 |
91,918 |
1892 |
579 663 |
|
1831 |
22,633 |
1862 |
91,965 |
1893 |
439, 730 |
|
1832 b , |
60,482 |
1863 .. |
176, 282 |
1894 |
285, 631 |
|
1833 |
58,640 |
1864 |
193, 418 |
1895 |
258 536 |
|
1834... |
65,365 |
1865 |
248, 120 |
1896 |
343, 267 |
|
1835 |
45, 374 |
1866 |
318, 568 |
1897. . |
230, 832 |
|
1836 |
76, 242 |
1867 |
315, 722 |
1898 |
229 299 |
|
1837... |
79,340 |
1868 d. |
138, 840 |
1899 |
311,715 |
|
1838 |
38, 914 |
1869 |
352, 768 |
1900 |
448, 572 |
|
1839 |
68,069 |
1870 |
387 203 |
1901 |
487 918 |
|
1840 |
84,066 |
1871 . |
321,350 |
1902 |
648, 743 |
|
1841 |
80, 289 |
1872 |
404,806 |
1903 |
857, 046 |
|
1842... |
104, 565 |
1873 |
459, 803 |
1904 |
812,870 |
|
1843 c |
52, 496 |
1874 |
313, 339 |
1905 |
1,026,499 |
|
1844 |
78, 615 |
1875 |
227 498 |
1906 |
1,100,735 |
|
1845 |
114,371 |
1876 |
169,986 |
1907 |
1,285,349 |
|
<846 |
154, 416 |
1877 |
141,857 |
1908 |
782,870 |
|
1847 |
234 968 |
1878 |
138, 469 |
1909.. . . |
751,786 |
|
'848 |
226 527 |
1879 |
177 826 |
1910 . |
1,041,570 |
|
1849 |
297 024 |
1880 |
457 257 |
||
|
1850 b |
369 980 |
1881 |
669, 431 |
Total |
27,918,992 |
a See pp. 97 to 118.
b Fifteen months ending December 31. c Nine months ending September 30. d Six months ending June 30.
Statistical Review of Immigration, 1820 to 1910.
57
The number of immigrants in 1910 was 1,041,570. This number has been exceeded only in 1906 and 1907, and it is almost equal to one-half the number during the thirty-one years from 1820 to 1850.
The figures given are summarized by decades in the table next presented.
TABLE 2.— Immigration to the United States, 1820 to 1910, by decade.
[Compiled from official sources. For 1820 to 1867 the figures are for alien passengers arriving; for 1868 to 1903, for immigrants arriving; for 1904 to 1906, for aliens admitted; and for 1907 to 1910, for immigrant aliens admitted.]
|
Period. |
Immi- grants. |
Per cent distribu- tion. |
Average per year. |
|
1820 to 18oO |
151,824 |
0.5 |
13,802 |
|
1831 to 1840 |
599,125 |
2.1 |
59,913 |
|
1841 to 1850 |
1,713.251 |
6.1 |
171,325 |
|
1851 to 1860 |
2,598,214 |
9.3 |
259,821 |
|
1861 to 1870 |
2,314,824 |
8.3 |
231,482 |
|
1871 to 1880 |
2,812,191 |
10.1 |
281,219 |
|
1881 to 1890 |
5,246,613 |
18.8 |
524, 661 |
|
1891 to 1900 ., |
3,687,564 |
13.2 |
368,756 |
|
1901 to 1910 |
8, 795, 386 |
31.5 |
879,539 |
|
Total |
27,918,992 |
100.0 |
306,802 |
The number arriving during the decade from 1901 to 1910 was 8,795,386, which is more than 60 per cent higher than the greatest number arriving during any previous decade and almost two and four-tenths times as many as the number arriving during the decade from 1891 to 1900. Of the total immigration during the ninety-one years, 31.5 per cent came during the decade from 1901 to 1910; 18.8 per cent came during the decade from 1881 to 1890; and 13.2 per cent came during the decade from 1891 ^1900.
The average number of immigrants during the past ten years has been 879,539; during the ten years from 1891 to 1900 the average was 368,756; and during the ten years from 1881 to 1890 the average was 524,661.
-IMMIGRATION BY SEX, 1820 TO 1910.
Although the act of 1819, as previously shown, required that arriving immigrants be recorded by sex, no satisfactory compilation of these data prior to the year 1869 has been made. The earlier reports of the Secretary of State to Congress, however, contain par- tial data on this subject, and the Commission has compiled such data to show the approximate sex distribution from 1820 to 1867, inclusive. This compilation is made on the basis of years ending June 30 during the period under consideration, and consequently can not be compared with the annual immigration from 1820 to 1867 as shown in Table 1, for the reason that the last mentioned data, as explained in that table, are for entirely different fiscal years. There- fore the percentages given in the table which follows can not possi- bly be reduced to numbers.
Moreover, as previously explained, the data are not complete, as in most years during the period a considerable number of immigrants were admitted for whom sex was not reported; but on the whole the percentages may be accepted as fairly representative of the sex distribution in the years considered.
72289°— VOL 1—11 5
58
The Immigration Commission.
TABLE 3. — Per cent distribution (approximate] immigration to the United States, by sex, for years ending June 30, 1820 to 1867.
