Sacramento Daily Union, Volume 37, Number 5729, 7 August 1869 — IMMIGRATION. [ARTICLE]

IMMIGRATION.

The ' New York Tribune shows in detail tbe •effect of immigration upon the population and wealth of this country. It estimates what would have been tbe number of our free population had immigration ceased at any one of the decennial periods since 1790. It will suffice to take the estimate for 1790 alone, and learn what we should have lost had there been no immigration at all since then. By natural increase alone it is reckoned that the 3,231,930 of free population in 1790 would have grown to 18,309,---95 'in 1860. (Our -lave population in that time increased from 097,897 to 3,953,760.) But the free populat on in 1890 was 27.4*9,501 ; and ttie diflerence — 9,179,011 — is attributed to immigration and the natural increase of immigrant population. Thus it appears that about one-third of our tree population in 1860 were immigrants or descendants of immigrants. There is nothing very marvellous about this. Had not this country offered natural opportunities and had great need for European immigration, it would not have come. Whenever there is no further n°ed of it, and whin there is any danger of our being overcrowded or injured by it, there will cease to be any attraction for it. Tnere was a time when as much hue and cry was raised against immigrants from Europe as now from Asia. But in botb cases natural laws have impelled and will control the whole business. Our comparatively new conntry. placed midway between old worlds, formed topographically for a unity of interior development, and designed politically tor the greatest freedom of individual exertion, presents a field for a development which is essential to its own interests, while i; affords opportunity for all wbo come without risk ot injury to any. With over half our territory yet unoccupied, and with a population even in tbe older States comparatively scant, the time for us to fear foreign immigration from any quarter is vet distant ; and wheu it comes we may rest assured that tbe same causes whicn now operate abroad to send men here will arise here to prevent further influx.

The Iribune further estimates the materiabenefit derived trom this foreign access to our population. It reckons that the average amount

of coin brought by each immigrant is $63. From this source alone we have derived $400,---000,000 since 179). Next, estimating the entire annual product of the country in 1800 at $2,-

000,000,000 (which is very 10w ... and apportioning it equally among alt tbe inhabitants, it finds tbe share of this contributed by tbe immigrant population to be $572,807,728. This amount is what is added yearly by the labor of immigrant and tbeir descendants. We get now about hall a million immigrants a year, who, at the Tribune's rate of $62 40 a year, add over $31,000,000 a year by their labor, and still more by the money they bring with them In the same wav Chinese labor and capital will contribute largely to our wealth and progress, if we do not deny ourjfclves its benefits from silly fears or demagogic prejudices.

A European War.— The sagacious Yon Beust can only say that, if Europe gets tbroush the next four years witbout a war, her lease of peace may be indefinite. Such a way of putting it imports that the Austrian Premier has grave fears of what may happen in the intermediate period.