rooms. Moreover, with few exceptions the houses occupied by them are rudely and inexpensively furnished. As would be expected, their houses and furnishings are inferior to those of their better-to-do white neighbors permanently settled in the community and usually owning the land they occupy. As would be expected, also, the housekeeping is very much neglected except in the comparatively few cases where the farmers' wives are living with them. The expenditures for food and drink for 18 persons who reported data were from $8 to $15 per month (per person). In all but two cases it was in excess of $10 per month; in five it was from $10 to $12; in six, $12 but less than $14; in two, $14; in three, $15. It must be remembered in this connection, however, that most of those reporting the smaller amounts were gardeners or had small gardens for their own use. About Ogden most of the supplies are purchased at Japanese stores conducted in that city, and a large part of the food articles purchased are of Japanese origin. In the other agricultural localities stores conducted by the members of this race are seldom available to the farmer. Under these circumstances most of the supplies are purchased at American stores, though some Japanese goods are ordered from Ogden, Only 6 of the 22 farmers from whom personal data were obtained are married. Only 2 of their wives are in the United States, and these 2 were married in this country (General Table 425). The data relating to literacy, use of English, and other things showing the degree of assimilation and related matters are limited, therefore, to 22 adult males and 2 adult females. Of these 24 Japanese, 7 (all men) are illiterate (General Table 433). All but one man (in this country four years) can speak English. Moreover, 14 of the men, but neither of the women, can read and write our language (General Table 432). However, all of the newspapers taken are printed in the Japanese language. Four of the 15 groups subscribe for no newspaper at all, while the remaining 11 have from 1 to 6 each. None of these farmers belongs to any American religious organization, but a few of them sometimes attend the churches in the localities in which they live. They have no churches of their own. The Japanese are not members of any American organization or society and are not well organized among themselves. Aside from the two agricultural associations to which reference has already been made, the only organization represented among them is the Japanese Association of Utah. Three of the 22 farmers are members of that organization. Though there is little prejudice against the Japanese in northern Utah, they stand apart from the members of the other races. There is little association between Japanese and whites, save in some public places of amusement. The social life of the former is found among their own people. PART III-IMMIGRANTS IN FRESNO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. CHAPTER I. THE POPULATION AND INDUSTRIES OF FRESNO COUNTY. [For General Tables see pp. 984 to 1024.] POPULATION. Fresno County is essentially agricultural in its interests, and its population is of a very cosmopolitan character. Races from many parts of the world may be found there in varying numbers. They have migrated from their native lands at different times, with different motives and under different circumstances. To give an accurate idea, therefore, of the character and the composition of the population of Fresno County, it will be necessary to discuss briefly the immigration of each race as well as to show what the present racial composition is. According to the Census, the population of Fresno County in 1900 was 37,862. Of this number 12,470, or about one-third, lived in the city of Fresno, the others in the various small towns and the rural districts. Immigants constituted about 25 per cent of the total population. While no official statistics are available for any year subsequent to 1900, it is estimated that at the close of the year 1908 the total population of the county was something more than 70,000. Of this total possibly one-third reside in Fresno. According to this same estimate, the number of immigrants is about 20,000, as against 9,134 reported by the Census in 1900. Thus while the total population increased something less than twofold, the immigrant class more than doubled. Of course the rate of increase of the various races differed greatly-a fact which is indicated by the following table: TABLE 1.-Foreign-born persons in Fresno County in 1900 and 1908, by race or race group. This table shows that there has been a striking change in the racial complexion of the immigrant population as well as in its total num 48296°- -VOL 24-11-37 565 |