[See explanatory text immediately preceding this table.]
|
Year ending June 30— |
Per cent a— |
Year ending June 30 — |
Per cent a — |
||
|
Male. |
Female. |
Male. |
Female. |
||
|
1820 |
69.8 74.2 77.5 79.0 80.1 74.2 70.9 71.7 65.4 65.2 72.5 64.4 65.6 67.5 67.8 62.0 63.8 63.4 63.3 64.0 64.2 61.5 61.0 57.4 56.0 |
30.2 25.8 22.5 21.0 19.9 25.8 29.1 28.3 34.6 34.8 27.5 35.6 34.4 32.5 32.2 38.0 36.2 36.6 36.6 36.0 35.9 38.5 39.0 42.6 44.0 |
1845 |
57.7 57.5 57.9 58.9 60.0 62.2 57.7 58.8 56.7 57.6 58.8 57.8 53.9 57.8 58.2 58.6 57.1 58.4 60.1 59.4 59.9 62.7 62.0 |
42.3 42.5 42.1 41.1 40.0 37.8 42.3 41.2 43.3 42.4 41.2 42.2 41.7 42.2 41.8 41.4 42.9 41.6 39.9 40.6 40.1 37.3 38.0 |
|
1821 |
1846 |
||||
|
1822 |
1847 |
||||
|
1823 |
1848 |
||||
|
1824 |
1849 |
||||
|
1325 |
1850 |
||||
|
1826 |
1851 |
||||
|
1827 |
1852 |
||||
|
1828 |
1853 |
||||
|
1829 |
1854 |
||||
|
1830 |
1855 |
||||
|
1831 |
1856 |
||||
|
1832 . . . |
1857 |
||||
|
1833 |
1858 |
||||
|
1834 |
1859 |
||||
|
1835 |
1860 |
||||
|
1836 |
1861 , . . |
||||
|
1837 .... |
1862 |
||||
|
1838 |
1863 |
||||
|
1839 |
1864 |
||||
|
1840 . |
1865 |
||||
|
1841 - |
1866 |
||||
|
1842 |
1867 |
||||
|
1843 |
Total, 1820-1867 |
||||
|
1844 |
59.6 |
40.3 |
|||
a Based on number reporting sex.
The total immigration to the United States for the fiscal years ending June 30, 1868 to 1910, and the distribution by sex from 1869 to 1910, are shown in the following table. Data relative to the sex of immigrants admitted during the fiscal year 1868 are not available.
TABLE 4. — Immigration to the United States, I
1910.
sex, for years ending June 30, 1868 to
[Compiled from official sources. For 1868 to 1903 the figures are for immigrants arriving; for 1904 to 1906, for aliens admitted; and for 1907 to 1910, for immigrant aliens admitted.]
|
Year ending June 30 — |
Total number of immi- grants. |
Number. |
Per cent. |
||
|
Male. |
Female. |
Male. |
Female. |
||
|
1868 |
282. 189 352,768 387,203 321,350 404, 806 459, 803 313,339 227, 498 169.986 141,857 138, 469 177,826 457,257 669,431 788,992 603,322 518,592 395, 346 334.203 |
(a) 214,865 235, 612 190,428 240, 170 275, 792 189, 225 139,950 111,786 92.033 86,259 111,882 287,623 410,729 498,814 363,863 308,509 226. 382 200,704 |
(a) 137,903 151,591 130,922 164, 63d 184,011 124, 114 87,548 58,200 49. 824 52,210 65,944 169, 634 258,702 290, 178 239.459 210,083 168,964 133.499 |
(a) 60.9 60.8 59.3 59.3 60.0 60.4 61.5 65.8 64.9 62.3 62.9 62.9 61.4 63.2 60.3 59.5 57.3 60.1 |
'% 39.1 40.7 40.7 40.0 39.6 38.5 34.2 35.1 37.7 37.1 37.1 38.6 36.8 39.7 40.5 42.7 39.9 |
|
1869 |
|||||
|
1870 |
|||||
|
1871 |
|||||
|
1872 |
|||||
|
1873 |
|||||
|
1874 |
|||||
|
1875 |
|||||
|
1876 |
|||||
|
1877 |
|||||
|
1878 |
|||||
|
1879 |
|||||
|
1880 |
|||||
|
1881 .. |
|||||
|
1882 |
|||||
|
1883 |
|||||
|
1884.. |
|||||
|
1885 |
|||||
|
1886 - - . |
a- Not reported.
Statistical Review of Immigration, 1820 to 1910.
59
TABLE 4. — Immigration to the United States, by sex, for years ending June 30, 1868 to
1910 — Continued.
