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tion of Finns than for any other race, the total number of that race included in the preceding table being 27.2 per cent of all. The English, with 14.8 per cent, show a proportion second to that of the Finns. These are the only two races in the entire table that show a proportion of males equal or in excess of 10 per cent of the whole. The principal other races among the foreign-born are, in the order named, the North Italian, Croatian, French Canadian, and Slovenian./ Of the persons who are native-born of foreign father, those whose fathers were born in Canada, England, Germany, and Ireland wer studied in the largest numbers.

REASONS FOR THE EMPLOYMENT OF IMMIGRANTS.

The Cornishmen were the first persons to be employed in the copper industry in northern Michigan. They were on the ground when operations began and found employment not only for themselves, but for relatives and friends who joined them within the course of a few years. This is the principal reason assigned by employers throughout the district for the employment of Cornishmen. As regards the other immigrant races that are found throughout the district, the operators state that the employment of these races is due principally to the fact that the supply of English-speaking workingmen has not equaled the demand for labor and that it has been necessary, in order to operate the mines, to have recourse to this source of labor supply.

CHAPTER III.

ECONOMIC STATUS.

Principal occupation of immigrant employees before coming to the United StatesOccupations entered by immigrants-Weekly earnings-Relation between period of residence and earning ability-Hours worked per day and per week-Employers' opinion of immigrant employees [Text Tables 74 to 77 and General Tables 53 to 55]. PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION OF IMMIGRANT EMPLOYEES BEFORE COMING TO THE UNITED STATES.

In order to understand intelligently the economic status of the employees of foreign birth in the Michigan copper-mining regions, it is necessary to set forth in the beginning the general industrial condition and the training and experience which the immigrant employees had abroad for the industry in which they are now engaged. In this connection the following table shows, by race, the per cent of foreign-born male employees who were in each specified occupation before coming to the United States:

TABLE 74.-Per cent of foreign-born male employees in each specified occupation before coming to the United States, by race.

(STUDY OF EMPLOYEES.)

[This table includes only races with 80 or more males reporting. The total, however, is for all foreign-born.]

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Of the 4,056 foreign-born male employees studied in the preceding table, 55.8 per cent were engaged in farming or as farm laborers; 14.6 per cent in mining (the industry in which they are now employed); 8.5 per cent in hand trades; 6.6 per cent as general laborers; 4.1 per cent in manufacturing, and less than 1 per cent in trade the remainder, or 9.5 per cent, having been engaged in occupations other than those specified in this table-before coming to the United States. The English and Swedes, with 60.4 per cent and 17.8 per cent, respectively, are the only races showing as high as 6 per cent of their num

ber to have been engaged in mining, while the same races are the only ones showing less than 50 per cent of their number as having been engaged in farming or as farm laborers. The English and Finns are the only races showing less than 10 per cent as having been engaged in hand trades, and the French Canadians and English are the only ones showing as high as 10 per cent as having been engaged in general labor. Only one race, the Croatian, shows as high as 10 per cent who were engaged in occupations other than those specified in the table, and less than 5 per cent of each race were engaged in trade.

OCCUPATIONS ENTERED BY IMMIGRANTS.

Most of the immigrants were at first employed as machine miners, but the Cornishmen were not slow in showing their especial adaptability for mining work, and were soon given positions as foremen and bosses. Many of the original Cornishmen are now occupying positions as foremen and bosses and drawing salaries running from $85 to $125 per month. The Finns also have made progress in this industry, and, while they have not yet reached the positions occupied by the Cornishmen, a great many of them have been advanced in their work and some are occupying positions as foremen. The North and South Italians, Magyars, Finns, Slovaks, and Poles are mostly employed as machine miners and are doing other underground work. The native Americans are principally outside men employed in the machine house, although some are employed underground as foremen.

WEEKLY EARNINGS.

