Littell's Living Age/Volume 173/Issue 2239/Some of our Immigrants

Some of our Immigrants - The constant enormous immigration of the poorest class of Germans and of Polish Jews to the eastern districts of the metropolis is becoming a matter of serious moment. So far as we know, we are the only nation which permits the free incoming of destitute aliens; even the United States prevent it. We have had experience in receiving poor Flemings, outlawed Huguenots, and others to our shores, whose skill and industry have reacted upon our people and helped to create our trade. The present settlers are of a different style. With the lowest standard of comfort in life they exist rather than live — dwelling in houses on the verge of condemnation, and amidst the most repulsive surroundings. Thus conditioned, they are able to compete with great success against the lowest classes of our laborers, increasing their present heavy difficulties. At this moment there are about 276,000 foreigners in Germany, of whom 11,000 are English; while in London there were, according to the last census, 55,136 persons of foreign birth, of whom 21,966 were born Germans. Perhaps no legislative enactment is practicable to diminish the strain of foreign competition in our midst; but surely our consuls might successfully interfere to diminish the influx of persons so poor and destitute that they leave their native land simply as the off-scourings — the ne’er-do-wells who are sent abroad rather to rid the country of them than with any hope of their future well-doing. None can doubt the bitterness of feeling which exists in the East End on this point, and we should be glad to know that representations on the subject have been made to foreign powers with a view to minimixing the difficulty. Much satisfaction will be felt that Captain Colomb has given notice to bring the matter again before the House of Commons at the earliest opportunity.