|
Year ending June 30— |
Total number of immi- grants. |
Number. |
Per cent. |
||
|
Male. |
Female. |
Male. |
Female. |
||
|
1887 |
490, 1 09 546,889 444, 427 455,302 560,319 579, 663 439,730 285, 631 258,536 343, 267 230,832 229,299 311,715 448, 572 487,918 648, 743 857,046 812,870 1.026,499 1,100,735 1,285,349 782,870 751,786 1,041,570 |
306,658 345,375 263,024 281,853 354,059 361 864 280,344 169, 274 1*9,016 212, 466 135, 107 135,775 195,277 304, 148 331,055 466,369 613, 146 549,100 724,914 764, 463 929,976 506,911i 519,969 736,038 |
183,451 201,514 181,403 173, 449 206,260 217, 799 159, 386 116,357 109,520 130,801 95,725 93, 524 116,438 144, 424 156,863 182, 374 243, 900 263, 7"0 301,585 336,272 355,373 275,958 231,817 305, 532 |
62.6 63.2 59.2 61.9 63.2 62.4 63.8 59.3 57.6 61.9 58.5 59.2 62.6 67.8 67.9 71.9 71.5 67.6 70.6 69.5 72.4 64.8 69.2 70.7 |
37.4 36.8 40.8 38.1 36.8 37.6 36.2 40.7 42.4 38.1 41.5 40.8 37.4 32.2 32.1 28.1 28.5 32.4 29.4 30.5 27.6 35.2 30.8 29.3 |
|
1888 |
|||||
|
1889 |
|||||
|
1890 |
|||||
|
1891 . . . |
|||||
|
1892 |
|||||
|
1893 |
|||||
|
1894 |
|||||
|
1895 |
|||||
|
1896 |
|||||
|
1897 . |
|||||
|
1898 |
|||||
|
1899 |
|||||
|
1900 |
|||||
|
1901 |
|||||
|
1902 |
|||||
|
1903 |
|||||
|
1904 |
|||||
|
1905 |
|||||
|
1906 |
|||||
|
1907 |
|||||
|
1908 |
|||||
|
1909 |
|||||
|
1910 |
|||||
|
Total |
|||||
|
21,563,914 |
13,820,808 |
7,460,917 |
o64.9 |
« 35.1 |
|
t a Based on number reporting sex.
During the period 1820-1867, approximately 59.6 per cent of the immigrants were males. From 1869 to 1910 the percentage of males was 64.9. Of every 1,000 immigrants in 1910, 707 were males and 293 were females. This means that among the immigrants there were 2.4 times as many males as females. During each or the past eleven years more than twice as many males as females have arrived in the United States, except in 1908, when the proportion of males was slightly lower. In 1 907 the proportion of males was 724 per thou- sand immigrants, which was the highest proportion since 1830.
The statistics relative to sex of immigrants are summarized in the table which follows:
TABLE 5. — Immigration to the United States, by sex, for periods specified, 1820 to 1910.
[Compiled from official sources. For 1820 to 1867 the figures are for alien passengers arriving; for 1868 to 1903, for immigrants arriving; for 1904 to 1906, for aliens admitted; and for 1907 to 1910, for immigrant aliens admitted.]
|
Period. |
Total number of immi- grants. |
Number. |
Per cent. |
||
|
Male. |
Female. |
Male. |
Female. |
||
|
1820-1867 |
6,355,078 282. 189 352,768 387,203 2,812,191 5,246,613 3,687,564 8,795,386 |
o59.6 (6) 60.9 60.8 61.3 61.1 62.3 69.8 |
040.3 (b) 39.1 39.1 38.7 38.9 37.7 30.2 |
||
|
1868 |
(b) 214,865 235,612 1,725,148 3,205,911 2,297,330 6,141,942 |
(6) 137, 903 151,591 1,087,043 2,040,702 1,390,234 2,653,444 |
|||
|
1869 |
|||||
|
J 870 . . |
|||||
|
1871-1880 . . |
|||||
|
1881-1890 |
|||||
|
1891-1900 |
|||||
|
1901-1910 |
|||||
|
Total... . |
|||||
|
27,918,992 |
13,820,808 |
7,460,917 |
C64.9 |
C35.1 |
|
a Approximate.
b Not reported.
c Based on number reporting sex.
60 The Immigration Commission.
As will be noted from Table 3 the data, so far as they are avail- able, show that in some years during the period 1820 to 1830 the proportion of males in the immigration movement was larger than at any subsequent period. During that period as a whole there were 700 males per 1,000 immigrants for whom sex was reported, while during the last decade, 1901 to 1910, the proportion was 698 males per 1,000 immigrants admitted. The lowest proportion of males was during the decade from 1851 to 1860, when there were 580 males per 1 ,000.
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN, 1820 TO 1910.
With respect to origin of the immigration to the United States a remarkable change has taken place. More than 70 per cent of the present immigration is from the south and east of Europe and only about 20 per cent is from the north and west of Europe. Two decades ago more than 70 per cent was from the north and west of Europe and less than 20 per cent from the south and east of Europe.
The table next presented shows for each year from 1820 to 1910 the number of immigrants from the countries of northern and western Europe, from those of southern and eastern Europe, and from all other countries. The table also shows for each year the per cent of the immigrants from each of the three sources.
For the period from 1820 to 1910, 92.3 per cent of the immigrants for whom country of origin was reported came from Europe, 58 per cent being from the north and west of Europe, and 34.2 per cent from the south and east of Europe.0 Only a very small proportion of the immigrants came from the south and east of Europe until in the late eighties. The proportion from that section of Europe reached 25 per cent for the first time in 1887. A notable shifting of the source of immigration took place between 1895 and 1896. In 1895, 54.7 per cent of the immigrants came from the north and west of Europe and 43.2 per cent from the south and east of Europe. In 1896, only 40 per cent came from the north and west of Europe and 57 per cent came from the south and east of Europe. The change in the character of immigration, as far as source is concerned, is clearly shown by Table 7, page 64, which summarizes the data con- cerning source of immigration by decades.
a Including Turkey in Asia.
Statistical Review of Immigration, 1820 to 1910. 61
The Immigration Commission.
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Statistical Review of Immigration, 1820 to 1910.
