Immigration. Under the head of Emigration (q.v.) the causes which have led to immigration and the conditions under which movements of population are conducted have been fully described. It is necessary under immigration (entering or passing into a place, as opposed to emigration) to touch on some features of national opinion and policy which have come into existence within the past few years. Until the last few years, with the exception of the immigration of Huguenot families from France to Great Britain after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, the population of these islands has not been increased from external sources. Since 1880 a considerable influx of the Semitic inhabitants of eastern Europe, principally Polish, Russian, Romanian, and German Jews, has seriously affected the industrial position of British-born workers in certain trades. Public attention was drawn to the subject in 1888 and 1889 by the appointment of two parliamentary committees—one by the House of Lords on the sweating system, the other by the House of Commons on the question of foreign pauper immigration. These separate inquiries were really directed to the same subject. From the evidence given it appears that the anti-Semitic laws of Russia, Poland, and Germany, aggravated by the hated burden of compulsory military service, have induced considerable bodies of destitute persons, almost exclusively of the Hebrew faith, to seek in England a refuge from civil and religious persecution. Unlike the Huguenots, who brought with them not only capital, industry, and a knowledge of at least two useful trades, silk-weaving and watch-making, the Jewish refugee families arrive in England in a destitute condition. The result of this indigent condition is a willingness to accept the smallest remuneration for the heaviest labour. Sixteen to eighteen hours a day is no unusual period of toil for these pauper immigrants in the boot-finishing trade. The weekly remuneration for this work varies from four to fourteen shillings, according to the skill and industry of the worker. The bearing of these facts on the welfare of British-born workers engaged in the same or in kindred occupations is of a sinister character. Alone of civilised nations Great Britain is without laws to control and if need be check the influx of foreigners, who, contributing nothing to the national revenue, enjoy the privileges without sharing the burdens of citizenship. Public opinion holds jealously to the traditions of hospitality England has always extended to sufferers by foreign persecution. Mazzini, Kossuth, and Orsini found a sanctuary on British soil. It is held that the humbler objects of foreign tyranny shall have no colder welcome measured out to them. The present position of the pauper immigrant question in Great Britain is set forth in the Report of the Select Committee of the House of Commons, 1889, and is to the effect that although no immediate legislation is recommended, the circumstances are such as to require careful watching, with the probability of some restrictive measure being required in the future.
Far otherwise has the question of immigration been dealt with in the United States. By an act passed by congress in 1882 (also the Undesirable Persons Act, 1891) it is provided that passengers arriving from foreign ports shall be subject to examination. If a convict, lunatic, idiot, or any person unable to take care of himself or herself without becoming a public charge be found on board, such persons shall not be allowed to land. In 1898, 3229 persons were sent back to their port of embarkation, 2812 under the above act of 1891, and 417 under the Contract Labour Acts mentioned below. Of the total, 312 were British and Irish. The liability to repatriation acts as a deterrent to the embarkation of persons likely to come under the act. The importation of foreigners and aliens is prohibited in certain cases. By the Alien Contract Labour Laws (1885, 1887, 1888, and 1891) prepayment for transportation of or assisting foreign immigrants under contract for labour or service made previous to emigration, is declared to be unlawful. Any contract so made is void and of no effect. Foreigners temporarily residing in the United States are nevertheless permitted to engage other foreigners as private secretaries, servants, or domestics. Nor are persons prevented from engaging as skilled labourers foreigners in any new industry not established in the United States. The provisions of this act do not apply to professional actors, artists, lecturers or singers, nor to persons employed strictly as personal and domestic servants, nor do they prevent any individual assisting his friends or relatives to emigrate to the United States for the purpose of settlement.
The restriction of the immigration of the Chinese into the United States dates from the completion of the great trans-continental railways. Thrifty, abstemious, and industrious, the Mongolian labourers threatened to lower the wages of the Irish and the native-born Americans. The case for the exclusion of Chinese includes the following points: (1) That they arrive in the country faster than any other kind of immigrant; (2) that the number of Chinese is greater than that of any other race; (3) that they are indisposed to be governed by white men's law; (4) that they are dissimilar in habits and occupation to the English-speaking races; (5) that they evade the payment of taxes justly due to the government; (6) that they are governed by pestilential habits; (7) that they are useless in cases of emergency; (8) that they habitually desecrate graveyards by the removal of bodies therefrom; (9) that the laws governing the whites are found to be inapplicable to the Chinese; (10) that they are inclined to habits subversive of the comfort and well-being of the community; (11) that they do not come as permanent settlers. To carry out the measures for excluding the Chinese a treaty was concluded between the United States and China in 1880, which was proclaimed the following year. The first and most important article of this treaty stipulates that 'whenever in the opinion of the government of the United States the coming of Chinese labourers affects or threatens to affect the interests of that country, or to endanger the good order of the said country, or of any locality within the territory thereof, the government of China agrees that the government of the United States may regulate, limit, or suspend such coming or residence, but may not absolutely prohibit it. In pursuance of the stipulations in the above treaty congress passed in May 1882 an act declaring that, 'in the opinion of the government of the United States the coming of Chinese labourers to this country endangers the good order of certain localities within the territory thereof,' and it is enacted that the immigration of Chinese labourers be suspended for ten years, and during that time it shall not be lawful for a Chinese labourer to come, or, having come, to remain in the United States. No Chinese are or can be admitted to citizenship. The laws and regulations devised to secure the exclusion of the Chinese are exceedingly stringent. Any person bringing, or causing to be brought, any Chinese person not lawfully entitled to enter the United States is guilty of a misdemeanour, and shall on conviction be fined not exceeding $1000, and imprisoned for not exceeding one year. Masters of vessels arriving at United States ports must supply to the collector of customs a separate list of Chinese passengers on board. Any refusal or wilful neglect to comply with these provisions subjects the master to the penalties provided for refusal to deliver a manifest of cargo.
Public opinion in the United States is by no means unanimous on the Chinese question. The pressure, however, of the Pacific states has been too strong for resistance by the Atlantic states.
With regard to the laws and regulations prevailing in the larger British colonies, space will not permit their being set forth in detail. The following précis of facts and references will be found useful for further investigations of the subject:
Laws or regulations, if any, in the large colonies prohibiting or restricting the immigration of pauper or infirm persons:
Canada.—See chap. 65 of revised Statutes of Canada, 1886, sections 17 to 24.
New South Wales.—No statute.
Victoria.—Sections 36–39 of Passengers, Harbours, and Navigation Statute, 1865.
South Australia.—The governor has power under the Immigration Act to make rules for repatriating pauper and infirm persons.
Queensland.—No statute.
Tasmania.—Section 3, 49 Vict. No. 4, 1885.
New Zealand.—Imbecile Passengers Act, 1882.
Cape.—No statute.
Natal.—No statute.
The laws of foreign countries respecting the admission and continued residence of destitute aliens are contained in a return presented to parliament in September 1887 (c. 5168, Eyre & Spottiswoode).
The law of the Australasian colonies relating to the Chinese are substantially the same as those prevailing in the United States. See CHINA, Vol. III. p. 193; and COOLIES.