Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 10.djvu/567

* IMMIGRATION. 493 IMMIGRATION. explanation has been given for this phenomenon. Uhe figures usually quoted, to the effect that in 1890 there were 1405 native white insane and 3870 foreign white insane per million of their respective populations, like most of the figures re- lating to social conditions of the foreign born, exaggerate tiie situation. An examination of the ages of the insane shows that the greater num- ber of those so afllicted are Ijetween the ages of twenty-five and fifty-five. A comparison for these ages of the foreign white and native white sliows that the disproportion, while considerable, is by no means as large as in the general popula- tion. Insane. 1890 AGEB Numbers Ratio to 1.000.000 population Native Foreign born 1 born Native born Foreign born 23-40 40-iJ 17.293 i 7.369 13.787 10.S4S 1.850 2.725 2.6.i8 4,602 IxDisTRi.vL Effects. Looking at the immigra- tion problem from the economic side, we not in- frequently hear a complaint that immigration lowers wages. In prosperous times little is heard of this, but when depression sets in complaint becomes general. The difficulty here is to determine the facts. Ho complex are the conditions affecting wages that the Industrial Commission, after hearing the most conflicting evidence on both sides of the question, is forced to conclude that a positive effect of immigration on wages cannot be predi- cated. The proposition can be supported by inference rather than by direct proof. If the numbers of the foreign born in a given industry are small, it is contrary to reason to suppose that they have a depressing effect upon wages. This raises the question of the amount of competition in a given industry. To this the answer can be found in the census statistics of occupations. The analysis of occupations by nativity has been re- served by the census authorities for a special volume, and we must therefore have recourse to the figures for 1800. The following table shows the percentage in each of the main branches of industry of the foreign born and of the native born in comparison with the population of ten years and over: Occupations of Males. 1S90. Percent.ige of Foreign Born Foreign . born AencuUure. fisheries, and mining 15.54 Professional service 15.13 Domestic and personal serv-ice 36.21 Trade and transportation 22.25 Manufact urine and mechanical industries 34. 04 AM ocoupatinns. 23.58 Population 15 years old and upward 22.05 Special Occupations Gardeners, florists, nurserv'men, and vine-growers. 44 . ,50 Restaurant and saloon-keepers 49. 66 Hucksters and peddlers 53. 13 Bakers 59. .^2 Boot and shoe makers and repairers 40.07 Cabinet-maker? and ui^holsterers 46^17 Cotton, woolen. and other textile mill operators ., 46.05 leather curriers, dressers, finishers, and tanners. . 47 . 62 Marble and stone cutters 46 28 Tailors 71 jo The concentration of the foreigners in indus- trial pursuits, as indicated by this table, is to be correlated with their tendency to gravitate toward the cities already discussed. They have gone to the cities because the latter furnish the opportunities of employment, and this was due to the development of mechanical and manufactur- ing industries. The proportion of the foreign born in these broad groups is not such as to lead us to infer that they exercise a dominating influ- ence upon wages, even if it could be proved, which is extremely doubtful, that they are any more willing than the native laborer to work for low wages. It can therefore only be in cer- tain specified industries, in which the proportion of the foreign born is very large and in which the pressure for work is considerable, that any appre- ciable influence upon wages will be exerted. Vhere they do not thus dominate an industry they conform to the current rate of wages. In- vestigations of the Commissioner of Labor into the cost of production in the iron and steel industries and in the textile industries amply prove this proposition. On the other hand, where the foreign born crowd for employment and dominate a given in- dustry, as in the clothing industry in New York and Philadelphia, they reduce the rate of wages, and such a permanent reduction is possible be- cause the standard of living which they adopt is so much inferior to that which is custoraarj' among their American competitors. The contest with the sweatshop in our great cities leaves no doubt upon this point. The report of the Indus' trial Commission furnishes cumulative evidence of this tendency in a few lines of activity to build up industries on a basis of starvation wages whicit themselves rest upon the ignorance, help- lessness, and incapacity of the foreign-born pop- ulation of the tenement-house districts. The testimony which has been brought forward with respect to the political, social, and indus- trial effects of immigration is of necessity in- definite in character. The problem of immi- gration is a problem of assimilation ; and this means conformity to modes of living, modes of thought, and mo.des of action in many different fields of activity. There may be incapacity, but undoubtedly there is no unwillingness on the part of those who permanently reside among us to share to the fullest extent possible in the life of the community, with its opportunities and privileges. With respect to the permanent addi- tions to the population, the question which con- cerns us is as to how far it is desirable that we should continue to recruit what are economi- cally the weakest and least promising classes in the community. The idea that there must al- ways be some one to do rough work has no stand- ing in court. Modern engineering devises me- chanical appliances for these purposes, and we have no fear that progress will cease because the human race is unwilling to be mere hewers of wood and drawers of water. It remains to con- sider, therefore, how far legislation has attempted to cope with the problem, and what has been its success in such an effort. Legislation. It has already been pointed out that immigration into the United States was so much a matter of course that before 1820 it was not even recorded. While in that year records of the number of arrivals were introduced, noth- ing was done in the way of legislation, either to promote or to restrict immigration into the United States, until the vear 1864.