63
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Statistical Review of Immigration, 1820 to 1910.
65
During the decade from 1901 to 1910, 71.9 per cent of the immi- grants for whom information concerning origin was secured came from the south and east of Europe. The proportion from that part of Europe was 52.8 per cent during'the decade 1891 to 1900, 18.3 per cent during the decade 1881 to 1890, and only 7.1 per cent during the decade 1871 to 1880.
During the ninety-one years from 1820 to 1910, more immigrants came from the United Kingdom than from any other country, the number being 7,766,330. The number from the German Empire during that period was 5,351,746, the number from Austria-Hungary 3,172,461, the number from Italy 3,086,356, and the number from the Russian Empire 2,359,048.
The number coming from each country during the period from 1820 to 1910 is shown in the table which follows:
TABLE 8. — Immigration to the United States, by country of origin, during the period
1820 to 1910.
[Compiled from official sources. For 1820 to 1867 the figures are for alien passengers arriving; for 1868 to 1903, for immigrants arriving; for 1904 to 1906, for aliens admitted; and for 1907 to 1910, for immigrant aliens admitted.]
|
Country of origin. |
Number of immigrants. |
Country of origin. |
Number of immigrants. |
|
Europe: Austria-Hungary .. |
3,172,461 103, 796 39, 440 258,053 470,868 5,351,746 186,204 3,086,356 175,943 o665,189 b 165, 182 132,989 72,117 2,359,048 69, 296 c 1,021, 165 237, 401 85,800 2,212,071 4,212,169 488, 749 59,540 |
Europe — Continued . United Kingdom, not specified . . . Other Europe |
793,801 2,545 |
|
Belgium |
|||
|
Bulgaria, Servia, and Montenegro. Denmark |
Total Europe |
||
|
25,421,929 326,060 5,409 158,344 106,481 16,942 |
|||
|
France, including Corsica |
Asia: China |
||
|
German Empire |
|||
|
Greece |
|||
|
Italy, including Sicily and Sar- dinia... |
India ... . |
||
|
Japan |
|||
|
Netherlands |
Turkey in Asia |
||
|
Norway. . . |
Other Asia |
||
|
Poland |
Total Asia |
||
|
Portugal, including Cape Verde |
613,236 |
||
|
and Azores Islands Roumania . |
Africa |
9,581 31,654 8,859 1,231,107 . 9,759 77,645 29,385 233, 146 252,691 |
|
|
Russian Empire |
Australia and New Zealand |
||
|
Spain, including Canary and Ba- learic Islands |
Pacific islands, not specified |
||
|
British North American possessions. . . Central America . |
|||
|
Sweden . . . |
|||
|
Switzerland |
Mexico |
||
|
Turkey in Europe |
South America |
||
|
United Kingdom — England . |
West Indies, including Jamaica Countries not specified ,. |
||
|
Grand total |
|||
|
Scotland . |
27,918,992 |
||
|
Wales |
|||
a Including natives of Sweden who arrived 1820 to 1868.
b Not including natives of Poland who arrived 1899 to 1910 and were Included under Austria-Hungary, German Empire, and Russian Empire. cNot including natives of Sweden who arrived 1820 to 1868 and were included under Norway.
The table nex^ presented shows in detail the immigration United States from each specified country of origin for the 1820 to 1910.
to the years
66
The Immigration Commission.
TABLE 9.— Immigration to the United States, 1820 to 1910. PART 1: BY COUNTRY OF ORIGIN, 1820 TO 1868, INCLUSIVE.
[Compiled from official sources. For 1820 to 1867 the figures are for alien passengers arriving; for 1868 they are for immigrants arriving. The years from 1820 to 1831 and from 1844 to 1849, inclusive, are those ending September 30; 1833 to 1842 and 1851 to 1867, inclusive, those ending December 31.]
|
Country. |
1820. |
1821. |
1822. |
|
Europe: Austria-Hungary |
|||
|
Belgium |
1 |
2 |
10 |
|
Bulgaria Servia and Montenegro - . |
|||
|
20 371 968 |
12 370 383 |
18 351 148 |
|
|
France, including Corsica |
|||
|
German Empire |
|||
|
Greece |
|||
|
Italy including Sicily and Sardinia .... |
30 49 3 5 35 |
63 56 12 1 18 |
35 51 10 3 28 |
|
Norway a |
|||
|
Poland |
|||
|
Portugal including Cape Verde and Azores Islands |
|||
|
Roumani |
|||
|
14 139 |
7 191 |
10 152 |
|
|
Spain including Canary and Balearic Islands . |
|||
|
Sweden & |
|||
|
Switzerland |
31 1 1,782 3,614 268 |
93 |
110 4 856 2,267 198 13 154 |
|
Turkey in Europe |
|||
|
United Kingdom- England . |
1,036 1,518 293 11 1,870 |
||
|
Scotland |
|||
|
Wales |
|||
|
Not specified |
360 |
||
|
Other Europe |
|||
|
Total Europe |
|||
|
7,691 |
5,936 |
4,418 |
|
|
Asia: China |
1 1 |
||
|
|
1 |
||
|
Japan |
|||
|
Turkey in Asia |
|||
|
Other Asia |
3 ! |
||
|
Total Asia |
5 |
1 |
|
|
1 |
2 |
||
|
Australia and New Zealand |
|||
|
""264 3 5 7 159 2,114 |
|||
|
British North American possessions |
209 2 1 11 164 301 |
184 |
|
|
Mexico |
4 8 107 2,886 |
||
|
Countries not specified |
|||
|
Grand total |
8,385 |
9,127 |
6,911 |
a Including Sweden.
b Included in Norway.
