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lead to like permanent results helpful both to the immigrants and the State.

The Activities of the Railroads

The railroads, as is well known, have been important factors in the distribution of incoming immigrants. They have been led to such activities, of course, by self-interest: the wish to add greatly to their passenger traffic, or the desire to dispose of land holdings and to build up centers of population and industry along their lines. This has not detracted from the importance of the service, however, and a great deal of good work directly connected with the distribution of southern and eastern Europeans is now done by the railroads traversing the South and West. The problem is more difficult than in the case of the British and northern European races of former years, because of the more general inability of the recent immigrant to speak English and his consequent refusal to enter a district where a number of his countrymen have not already preceded him.

Bureau of Information of the Federal Government

Under the law of 1907 there was established in the Bureau of Immigration a Division of Information, with the purpose of supplying to immigrants information regarding the conditions in different sections of the country so that their choice of a home might be intelligently made.

As a matter of practical experience the division has not proved very successful thus far, tho its work as

sumes each year a wider scope. Immigrants are usually induced to come to this country by representations of relatives or friends who are already located. The experience of the immigration authorities shows that more than 97 per cent. of the immigrants have determined upon their destination before reaching this country. It is, therefore, practically impossible to influence them much at that time. The division has, however, collected considerable information regarding the demand for labor, particularly on farms and for domestic service, which they have been ready to furnish not only to immigrants, but to others; and especially, perhaps, in the State of New York have they been able to supply laborers to farmers during the harvest season and they have furnished employment to a good many inquirers. Their information regarding labor conditions in industry has also in certain instances proved fruitful. On the whole, however, the division has not succeeded in making any great impression upon the overcrowded population of the great cities.

Many immigrants within a few years of their arrival succeed in saving considerable sums of money, even several thousands of dollars. Frequently this money is sent back to Europe for investment, the immigrants themselves intending to return to their home. country later to remain. In other cases this money is invested in business in the cities with greater or less success. It would, however, be extremely desirable, both to relieve the congestion of the cities and to improve the condition of the immigrants, if those who are thrifty, especially those who have had training as farmers in Europe, could be distributed to sections of the United States where they might invest their sav

ings in farms and engage in agricultural pursuits. The Immigration Commission recommended that some department of the Government take active measures to bring about such results.

The Bureau of Immigration has prepared a circular letter which it sends to Governors of States and others in authority, asking for the cooperation of the State authorities in securing information regarding any free government land in any State, prices and qualities of other lands for sale that would be suitable for settlers, information regarding climate, water supply, markets, prevailing crops and other matters that would enable a thrifty farmer to judge of the conditions, so that he could see where it was wise for him to make investments. The Bureau, through the Division of Information, by thus cooperating with the States in getting information, especially regarding agricultural conditions, is taking an active part in the distribution of immigrants. It is proposed to furnish this information freely to associations of immigrants and to all inquirers who might be able to make good use of it. By so doing it is hoped that larger numbers of the immigrants who have proved most thrifty may be induced to invest their earnings in this country and to become permanent agricultural settlers. Doubtless along the same line inquiries will be made and information furnished which may prove of advantage in the distribution of immigrants from the great cities into other lines of industry.

There have already, in 1912, been published seven bulletins giving information regarding conditions in all the States and in Alaska and Hawaii. There has been a demand for these bulletins, not only from immigrants, but from Americans in our cities. Some

requests have come from American citizens who had gone to northwestern Canada, but who now wish to return. In 1911-12, 26,213 applications were received, 5,807 persons were directed to employment. It is not known, of course, how many make use of information, but the Commissioner estimates that 150,000 persons, immigrants and American citizens, may well have benefited from the information given.

In November, 1911, the Division called a conference of State officials dealing with immigration, and delegates from 25 States and from Hawaii attended. Plans for cooperation were discust and measures adopted from which more beneficial cooperative action has been secured. It is very desirable that some branches of the Division be established at important interior points, such as Chicago, New Orleans and San Francisco. The need for such work that will aid in a voluntary independent distribution of the immigrants out of the congested mining and great manufacturing centers is vital.

XV

ASSIMILATION AND PROGRESS

Process of Assimilation Slow

Progress in the development of social institutions, of whatever nature, is necessarily slow. Such institutions are in good part the result of the influence of the environment, natural and social, and in consequence any change in social or economic conditions is likely to bring about a modification of the social structure very slowly. Moreover, every people is loath to change materially the nature of its institutions. In consequence, when new races of persons from countries with different customs, come as immigrants, it is desirable that as soon as possible they shall adjust themselves to the new conditions and adapt themselves to the social, political and industrial institutions of their adopted country-in other words, that they become assimilated.

BENEFITS FROM IDEAS OF IMMIGRANTS

This fact does not preclude the possibility of immigrants bringing with them from their homeland some ideas that may gradually be worked into the structure of the institutions of their adopted country in such a way as to improve those institutions, but any such change, as a matter of fact, must be slow and, generally speaking, such changes will be few. It is largely on this account that when the immigrant race is widely different in appearance and customs from that of the

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