442 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



words can describe adequately the overcrowding, the filth, the lack 

 of air and sunlight, the ignorance of the common decencies of life and 

 the miserable poverty of the tenement dwellers. The tenement head- 

 quarters of the Syrian peddler is crowded from the damp, miserable 

 cellar to the garret with women and children, often a half dozen 

 women, whose husbands are on the road peddling and whose children 

 are in institutions, occupying one small room. 



The physique of these races is very poor, and the percentage of 

 loathsome or contagious diseases found among them is very high. 

 During 1903, one Greek out of every thirty landed was sent back as 

 likely to become a public charge. One Syrian out of every 28 was 

 sent back for the same reason, and one Armenian out of every 58 was 

 deemed incapable of making a living and sent back during the same 

 period. In the matter of disease in 1903, one Syrian in every 100 and 

 one Armenian in every 67 were sent back because of loathsome or 

 dangerous contagious disease. One Greek in every 475 Greeks was 

 sent back because of the same disability. 



The mental processes of these people have an oriental subtlety. 

 Centuries of subjection, where existence was only possible through 

 intrigue, deceit and servility, have left their mark and, through force 

 of habit, they lie most naturally and by preference, and only tell the 

 truth when it will serve their purpose best. Their wits are sharpened 

 by generations of commercial dealing, and their business acumen is 

 marvelous. With all due admiration for the mental qualities and 

 trading skill of these parasites from the near east, it can not be said 

 that they are anything, in the vocations they follow, but detrimental 

 and burdensome. These people, in addition, because of their miserable 

 physique and tendency to communicable disease, are a distinct menace, 

 in their crowded unsanitary quarters, to the health of the community. 

 In their habits of life, their business methods and their inability to 

 perform labor or become producers, they do not compare favorably 

 even with the Chinese, and the most consoling feature of their coming 

 has been that they form a comparatively small part of our total im- 

 migration. 



The Greek immigration has shown the most marked increase, but 

 Syrian immigration is also steadily growing, and without restriction, 

 we may expect in the next few years, through the activity of the Medi- 

 terranean steamship agents, that many thousands of these human para- 

 sites will come here to reap the benefits of our civilization and increase 

 instead of sharing our burdens. 