Statistical Review of Immigration, 1820 to 1910.
67
TABLE 9. — Immigration to the United States, 1820 to 1910 — Continued. PART 1: BY COUNTRY OF ORIGIN, 1820 TO 1868, INCLUSIVE — continued.
|
Country. |
1823. |
1824. |
1825. |
|
Europe: \uslria-Hungary |
|||
|
Belgium |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
6 |
11 |
14 |
|
|
460 |
377 |
515 |
|
|
German Empire |
183 |
230 |
450 |
|
5 |
|||
|
Italy including Sicily and Sardinia |
33 |
45 |
75 |
|
19 |
40 |
37 |
|
|
Norway ° |
1 |
9 |
4 |
|
Poland |
3 |
4 |
1 |
|
Portugal including Cape Verde and Azores Islands |
24 |
13 |
13 |
|
Roumania |
|||
|
7 |
7 |
10 |
|
|
Spain including Canary and Balearic Islands. . |
220 |
359 |
273 |
|
Switzerland |
47 |
253 |
166 |
|
Turkey in Europe |
2 |
2 |
|
|
United Kingdom — England |
851 |
713 |
1,002 |
|
1,908 |
2,345 |
4 888 |
|
|
Scotland |
180 |
257 |
113 |
|
Wales |
69 |
33 |
11 |
|
Not specified |
261 |
969 |
|
|
Other Europe c |
1 |
1 |
|
|
Total Europe |
4,016 |
4,965 |
8,543 |
|
Asia: |
1 |
||
|
India . . .... |
1 |
||
|
Japan |
|||
|
Turkey in Asia . |
|
||
|
Other Asia |
|||
|
Total Asia |
1 |
1 |
|
|
Africa |
1 |
||
|
Australia and New Zealand |
|||
|
Pacific Islands, not specified |
|||
|
British North American possessions |
167 |
155 |
314 |
|
Central America |
10 |
8 |
|
|
Mexico |
35 |
110 |
68 |
|
South America . . . . - |
20 |
25 |
67 |
|
West Indies, including Jamaica |
160 |
259 |
389 |
|
Countries not specified |
1,956 |
2,387 |
808 |
|
Grand total |
6,354 |
7,912 |
10, 199 |
Including Sweden.
b Included in Norway.
Malta.
68
The Immigration Commission.
TABLE 9. — Immigration to the United States, 1820 to 1910 — Continued. PART 1: BY COUNTRY OF ORIGIN, 1820 TO 1868, INCLUSIVE — continued.
|
Country. |
1826. |
1827. |
1828. |
|
Europe: Austria-Hungary |
|||
|
Belgium |
2 |
7 |
2 |
|
Bulgaria, Servia, and Montenegro |
|||
|
Denmark |
10 |
15 |
50 |
|
France, including Corsica |
545 |
1,280 |
2 843 |
|
German Empire" |
511 |
432 |
1 851 |
|
Greece |
4 |
7 |
|
|
Italy, including Sicily and Sardinia |
57 |
35 |
34 |
|
Netherlands |
176 |
245 |
263 |
|
Norway <*. |
16 |
13 |
10 |
|
Poland |
1 |
1 |
|
|
Portugal, including Cape Verde and Azores Islands |
16 |
7 |
14 |
|
Roumania |
|||
|
Russian Empire |
4 |
19 |
7 |
|
Spa-'Ti, innlnrling Canary anr) Ba.lpa.rir> Islands |
436 |
414 |
209 |
|
Sweden b |
|||
|
Switzerland |
245 |
297 |
1,592 |
|
Turkey in Europe |
2 |
1 |
6 |
|
United Kingdom- England |
1,459 |
2,521 |
2,735 |
|
Ireland |
5 408 |
9,766 |
12,488 |
|
Scotland |
230 |
460 |
1,041 |
|
Wales |
6 |
17 |
|
|
Not specified |
624 |
1,205 |
1,559 |
|
Other Europe c . ... |
' 1 |
||
|
Total Europe |
9,751 |
16, 719 |
24,729 |
|
Asia: China |
|||
|
India |
1 |
1 |
3 |
|
Japan |
|||
|
Turkey in Asia |
|||
|
Other Asia .' |
|||
|
Total Asia |
1 |
1 |
3 |
|
Africa . |
4 |
6 |
|
|
Australia and New Zealand |
|||
|
Pacific Islands, not specified |
|||
|
British North American possessions |
223 |
165 |
267 |
|
Central America |
12 |
7 |
5 |
|
Mexico |
106 |
127 |
1,089 |
|
South America |
63 |
54 |
77 |
|
West Indies, including Jamaica |
427 |
227 |
652 |
|
Countries not specified |
254 |
1,571 |
554 |
|
Grand total |
10,837 |
18, 875 |
27, 382 |
• Including Sweden.
b Included in Norway,
c Malta.
Statistical Review of Immigration, 1 820 to 1910.
