The males not only show a larger proportion than the females in each period of residence with the ability to use our language, but exhibit greater progress in acquiring it after specified periods of residence. This is due, of course, to the greater segregation of the females and their more limited opportunities for contact with American life and institutions. Of the southern and eastern European females who have been in this country ten years or longer, the South Italians exhibit the smallest proportion with ability to speak English. The Polish, Portuguese, Finnish and Syrian women make a somewhat better showing than the South Italians, but fall below the proportion for the total foreign-born females.

A much greater proportion of immigrants who were under fourteen years of age when they came to the United States can speak English at the present time than of those who were fourteen years of age or over when they immigrated to this country. This is due, naturally, not only to the greater adaptability of the younger immigrants, but also to their greater opportunities in the way of attending the public schools and in mingling with native Americans.

Progress and assimilation along all lines is conditioned more upon knowledge of our language than upon any other factor. Congestion in large cities and industrial localities as well as the establishment of immigrant colonies arises largely from the inability of the southern and eastern European to use English readily. Immigrant banks and similar institutions have their origin in the same cause. The exploitation of the immigrant has its foundation upon the same lack of English-speaking ability. On the other hand, with a larger proportion of immigrants who can speak the

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language, a much greater dissemination of the foreignborn population may be expected together with its more rapid absorption and assimilation. Progress in industry, in business, in the trades and professions and in the accumulation of property, are all primarily a result of the development in the recent immigrant population having an English-speaking ability.

Summary Conclusions

The causes opposing the Americanization of the recent immigrant population may be briefly summarized as follows:

(1) Isolation from the natives of a large part of the immigrant population.

(2) Indifference, and to some extent prejudice, on the part of natives toward immigrants.

(3) Illiteracy of a large proportion of immigrants. (4) Ignorance resulting from the peasant origin of nearly all of the southern European immigrants, and their unpreparedness for so decided changes in environment.

(5) The influence of immigrant churches and parochial schools in emphasizing and maintaining racial and denominational distinctions.

(6) Inability to speak English.

Those favorable to the Americanization of the southern and eastern European are:

(1) Employment of immigrants in American industries.

(2) Employment of immigrant women as servants in American households.

(3) Residence to some extent of immigrants among natives and the association resulting there from.

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(4) Attendance of immigrant children in American public schools and the teaching of the English and American branches in the immigrant parochial schools.

(5) The influence of immigrant priests and pastors. in bringing about permanency of residence through the stimulation of property owning and home-making.

(6) The tendency on the part of immigrants, especially young immigrants, to take on American habits and customs which are aggravations of certain tendencies already present in them.

XVI

LEGISLATION AND ADMINISTRATION

There was no immigration legislation by the National Government until the year 1882. Before that time the regulation of immigration and the inspection of incoming immigrants was in the hands of the different States.

The history of legislation relative to immigration by both the State and Federal Governments may be roughly divided into four periods: (1) from colonial times until 1835; (2) the "Native American" and "Know-Nothing" period, 1835-1860; (3) end of State control, 1861-1882; (4) period of national control, 1882 to the present time.

During the period first mentioned only the States concerned themselves with immigration. The only Federal legislation enacted, and practically all that was proposed, was the law of 1819 for the regulation of the steerage passengers at sea. This law also for the first time provided that statistics relative to immigration to the United States be recorded.

The "Native American" and "Know-Nothing" Move

ments

The second period, from 1835 to 1860, is sharply defined by the so-called "Native American" and "Know-Nothing" movements, which, as is generally known, were largely based on opposition to the immigration of Roman Catholics. This hostility early took

the form of a political movement. In 1835 there wäcan sa Nativist candidate for Congress in New York City,' and in the following year that party nominated a candidate for mayor of the same city. In Germantown, Pennsylvania, and in Washington, D. C., Nativist societies were formed in 1837, while in Louisiana the movement was organized in 1839 and a State convention was held two years later. It was at this convention that the Native American party, under the name of the American Republican party, was established. The chief demands of this convention were a repeal of the naturalization laws and the appointment of only native Americans to office.

While these societies were stronger in local than in national politics, and were organized chiefly to aid in controlling local affairs, their few representatives in Congress attempted to make Nativism a national question. As a result of their efforts, the United States Senate in 1836 agreed to a resolution directing the Secretary of State to collect certain information respecting the immigration of foreign paupers and criminals. In the House of Representatives, on February 19, 1838, a resolution was agreed to which provided that the Committee on the Judiciary be instructed to consider the expediency of revising the naturalization laws so as to require a longer term of residence in the United States, and also provide greater security against frauds in the process of obtaining naturalization. The committee was further instructed to consider the propriety and expediency of providing by law against the introduction into the United States of vagabonds and paupers deported from foreign countries. This resolution was referred to a select com* See Chapter IV, Social Effects of Immigration.