CHAPTER III.

IMMIGRATION TO THE UNITED STATES FROM CANADA.

No reliable data are available to show the extent of immigration to Canada from the United States for any considerable period prior to 1901. That such immigration, or at least permanent immigration, was, however, relatively small is indicated by the fact that in 1901 there were only 127,899 persons of United States birth in the Dominion."

On the other hand, Canada has for a long time contributed largely to the population of the United States. As early as 1850 there were, according to the census of that year, 147,711 natives of Canada in this country. Each succeeding census showed a large increase in this number until in 1900 there were nearly one-fourth as many native-born Canadians in the United States as in Canada.

The total number of natives of Canada in that country and in the United States in corresponding census years was as follows: Native-born Canadians in Canada: b

While the figures relative to Canadians in the United States do not of course represent the actual movement of population from the Dominion, they do show that Canada was an important source of immigration to the United States during the period considered.

The growth and geographical distribution of the Canadian-born element in the population of the United States in census years since 1870 are shown in the following table:

TABLE 28.-Natives of Canada, including Newfoundland, in the United States in census years, 1870 to 1900.

[Compiled from United States census reports.]

c United States census reports.

d Includes persons in the military and naval service of the United States (including civilian employees, etc.) stationed abroad, not credited to any State or Territory, but excludes Alaska and Hawaii.

In the United States censuses of 1890 and 1900 Canadian-born persons were divided into two classes, French and English, the latter classification being based on language rather than race, and including of course persons of Scotch and Irish as well as of English descent. The number and geographical distribution of these elements in the population are shown in the following table:

TABLE 29.-Natives of Canada, including Newfoundland, in the United States in 1890 and 1900, by race or descent.

a Includes persons in the military and naval service of the United States (including civilian employees, etc.) stationed abroad, not credited to any State or Territory, but excludes Alaska and Hawaii.

The above tables, however, indicate nothing concerning the many transoceanic immigrants to Canada who eventually settled in the United States. Although no statistical data exist to prove the assertion, it is a well-known fact that in the past a great many European immigrants to Canada have later emigrated from the Dominion to the States. This is particularly true of the English, Irish, and Scotch, but in more recent years the newer immigrant races have to a greater or less extent joined in the movement.

During the past few years the United States Bureau of Immigration has collected statistics relative to aliens entering the United States from Canada for the purpose of taking up a permanent residence here, and the results show that the movement continues in spite of the fact that Canada is now one of the chief immigrant receiving countries of the world.

The following table shows the extent of the emigration movement from Canada to the United States in 1908 and 1909:

TABLE 30.-Immigration to the United States from Canada in fiscal years 1908 and 1909, by race, people, or descent.

[Compiled from statistical table furnished by United States Bureau of Immigration.]

a Includes native-born Canadians and former immigrants to Canada. b Less than 0.05 per cent. The above table includes native-born Canadians as well as former immigrants to Canada, and although the proportion of each is known it is not possible with the data at hand to distinguish between them as regards" race, people, or descent."

The records of the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization for 1908 show that, of the 43,805 immigrants from Canada admitted to the United States in that year, 13,052 were native Canadians and 30,753 were foreign-born residents of Canada. Of the 53,448 immigrants admitted from Canada in 1909, 24,118 were native Canadians and 29,330 were foreign-born.

It should be clearly understood that those persons classified as foreign-born were former immigrants to Canada who had acquired a residence in the Dominion and that the classification does not include persons in transit through Canada to the United States.

While it is not possible with the data at hand to classify according to their nativity the elements enumerated under "race, people, or descent" in the preceding table, it is safe to assume that the natives of Canada previously referred to were for the most part persons of English, French, Irish, and Scotch stock.

In comparing the immigration of the two years considered, a large increase in the Canadian French element in 1909 is noted. This is no doubt accounted for by an increased demand for industrial workers in New England during that year.

A noteworthy feature of the immigration to the United States from Canada in 1909 is the great relative decrease in the number of Asiatics admitted. It will be noted that in 1908 the Japanese and East Indians or Hindus formed 7.7 per cent of the total immigration from Canada, while in 1909 they formed only 0.6 per cent of such immigration. While this fact is interesting as indicating a falling off in Asiatic immigration, it is chiefly significant when it is considered that the decrease followed the practical exclusion of such immigrants from Canada, thus illustrating the effect upon the United States of Canada's control of immigration.

The occupations of Canadian immigrants to the United States in the two years under consideration are shown in the following table:

TABLE 31.--Occupations of Canadian immigrants to the United States in fiscal years 1908 and 1909.

[Compiled from statistical table furnished by United States Bureau of Immigration.]

The above table is chiefly interesting as showing the relatively small proportion of farmers and farm laborers entering the United States from Canada when compared with the large percentage of that class among persons emigrating from the United States to Canada. As stated elsewhere, more than 78 per cent of the latter movement is composed of farmers and farm laborers and their families, while only 9.4 per cent of those entering the United States from Canada, excluding persons of no occupation, are so classed. The large proportion of skilled laborers among the Canadian immigrants to the United States is also noteworthy.

In many respects the immigration from Canada is similar to that originating in Europe. There is the same preponderance of males, and, like immigration from all sources, the great majority of the immigrants are from 14 to 45 years of age. There is a large percentage of illiterates among the immigrants from Canada, but this is chiefly

a Chapter V.