Speech #620228906

Ills VIEW OF IMMTCGRANTS. Several years ago Mr. Wilson wrote what he was pleased to call a "History of the American people." On pages 212 and 213 of volume 5 he makes some observations in regard to immigration and immigrants as follows: The census of 1800 showed the population of the country Increased to 62.622.250. an addition of 12.466.467 within the decade. Immigrants poured steadily in as before. but with an alteration of stock which students of affairs marked with uneasiness. Throughout the country men of the sturdy stock of the north of Europe had made up the main strain of foreign blood. which was every year added to the vital working force of the country. or else of the LatinGallic stocks of France and northern Italy. but now there comes multitudes of men of the lowest class from the south of Italy and men of a meaner sort out of Hungary and Poland. men out of the ranks where there was neither skill nor energy nor any initiative of quick intelligence: and they came in numbers which increased from year to year. as If the countries from the south of Europe were disburdening themselves of the more sordid and hapless elements of their population. whose standards of life and of work were