TABLE III.-REPORT OF ALIENS ARRIVED AND DEBARRED AT THE PORTS OF UNITED STATES AND CANADA, FOR THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1903.

2,134
7
5,871 1, 405, 365 8,065

238 3,141 1,720

2,438 16,331 30,861 2, 480, 634

-GENERAL OF IMMIGRATION

35
3
7,761 72,629 1,953 1,312 22,634

2,072 5,665 6961 12 4,645

695 5,625

113,072 877

90

31

4

TABLE III-REPORT OF ALIENS ARRIVED AND DEBARRED AT THE PORTS OF UNITED STATES AND CANADA, ETC.-Continued.

16:24: 613, 146 243, 900 857, 046 102, 431 714, 053 40, 562 3, 341185, 667 128, 266 511, 302 16, 117, 513

An inspection of Table III will show that of the total of 857,046 steerage aliens 613,146 were males and 243,900 were females, of whom 102,431 were less than 14 years of age, 714,053 ranged from 14 to 45, and 40,562 were 45 years old and over. There were of these 3,341 who could read but not write and 185,667 who could neither read nor write, leaving a balance able both to read and write of 668,038. It also appears that 76,702 of these steerage aliens had been in the United States before; that 128,266 of them brought each $30 in money or more; that 511,302 had each less than $30, and that the total amount of money shown by them to the officers was $16,117,513.

As showing the comparative thrift of the races, attention is directed to the fact that the 71,782 Germans brought $2,480,634, while the 196,117 South Italians had but $2,159,017; that the 28,451 English brought $1,405,365, while about the same number of Magyars, 27,124, showed only $341,401, and the 32,907 Croatians and Slovenians but $407,117.

Exclusive of those denied admission at the land boundaries of the United States there were rejected altogether 8,769, the causes of which are shown, with the corresponding figures for last year, in the subjoined statement:

The most noteworthy features in this statement are those in relation to the rejections of alien contract laborers and persons suffering with dangerous contagious diseases. With respect to the former, it may fairly be assumed that the extra vigilance of the officers charged with the enforcement of the law has resulted in the detection and exclusion of the large number given, 1,086, which is in excess of the number excluded during any previous fiscal year since the establishment of the

Bureau.

As regards the rejection of diseased aliens, I must reiterate the statement made in the last annual report that it exhibits upon the part of some of the transportation lines such a wanton disregard of the laws of the country as fully vindicates the wisdom of Congress in authorizing, by the act approved March 3, 1903, the imposition of a penalty for bringing diseased aliens to this country in those cases in which the existence of the disease was perceptible at the time of foreign embarkation.

Doubtless there are cases in which the transportation lines should not be punished, cases in which the disease may not be observable even after careful inspection by a competent physician. It is needless to say that in such instances, the power to penalize being in a measure discretionary, no fine should be exacted. It is equally beyond question that in other instances the fine should be imposed, for there is no

feature of the system of legislation devised to protect the people of this country from the dangers of an indiscriminate and unrestricted influx of aliens so important, from a physical point of view, as that intended to prevent the introduction of disease. If some of the diseases are obscure, that fact simply emphasizes the need of greater precaution. The transportation lines, in those instances in which a doubt exists as to the nature or fact of disease, has within its own power complete protection from the risk of incurring the penalty by resorting to a refusal to take aliens who are, or may be, afflicted therewith on board their vessels. On the other hand, if a diseased alien is once allowed to embark, neither the healthy aliens on the same vessel nor the people of this country can escape the evil consequences. These views apply, of course, merely to communicable diseases, on account of bringing which alone the fine alluded to may be imposed; but for reasons to be stated hereafter it is, in my judgment, time to exclude all physically defective and diseased aliens, including those who have reached an age when they can not reasonably be expected to support themselves much longer, if at all.

The following statement shows the annual rejections and the causes therefor since the establishment of the Bureau:

REPORT OF IMMIGRANTS REFUSED ADMISSION AT SEAFORTS, SHOWING ALSO THOSE RETURNED IN ONE YEAR AFTER LANDING, UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE ALIEN CONTRACT LABOR LAWS AND THE LAWS REGULATING IMMIGRATION, DURING THE TWELVE YEARS, 1892 TO 1903, INCLUSIVE.

Table III also shows that there were returned to their own countries within one year after landing, from subsequently arising inability to maintain themselves, 547, as compared with 465 for the next preceding year; and that 6,394 were cared for in hospital, 4,217 having been so provided for during the year 1902.

This same table also supplies the information for the following statement, which shows the principal races which contributed to the sum total of alien steerage immigrants:

Italian (north and south).

Polish...

Scandinavian

233, 546 82,343

79, 347