Speech #590098782

Of these. 16.385.974 came from every country in Europe to better their condition and to share in the heritage of freedom. More than a million came last year. which is proof that in other countries the belief prevails that our country is still the haven in which the hungry may find food and the oppressed shelter. I know that a strong opinion is entertained by some very good men that immigration should be restricted. and that our doors should be closed lest our own people suffer. So far as excluding the anarchists. the criminal. the pauper. the dependent. and diseased. the opinion should prevail. but to the industrious and selfsupporting immigrants who come here to make homes. to take up an allegiance to the Government of the United States and help to build up the great Republic I would not close the door of opportunity. We have but 25 persons to the square mile. When we approach Denmark. with 400 to the square mile. it may be necessary to consider total exclusion. The deputy commissioner of immigration at New. York. a representative of labor. appointed because he was a fit man and because it was supposed he might be relied upon to enforce the immigration laws. Is of opinion that every healthy and ablebodied immigrant is worth $1.000 to the country. If he is correct we gained near a thousand million of dollars from that source last year. A great population would not be an advantageto a country if it was an idle population.