69
TABLE 9. — Immigration to the United States, 1820 to 1910 — Continued. PART 1: BY COUNTRY OF ORIGIN, 1820 TO 1868, INCLUSIVE — continued.
|
Country. |
1829. |
1830. |
1831. |
|
Europe: Austria-Hungary |
|||
|
Belgium. |
1 |
||
|
Bulgaria Servia and Montenegro |
|||
|
Denmark |
17 |
16 |
23 |
|
France including Corsica |
582 |
1,174 |
2,038 |
|
German Empire |
597 |
1,976 |
2,413 |
|
1 |
3 |
||
|
Italv including Sicily and Sardinia. . |
23 |
9 |
28 |
|
Netherlands |
169 |
22 |
175 |
|
13 |
3 |
13 |
|
|
2 |
|||
|
9 |
3 |
||
|
Russian Empire |
1 |
3 |
1 |
|
Spain including Canary and Balearic Islands.. |
202 |
21 |
37 |
|
Switzerland |
314 |
109 |
63 |
|
1 |
2 |
||
|
United Kingdom— England. • |
2,149 |
733 |
251 |
|
Ireland |
7,415 |
2,721 |
5,772 |
|
Scotland... |
111 |
29 |
226 |
|
Wales |
3 |
7 |
131 |
|
Not specified . . . . |
916 |
384 |
1,867 |
|
Other Europe |
|||
|
Total Furope |
12,523 |
7,217 |
13,039 |
|
Asia: China |
1 |
||
|
India |
1 |
1 |
|
|
Japan. |
|||
|
Other Asia |
|||
|
Total Asia |
2 |
||
|
Africa |
1 |
2 |
2 |
|
Australia and New Zealand |
|||
|
Pacific Islands not specified |
|||
|
British North American possessions |
409 |
189 |
176 |
|
Central America |
10 |
50 |
3 |
|
Mexico . . |
2,290 |
983 |
692 |
|
South America |
73 |
137 |
42 |
|
West Indies, including Jamaica.. |
517 |
937 |
1,281 |
|
Countries not specified |
6 695 |
13 807 |
7 3°7 |
|
Grand total |
22 520 |
23 322 |
22 633 |
a Including Sweden.
b Included in Norway.
70
The Immigration Commission.
TABLE 9. — Immigration to the United States, 1820 to 1910 — Continued. PART 1: BY COUNTRY OF ORIGIN, 1820 TO 1868, INCLUSIVE — continued.
|
Country. |
1832.o |
1833. |
1834. |
|
Europe: Austria-Hungary . |
|||
|
Belgium. |
3 |
||
|
Bulgaria Servia and Montenegro... |
|||
|
Denmark. . . .' |
21 |
173 |
24 |
|
France including Corsica |
5,361 |
4,682 |
2,989 |
|
German Empire |
10,194 |
6,988 |
17,686 |
|
1 |
1 |
||
|
Italy including Sicily amd Sardinia |
3 |
1,699 |
105 |
|
Netherlands |
205 |
39 |
87 |
|
Norway & |
313 |
16 |
42 |
|
Poland |
34 |
1 |
54 |
|
Portugal, including Cape Verde and Azores Islands |
5 |
633 |
44 |
|
52 |
159 |
15 |
|
|
Spain including Canary and Balearic Islands.. |
106 |
516 |
107 |
|
Switzerland |
129 |
634 |
1,389 |
|
1 |
|||
|
United Kingdom— |
944 |
* 2,966 |
1,129 |
|
Ireland |
12,436 |
8,648 |
24,474 |
|
Scotland |
158 |
1,921 |
110 |
|
Wales |
29 |
1 |
|
|
4,229 |
9,250 |
||
|
2 |
5 |
||
|
Total Europe |
34, 193 |
29,111 |
57,510 |
|
Asia: |
|||
|
India |
4 |
3 |
6 |
|
Total Asia |
4 |
3 |
6 |
|
Africa . |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
Australia and New Zealand |
|||
|
British North American possessions..... |
608 |
1,194 |
1,020 |
|
6 |
18 |
9 |
|
|
827 |
779 |
885 |
|
|
South America |
174 |
27 |
74 |
|
West Indies including Jamaica.. |
1,256 |
1,264 |
791 |
|
Countries not specified |
23,412 |
26,243 |
5,069 |
|
Grand total |
60,482 |
58,640 |
65,365 |
Fifteen months ending December 31. & Including Sweden. c Included in Norway. a Malta.
Statistical Review of Immigration, 1820 to 1910.
71
TABLE 9. — Immigration to the United States, 1820 to 1910 — Continued. PART 1: BY COUNTRY OF ORIGIN, 1820 TO 1868, INCLUSIVE — continued.
