Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 10.djvu/344

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MIJES


298


MILAN


A feature less fundamental is the development of the means of transportation to and from southern ports. - In interesting contrast to the earlier domination of the sea by the Komancc nations was the transfer of maritime power in the sLxteeiith and seventeenth centuries into Dutch and English, and, later, into German, hands. This led to a marked neglect of southern ports, and not till a generation ago did the merchantmen begin to reorganize the lines to tap southern countries and call at southern ports. The Italian lines sailing from southern ports doubled in tonnage, and the construction of ships in those ports, for Italian and .Austrian trans-.\tlantic trallie, became a flourishing industry. Gradually the southern har- bours became active in a trade the most important item of which was the transportation of immigrants to the United States. Typical of t his change was the growth of the cities of Genoa, Naples, antl Trieste. The growth also of the German lines must also be consid- ered. These, together with the extension of railway lines leading to the harbours, have done much to develop the migration from southern and south- eastern countries. From 1S80 to 1890, Germany sent to the United States 1,452,977 persons; during the same periotl Italy sent but 307,309. In the year 1909 Germany sent 58,53-1, while Italy sent 190,498. Germany formerly supplied one-third of the immi- gration to the United States; now, less than one-tenth is from that source. Between 1860 and 1870, the British Isles, Germany, Scandinavia, and Canada to- gether supplied 90 per cent of the total immigration to the United States; between 1890 and 1900, only 41 per cent. In 1869 Austria-Hungary, Italy, Po- land, and Russia together supplied only 1 per cent; in 1902, the same group of countries supplied 70 per cent.

B. As to Destination. — The distribution of the im- migrant population in the United States may be con- sidered (1) Geographically, (2) As to Occupation.

(1) Geographically. — The most obvious distinction is between North and South. From the beginning of the Republic until 1866 there was practically no immigra- tion into the southern States. While slavery existed, the South had no immigrant problem, the only for- eigners entering that section being those brought in by the illicit slave trade. The North being considered as the home of the immigrant, the North Atlantic States stood first in percentage of foreign-bom. In 1903, according to Dr. Hall, 22-6 per cent of the population in the North Atlantic States were aliens; 15-8 per cent in the North Central; 20-7 per cent in the West- em; only 4-6 per cent in the South Central and South Atlantic. In 1909, more than 50 per cent of all the aliens in the country resided in the North Atlantic States; of these, New York was the choice of 220,865; Pennsylvania of 112,402; Massachusetts of 61,187; New Jersey of 41,907. New York received 75,988 Italians — somewhat less than one-half their total num- ber; Pennsylvania took 33,000 Italians. The marked changes in percentages since 1850 are in the North Atlantic States, which received 59 per cent of the im- migration then and now receive about 50 per cent; and in the Western States, which in 1850 had 1'2 per cent, 8-2 per cent in 1900, and in 1909 6-5 per cejit of all the new arrivals. In 1900, one-eighth of the whole popu- lation was foreign-bom; in 1909, aliens formed one- tenth of the rural and one-fourth of the urban population.

(2) As to Occupation. — The rapid development of industrialism in the t'nitod States has a marked selec- tive effect on a population that is unsettled. That it should act with increasing power on a drifting immi- grant population is to be expected; as the century ad- vances, the effect is shown in a great increase of urban immigration. A corresponding lessened interest in agriculture is due partly to the growth of manufac- tures, partly to the changed nature of population. On


the other hand, the important mining industries still draw very heavily on the immigrant for their labour. The tendency, therefore, is for an ever-increasing per- centage of the immigrants to settle in the largo cities. According to Professor Smith, in ISSO the cities took 45 per cent of the Irish iinmigranls; 38 per cent of the German, 30 per cent of the Knglish and Scotch, and 60 per cent of the Italian. In Fall River 80 per cent of the population are foreigners; New Britain shows even a larger percentage. The figures for New York, Boston, Milwaukee, and Chicago show still more im- pressive contrasts. In 1900 the total population of the principal cities of the United States was 19,757,- 618, leaving in the remainder of the country 56,541,- 769. In 70 leading cities of the North Atlantic section there were 3,070,352 foreign-born; outside these cities were 1,685,544 foreign-born, or 30' 5 per cent of the aliens were in the cities, and 154 per cent of all of the foreign-born lived outside the cities. In the South Atlantic States 92 per cent of the urban population and PI per cent of the rural were foreign-born; in the North Central, 25-4 per cent of the urban and P2-9 per cent of the rural; in the Western, the percentages were 27-2 and 18-5 per cent. There are 86 cities in which at least 20 per cent of the population is foreign-bom and 27 cities in which they form more than one-third of the total population.

The attitude of the United States at the present time (1910) towards foreign immigration is one of caution. Actual and projected legislation aims, not at exclusion, but at selection. It is recognized that the assimilative power, even of America, has its limits. Legislation must, by the application of ra- tional principles, eliminate those incapable of assimi- lation to the general culture of the country. Great care is, of course, necessary in determining and apply- ing these principles of selection: an educational test, for instance, while it would exclude much ignorance, would also exclude much honesty, frugality, industry, and solid worth. It is probable that a more vigorous system of inspection of immigrants at ports of entry will be put in force, while a stricter control will be exercised over the steamship companies. At the same time, the co-operation of foreign governments is needed, if the exclusive measures designed for the protection of the United States against undesirable im- migration are to be made thoroughly effective.

Official Sources. — Decennial Census of the United States, 1790- 1900; Annual Reports of the Bureau of Immigration; Treaties in Force of the United States: 1904; Revised Statutes of the United States; Special Consular Report, XXX.

Unofficial. — Commons, Races and Immigrants in America (New York, 1908); Coolidge, Chinese Immigration (New York, 1909); Brandenborg, Imported .4mOTcans (New York, 1904); Hall, Immigration and its Effects on the United States (New York, 1906); Hanna. The Scotch Irish (2 vols., New York, 1902); Kai'P, Immigration into the United States (New York, 1870); Sewaiid. Chinese Immigration (New York, 1881); Smith, Emigration and Immigration (New York. 1892); Steineh, Unthe Trail of the Immigrant (New York. 1906); Wahne, The Slav Invasion (Philadelphia, 190-i); Whelplev, The Problem of the Immigrant (London, 1905).

W. B. GUTHEIE.

Illijes. See Mixe.

Milan, Archdiocese of (Mediolanensis), in Lombardy, northern Italy. The city is situated on the Orona River, which, with three canals, the Navi- glio Grande (1257-72), the Naviglio Martesana (1457), and the Naviglio di Pavia (1805-19), is the highway of the commerce of this great industrial centre, called the moral capital of Italy. The soil is very fertile and there is extensive cattle-raising and manufacturing through- out the province. The name of Milan is probably de- rived from the Celtic Jne(/an,which means "inthemiddle of the plain". The city was founded in 396b. c. by the Insubres, on the site of the ruined Melpum, and be- came the chief centre of the Cisalpine Gauls. After the defeat of the Gauls near Clastidium, Mediolanum was taken by the consul Lucius Scipio (221) and be-