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National Geographic : 1905 Jan
Contents
THE CHARACTER OF OUR IMMIGRATION racial characteristics and the motives which actuate their coming. From Italy, Austria, and Russia, in the order named, we are receiving the present immigration. Italy encourages emigration and de rives much benefit therefrom. The economic conditions of Austro Hungary are such that there is every inducement for the peasant class to seek the prosperity which this country offers. Attempts have been made to provide employment by large appropriations for state railroads and canals, but without apparent effect. Seen from this side, there seems to be an unceasing war be tween Bohemian and German, Croat, Pole,and Hungarian,which permanently threatens the nation's progress, while parliamentary efforts seem to be limited to the playful exchange of inkpots,rules, and cuspidors between opposing factions. The real Russian never comes to the United States, except an occasional stu dent or business man. The govern ment's policy is to encourage those racial elements who do not accept the national religion and customs to leave, and keep the others at home. There are at least 50 well-defined races in Russia, each with a different language. It is not nec essary to do more here than to call atten tion to the mighty strides with which Russia is pushing to the front in com merce and modern methods. Like Eng land and Germany, this country will use every effort to keep those of its citizens who will fight within the jurisdiction of its flag. First of all racially, in numerical im portance in the year just passed, stand the Italians, with 196,208 arrivals 159,329 being southern Italians, accord ing to our classification, and comingfrom Sicily and that portion of Italy south of Rome. This part of Italy was already repre sented in the immigration twenty years ago, but was composed chiefly of arti sans, barbers, restaurant keepers, fruit venders, etc. Now the majority of Ital ian immigrants enter the field of un skilled labor. A people who have contributed a share at least toward bringing an undi vided country out of the turmoil of 2,000 years of European wars and politics deserve the right to be regarded favor ably in a consideration of their ultimate influence upon the national life of their adopted land. The Italians come here to work and they do work, and their potentiality for improvement and progress is remarka ble, and while they are " birds of pass age," this tendency is lessening year by year. The objection to this race is in its adherence to the idea that they are colonists of the mother land, and while here, subject to her authority. The " La Colona" idea makes the assimila tion of the Italian much more difficult. Our history shows that while our early colonial settlers were dependent upon their government entirely for sup port, they were a motley set of shiftless adventurers. Left to themselves, they became brave and daring pioneers. The northern Italian is a type which belongs to the older period of immigra tion, and has little to differentiate him in economic possibilities from the Swiss, French, or Germans. It is interesting to note, however, that the Italian an archist is the product of northern, rather than of southern, Italy. Next in numerical importance stand the Hebrews, with io6,236, who, with the exception of a few hundred, belong to that branch of the Hebrew race which for centuries has found its home in Rus sia, Austria, and Roumania. A Hebrew element has existed in our population from its earliest history. The immigra tion of this particular branch, however, dates back scarcely twenty years, and is distinctive from the fact that it has been largely artificial and assisted from the start. They come to stay, to cast their lot with us for weal or woe. They come
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