|
Country. |
1835. |
1836. |
1837. |
|
Europe: Austria-Hungary |
|||
|
Belgium . . . . , . |
1 |
||
|
Bulgaria Servia and Montenegro |
|||
|
Denmark |
37 2,696 8,311 7 60 124 31 54 29 |
416 4,443 20, 707 28 115 301 57 53 29 |
109 5,074 23,740 5 36 312 290 81 34 |
|
France including Corsica |
|||
|
German Empire |
|||
|
Greece |
|||
|
Italy including Sicily and Sardinia |
|||
|
Netherlands |
|||
|
Norway o |
|||
|
Poland |
|||
|
Portugal including Cape Verde and Azores Islands |
|||
|
Roumatua |
|||
|
Russian Empire |
9 183 |
2 180 |
19 230 |
|
. Spain, including Canary and Balearic Islands... |
|||
|
Sweden b |
|||
|
Switzerland |
548 |
445 3 420 30, 578 106 2 12, 578 2 |
383 |
|
Turkey in Europe |
|||
|
United Kingdom- England |
468 20,927 68 16 8,423 |
896 28, 508 14 6 11,302 |
|
|
Ireland |
|||
|
Scotland |
|||
|
Wales |
|||
|
Not specified.. |
|||
|
Other Europe c |
|||
|
Total Europe |
|||
|
41,987 |
70,465 |
71,039 |
|
|
Asia: China., |
|||
|
8 8 |
|||
|
India |
A |
11 |
|
|
Japan |
|||
|
Turkey in Asia |
|||
|
Other Asia |
1 |
||
|
Total Asia. |
|||
|
17 |
4 |
11 2 |
|
|
Africa |
|||
|
14 |
6 |
||
|
Australia and New Zealand |
|||
|
Pacific islands, not specified . . |
|||
|
British North American possessions |
1,193 1,032 145 938 44 |
2,814 |
1,279 4 627 91 1,627 4,660 |
|
Central America |
|||
|
Mexico |
798 146 1,178 831 |
||
|
South America |
|||
|
West Indies, including Jamaica .. |
|||
|
Countries not specified , |
|||
|
Grand total |
45,374 |
76, 242 |
79,340 |
a Including Sweden.
& Included in Norway.
c Malta.
72
The Immigration Commission.
TABLE 9 .—Immigration to the United States, 1820 to 1910— Continued. PART 1: BY COUNTRY OP ORIGIN, 1820 TO 1868, INCLUSIVE — continued.
|
Country. |
1838. |
1839. |
1840. |
|
Europe: Austria-Hungary |
|||
|
14 |
1 |
2 |
|
|
Bulgaria Servia, and Montenegro |
|||
|
52 3,675 11,683 4 86 27 60 41 24 |
56 • 7. 198 21,028 |
152 7,419 29,704 3 37 57 55 5 12 |
|
|
France including Corsica |
|||
|
German Empire |
|||
|
Italy including Sicily and Sardinia . . |
84 85 324 46 19 |
||
|
Norway o, |
|||
|
Poland |
|||
|
Portugal, including Cape Verde and Azores Islands |
|||
|
Roumania - - |
|||
|
13 202 |
7 428 |
||
|
Spain including Canary and Balearic Islands |
136 |
||
|
Sweden & |
|||
|
Switzerland |
123 |
607 1 62 23,963 |
500 1 318 39, 430 21 |
|
Turkey in Europe |
|||
|
United Kingdom — England |
157 12,645 48 |
||
|
Ireland |
|||
|
Scotland |
|||
|
Wales |
|||
|
5,215 1 |
10,209 30 |
2,274 |
|
|
Other Europe c |
|||
|
Total Europe |
|||
|
34, 070 |
64, 148 |
80, 126 |
|
|
Asia: China |
|||
|
India |
1 |
1 |
|
|
Turkey in Asia |
|||
|
Other Asia |
|||
|
Total Asia - - - - - - |
|||
|
1 |
1 |
||
|
Africa |
|||
|
10 |
10 |
6 |
|
|
Australia and New Zealand . . . |
|||
|
Pacific islands not specified |
|||
|
British North American possessions |
1,476 |
1,926 |
1,938 |
|
Central America |
|||
|
Mexico |
211 72 1,231 1,843 |
353 49 1,289 294 |
395 36 1,446 118 |
|
South America |
|||
|
West Indies including Jamaica |
|||
|
Countries not specified . . v |
|||
|
Grand total |
|||
|
38,914 |
68,069 |
84,066 |
|
a Including Sweden.
& Included in Norway.
c Malta.
Statistical Review of Immigration, 1 820 to 1910.
73
TABLE 9.— Immigration to the United States, 1820 to 1910— Continued. PART 1: BY COUNTRY OF ORIGIN, 1820 TO 1868, INCLUSIVE — continued.
|
Country. |
1841. |
1842. |
1843.« |
|
Europe: Austria-Hungary |
|||
|
Belgium |
106 |
44 |
135 |
|
Bulgaria, Servia, and Montenegro. . |
|||
|
Denmark |
31 5,006 15, 291 |
35 4,504 20, 370 1 100 330 553 10 15 |
29 3,346 14,441 4 117 330 1,748 17 32 |
|
France, including Corsica |
|||
|
German Empire . |
|||
|
Greece |
|||
|
Italy, including Sicily and Sardinia |
179 214 195 15 7 |
||
|
Netherlands " |
|||
|
Norway & |
|||
|
Poland |
|||
|
Portugal, including Cape Verde and Azores Islands |
|||
|
Roumania |
|||
|
Russian Empire.. . |
174 215 |
28 122 |
6 145 |
|
Spain, including Canary and Balearic Islands |
|||
|
Sweden c |
|||
|
Switzerland |
751 6 147 37, 772 35 55 15, 951 66 |
483 2 1,743 51,342 24 38 20,200 1 |
553 5 3,517 19,670 41 |
|
Turhey in Europe. . |
|||
|
United Kingdom — England |
|||
|
Ireland . . . |
|||
|
Scotland |
|||
|
Wales... |
|||
|
Not specified |
4,872 5 |
||
|
Other Europe d. . |
|||
|
Total Europe |
|||
|
76,216 |
99, 945 |
49,013 |
|
|
Asia: China |
|||
|
2 1 |
4 |
3 2 |
|
|
India. |
|||
|
Japan |
|||
|
Turkey in Asia |
|||
|
Other Asia |
1 |
6 |
|
|
Total Asia : |
|||
|
3 |
7 |
11 |
|
|
Africa |
|||
|
14 |
3 |
6 |
|
|
Australia and New Zealand... |
|||
|
Pacific islands, not specified |
|||
|
British North American possessions |
1,816 |
2,078 1 403 102 1,410 616 |
1,502 12 398 62 880 612 |
|
Central America |
|||
|
Mexico |
352 219 1,042 627 |
||
|
South Amsrica |
|||
|
West Indies, including Jamaica ... |
|||
|
Countries not specified |
|||
|
Grand total... |
|||
|
80,289 |
104, 565 |
52,496 |
|
Nine months ending September 30. b Including Sweden. 72289°— VOL 1—11 6
c Included in Norway. d Malta.
