On the other hand, the immigration from Italy did
not reach 10,000 until 1880, and passed the 100,000 mark first in 1900.
In the past five years nearly a million Italians--or one half of the
entire Italian immigration--have entered the country, and the number in
1906 promises to exceed a quarter of a million more. The highest mark
was 233,546 in 1903; but even this did not equal the birth-rate in
Italy. In Hungary and Russia, also, the birth-rate is greater than the
immense drain of immigration, so that this stream will continue to flow
and increase, unless some check is put upon it, or some legislative dam
built. The immigration from Russia, consisting chiefly of Jews, did not
become appreciable until 1887, when it reached 30,766. It passed 100,000
in 1902; and from 1900 to 1905 the total arrivals were 748,522, or just
about one half the entire number of Jews in the United States. The same
is true of the Hungarian and Slav immigration. Its prominence has come
since 1890.
[Sidenote: The Inferior Checks the Superior]
The point of importance to be considered is that as the immigration from
southeastern Europe has increased, that from northwestern Europe has
decreased.
Pages:
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131