mfh/multitude/immigrants/1

From an article in the Sun newspaper, New York City, dated April 21, 1891:

The Hebrew Influx.

Attempts to Regulate It so that It Shall Not be Too Heavy.

Some of the Hebrews of this city who take an interest in the people of their race now coming here from Russia are striving to regulate and systematize the immigration for the benefit of all concerned. During the past year, and especially the past half year, a very large number of Hebrew immigrants have arrived at this port, and hundreds of thousands of their brethren in Russia and Poland are anxious to find the means that will enable them to reach the United States. The cable dispatches have brought news that multitudes of them are always at Hamburg, Antwerp, and other continental ports awaiting the time when they can take passage to this country.

It is considered desirable by American Hebrews that the immigration be kept under restraint, and several of the Hebrew societies in New York are engaged in contriving how this shall be done. The Hirsch fund provides abundant means for assisting Russian Hebrews to come to this country; but how large a number shall be brought each month, and what shall be done in their behalf when they get here? Hardly any of them have been accustomed to farming life, and few of them have been trained to work at any of the skilled trades. Experience has shown that a large proportion of those who come to this country get along very well in one way or another, but it is still a question whether this experience is likely to be continued if the immigration should be unduly encouraged. There is no doubt that the czar's Government is desirous of driving out of Russia the whole of the Jewish people living there, who number between 2,000,000 and 8,0000; and there is no other European country in which they can find refuge. It is alleged by a New York Hebrew who is familiar with the facts that a large proportion of these millions would like to come to the United States.

The best judgment of American Hebrews appears to be that the immigration of the people of their race to this country from Russia ought not to exceed 50,000 a year; but, of course, it cannot be fixed from this side of the water, as a large proportion of the Russian Hebrews who come here do so on their own account without receiving outside assistance or asking anybody's advice.