74
The Immigration Commission.
TABLE 9. — Immigration to the United States, 1820 to 1910 — Continued. PART!: BY COUNTRY OF ORIGIN, 1820 TO 1868, INCLUSIVE — continued.
|
Country. |
1844. |
1845. |
1846. |
|
Europe: Austria-Hungary |
|||
|
Belgium |
165 |
541 |
43 |
|
Bulgaria, Servia, and Montenegro |
|||
|
Denmark |
25 |
54 |
114 |
|
France, including Corsica |
3,155 |
7,663 |
10 583 |
|
German Empire |
20 731 |
34 355 |
57 561 |
|
Greece |
3 |
2 |
3 |
|
Italy, including Sicily and Sardinia |
141 |
137 |
151 |
|
Netherlands |
184 |
791 |
979 |
|
Norway o |
1,311 |
928 |
1,916 |
|
Poland |
36 |
6 |
4 |
|
Portugal, including Cape Verde and Azores Islands |
16 |
14 |
2 |
|
Roumania. |
|||
|
Russian Empire |
13 |
1 |
248 |
|
Spain, including Canary and Balearic Islands |
270 |
304 |
73 |
|
Sweden *> |
|||
|
Switzerland |
839 |
471 |
698 |
|
Turkey in Europe . . |
10 |
3 |
4 |
|
United Kingdom- England |
1,357 |
1,710 |
2,854 |
|
Ireland . . |
33, 490 |
44, 821 |
51 752 |
|
Scotland |
23 |
368 |
305 |
|
Wales |
3 |
11 |
147 |
|
Not specified |
12,970 |
17, 121 |
18 874 |
|
Other Europe c |
3 |
4 |
|
|
Total Europe |
74,745 |
109,301 |
146 315 |
|
Asia: China |
3 |
6 |
7 |
|
India. . |
1 |
4 |
|
|
Japan |
|||
|
Turkey in Asia |
|||
|
Other Asia |
2 |
||
|
Total Asia |
6 |
6 |
11 |
|
Africa |
14 |
4 |
1 |
|
Australia and New Zealand |
|||
|
Pacific islands, not specified |
|||
|
British North American possessions |
2,711 |
3,195 |
3,855 |
|
Central America |
21 |
5 |
|
|
Mexico |
197 |
498 |
222 |
|
South America |
61 |
80 |
92 |
|
West Indies, including Jamaica |
771 |
1,241 |
1,351 |
|
Countries not specified |
110 |
25 |
2,564 |
|
Grand total... |
78, 615 |
114,371 |
154,416 |
o Including Sweden.
b Included in Norway.
c Malta.
Statistical Review of Immigration, 1820 to 1910.
75
TABLE 9. — Immigration to the United States, 1820 to 1910 — Continued. PART 1: BY COUNTRY OP ORIGIN, 1820 TO 1868, INCLUSIVE — continued.
|
Country. |
1847.- |
1848. |
1849. |
|
Europe: Austria-Hungary . |
|||
|
1,473 |
897 |
590 |
|
|
Denmark . |
13 |
210 |
g |
|
France, including Corsica |
20,040 |
7,743 |
5,841 |
|
German Empire ^. |
74,281 |
58,465 |
60, 235 |
|
1 |
|||
|
Italy including Sicily and Sardinia. |
164 |
241 |
209 |
|
Netherlands |
2.631 |
918 |
1,190 |
|
Norway a |
1,307 |
903 |
3,473 |
|
Polana |
8 |
4 |
|
|
Portugal, including Cape Verde and Azores Islands |
6 |
67 |
26 |
|
Roumania |
|||
|
Russian Empire .. . . |
5 |
^ |
44 |
|
Spain including Canary and Balearic. Islands |
168 |
164 |
329 |
|
Sweden b |
|||
|
Switzerland |
192 |
319 |
13 |
|
Turkey in Europe |
2 |
3 |
9 |
|
United Kingdom- England |
3,476 |
4,455 |
6,036 |
|
Ireland ... |
105, 536 |
112,934 |
159, 398 |
|
Scotland |
337 |
659 |
1 060 |
|
Wales |
145 |
348 |
272 |
|
Not specified |
19, 344 |
29, 697 |
47, 764 |
|
Other Europe |
|||
|
Total Europe |
229,117 |
218 025 |
286 501 |
|
Asia: China |