262 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



by increasing the number of those for whom the world has decreasing 

 need. Here the problem concerns only the United States, where the 

 young are fleeing from the farm and are flocking to the cities, already 

 overstocked with unskilled labor of every sort. Actually, the problem 

 concerns the cities alone; it is practically unknown elsewhere. 



Those who urge that immigration should be restricted or even 

 prohibited are told that not all immigrants are undesirable — and that 

 is true. Pioneer immigrants from any land are apt to be the best of 

 their race. Those who came from northwestern Europe were, mostly, 

 uneducated and without property; but they dared leave the home of 

 their ancestors and braved the dangers of an unknown land; they 

 thought for themselves and worked with high aims; they made their 

 way and they made the United States. But a very great proportion 

 of immigrants arriving during later years have come because others 

 have proved that the experiment is more than safe. And in too many 

 cases they bring with them erroneous ideals of personal liberty and 

 false conceptions respecting relations of the government to the citizen. 



It has been said that this country has need of every able-bodied 

 immigrant who is willing to work; but this a sad misconception of 

 the conditions. Even were the incomers agriculturists there would 

 be room for but a small number, unless all our methods were revolu- 

 tionized — a process requiring a long period. The available cheap land 

 has been taken up — were there land remaining it would be unavailable, 

 as few of the incomers have enough money to purchase equipment for 

 even a small farm. The assertion that agricultural laborers are in con- 

 stant demand is an error; for that demand exists only during the brief 

 period of harvest and it is decreasing each year with increasing use 

 of machinery. The acreage of crops is greater than ever, the crops 

 themselves are of greater magnitude than ever before; yet the agricul- 

 tural population shows steady diminution because fewer workers are 

 needed. One must recognize that there is a limit to any country's 

 capacity to furnish work and that the limit has been reached in this 

 land. For years, the United States could utilize half a million new- 

 comers each year, but its ability in that direction ceased before 1906. 

 During the remarkable building "boom" of 1905, there was not work 

 enough in New York city for the resident bricklayers and masons. 

 In spite of shrewd management by trades unions, there were many 

 skilled workmen who wandered through the streets, seeking work and 

 finding none. Even then, in the midst of superabounding prosperity, 

 was heard the demagogue's cry that work should be supplied by the gov- 

 ernment, that the scandal might be removed. But the influx still 

 continues; nearly 1,000,000 immigrants arrived during the first half 

 of 1910. 



There are great dangers in unrestricted immigration. If it con- 



