“ To the enormous burdens imposed by the German military system have now been added the pressure of a protective tariff, which enhances the cost of living, while it has not had the anticipated effect of increasing wages; and it is no wonder, therefore, that large numbers of the people are finding life at home so little tolerable that they are eager to flock elsewhere. Whether the United States can continue to absorb such large masses of population is another question. So far as the influx is made up of persons following agricultural pursuits, it probably need excite no apprehension. ”

“ For such persons there is a practically unlimited field. It is very different, however, with the industrial portion of the immigrants. The effect of the American tariff, it is to be remembered, is to restrict home producers to the home markets, and there are already indications of those markets becoming overstocked. It may be doubted, therefore, whether there is scope for an expansion of industrial activity sufficient to accommodate the great influx of new workers, so long, at least, as the present fiscal arrangements are maintained. ”