The range in amount of earnings of the employees of the copper mining and smelting industry is exhibited by the following table, which shows, by general nativity and race, the per cent of male employees 18 years of age or over earning each specified amount per week:

TABLE 75.-Per cent of male employees 18 years of age or over earning each specified amount per week, by general nativity and race.

(STUDY OF EMPLOYEES.)

[This table includes only races with 80 or more males reporting. The totals, however, are for all races.]

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* This table shows wages or earnings for the period indicated, but no account is taken of voluntary lost time or lost time from shutdowns or other causes. In the various tables in this report showing annual earnings allowance is made for time lost during the year.

TABLE 75.-Per cent of male employees 18 years of age or over earning each specified amount per week, by general nativity and race-Continued.

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Of the 5,371 males 18 years of age or over employed in the coppermining industry in Michigan, 97.6 per cent earn $10 or over, 75.9 per cent $12.50 or over, 36 per cent $15 or over, 5.7 per cent $17.50 or over, and less than 5 per cent as high as $20 per week. The foreignborn report a larger proportion than the native-born of foreign father, who in turn show a larger proportion than the native-born of native father, except in the group $5 or over earning each specified amount under $17.50 per week, while the foreign-born shows the smallest and either the native-born of native father or the native-born of foreign father the largest proportion earning each specified amount from $17.50. Comparing the foreign-born by race it is seen that all of the Magyars, Slovenians, and Swedes, and over 98 per cent of each other race, earn $10 or over per week. Over 75 per cent of each race, except the French Canadian and Finnish, earn $12.50 or over per week, while the English and Swedish, are the only races showing as high as 50 per cent earning $15 or over. The English and German are the only races showing as high as 5 per cent earning $20 or over per week.

RELATION BETWEEN PERIOD OF RESIDENCE AND EARNING ABILITY.

The progress of male employees of foreign birth in industrial efficiency and earning ability after designated periods of residence in the United States is considered in the next series of tabulations. The first table presented, which immediately follows, shows, by race of individual and length of residence in the United States, the per cent of earnings per week of foreign-born male employees who were 18 years of age or over. By grouping the proportions in each period of residence under the several races a study is possible of the progress made by the foreign-born male employees of each race.

TABLE 76.-Per cent of foreign-born male employees 18 years of age or over earning each specified amount per week, by race and length of residence in the United States.*

(STUDY OF EMPLOYEES.)

[By years in the United States is meant years since first arrival in the United States. This table includes only races with 200 or more males reporting.]

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*This table shows wages or earnings for the period indicated, but no account is taken of voluntary lost time or lost time from shutdowns or other causes. In the various tables in this report showing annual earnings allowance is made for time lost during the year.

All of the French Canadians with a period of residence in the United States of less than five years earn $10 or over and none earn as high as $15 per week. All of those with a period of residence of from five to nine years earn $10 or over and none earn as high as $20 per week. All of those with a period of residence of ten years or over earn $7.50 or over and none earn as high as $25 per week. The proportion of Croatians earning $10 or over or $12.50 or over per week is largest for those with a period of residence of from five to nine years and smallest for those with a period of residence of ten years or over. The proportion earning $15 or over, $17.50 or over, or $20 or over per week increases with length of residence in the United States, although none of those with a period of residence of ten years or over earn as high as $17.50. All the English earn $7.50 or over per week, and the proportion earning $12.50 or over and $15 or over is largest for those with a period of residence of from five to nine years. The proportion earning $17.50 increases with length of residence in the United States and the porportion earning $20 or over and $25 or over is largest for those ten years or over in this country and smallest for those from five to nine. The proportion of Finns earning $10 or over or $12.50 or over per week is largest for those with a period of residence of from five to nine years and smallest for those with a period of residence of ten years or over, while the proportion earning $15 or over is largest for the five to nine year period and smallest for those here less than five years; $17.50 or over or $20 or over increases with length of residence. Those with a period of residence of ten years or over show 99.7 per cent earning $7.50 or over per week, as compared with 100 per cent of those with

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