JEWISH IMMIGRATION TO THE UNITED STATES

FROM 1881 TO 1910

BY

SAMUEL JOSEPH

1914

To MY FATHER AND MY MOTHER

PREFACE

In this survey of Jewish immigration to the United States for the past thirty years, my purpose has been to present the main features of a movement of population that is one of the most striking of modern times. The causes of Jewish emigration from Eastern Europe, the course of Jewish immigration to the United States and the most important social qualities of the Jewish immigrants are studied, for the light they throw upon the character of this movement. The method employed in this investigation has been largely statistical and comparative, a fact which is partly due to the kind of material that was available and partly to the point of view that has been taken. Certain economic and social factors, having a close bearing upon the past and present situation of the Jews in Eastern Europe and frequently neglected in the discussion of the various phases of this movement, have been emphasized in the examination into the causes of the emigration of the Jews from Eastern Europe and have been found vital in determining the specific character of the Jewish immigration to this country.

I desire gratefully to acknowledge my deep indebtedness to Mr. A.S. Freidus, head of the Jewish department of the New York Public Library, for his ever-ready assistance in the preparation of this work. Thanks are due as well to Dr. C.C. Williamson, head of the Economics department of the library, and to his able and courteous staff; to Professor Robert E. Chaddock for his many valuable suggestions and aid in the making of the statistical tables and in the reading of the proof; and to Professor Edwin R.A. Seligman for his painstaking reading of the manuscript.

Samuel Joseph.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

PART I.—THE CAUSES OF JEWISH EMIGRATION.

PAGE

CHAPTER I

Introduction.

1. Character of Jewish immigration 21

2. Eastern Europe 22

3. Distribution of Jews in Eastern Europe 21

4. Uniform character of East-European Jews 22

CHAPTER II

Eastern Europe: Economic, Social and Political Conditions

I. Russia.

1. Medieval past 27

2. Agricultural character 28

3. Emancipation of serfs 29

4. Reminiscences of serfdom 29

5. Changes since the emancipation 30

6. Epoch of transition 31

7. Social orders: classes, the church 31

8. Political order: autocracy, bureaucracy 32

9. Political struggle: Russian liberalism 32

10. Reaction since Alexander III 33

II. Roumania.

1. Social-economic classes 34

2. Emancipation of the serfs: results 35

3. Development of industry and commerce 36

4. Growth of a middle class 36

III. Austria-Hungary.

1. Reminiscences of medieval economy 37

2. Transitional nature of economic life 37

3. Organization of industry and commerce 37

4. Politico-economic struggles 38

5. Galicia: economic and social conditions 39

IV. Summary.

CHAPTER III

The Jews in Eastern Europe: Economic and Social Position

I. Russia.

1. Economic characteristics 42

a. Occupational distribution of the Jews 42

b. Comparison with the non-Jews 42

c. Participation of the Jews in principal occupational groups 43

d. Comparison of occupational distribution of Jews and non-Jews in the Pale 43

e. Economic activities of the Jews 44

2. Social characteristics 46

a. Urban distribution of the Jews 46

b. Comparison with the non-Jews 46

c. Literacy: comparison with the non-Jews 47

d. Liberal professions: comparison with the non-Jews 48

II. Roumania.

1. Economic characteristics 48

a. The Jews as merchants and entrepreneurs 48

b. The Jewish artisans 49

c. Participation of the Jews in industry and commerce 49

2. Social characteristics 49

a. Urban distribution of the Jews 49

b. Comparison with the non-Jews 49

c. Literacy: comparison with the non-Jews 50

III. Austria-Hungary.

1. Economic characteristics 50

a. Occupational distribution of the Jews 50

b. Comparison with the non-Jews 51

c. Participation of the Jews in principal occupational groups 51

Galicia 51

a. Occupational distribution of the Jews 51

b. Comparison with the non-Jews 51

c. Participation of the Jews in principal occupational groups 51

d. Industrial and commercial position of the Jews in East and West Galicia 52

2. Social characteristics 52

a. Urban distribution of the Jews 52

b. Comparison with the non-Jews 52

c. Liberal professions: comparison with the non-Jews 52

III. Summary.

CHAPTER IV

Thirty Years of Jewish History

I. Russia.

1. Treatment of the Jews after the partitions of Poland 56

2. Pale of Jewish Settlement: special Jewish laws 57

3. Attitude of Russian government toward the Jews 57

4. Alexander II and liberalism 58

5. Reaction: antagonism to the Jews 59

6. Economic attack: the May Laws 60

7. Effect of the May Laws 61

8. Educational restrictions: the "percentage rule" 62

9. Pogroms: pogroms of 1881-2 63

10. Expulsions from Moscow 64

11. Nicholas II: anti-Jewish agitation: Kishineff 64

12. War and revolution: effect upon the Jews 65

13. Pogroms as counter-revolution 66

14. Results: economic and social pressure 67

15. Jewish policy of reactionary régime 68

II. Roumania.

1. Early legal status of the Jews 69

2. Convention of Paris 69

3. Anti-Jewish activities of the government: Article VII 70

4. Berlin Congress 70

5. Article 44 of the Berlin Treaty 71

6. The revised Article VII 71

7. Legal status of the Jews fixed 72

8. Campaign of discrimination 73

9. Exclusion of Jews from economic activities 73

10. Educational restrictions: restrictions to professional service 74

11. Political basis of anti-Jewish policy 75

12. Results: economic and social pressure 76

13. Jewish policy of Roumanian government: Hay's circular note 76

III. Austria-Hungary.

1. Early legal status of the Jews: emancipation 77

2. Jews attacked as liberals and capitalists 78

3. Rise of political antisemitism: its triumph: the clericals 78

Galicia 78

1. Rise of a Polish middle class: displacement of Jews in industry and commerce 79

2. Economic boycott of Jewish artisans and traders 79

3. Anti-Jewish activity of local authorities 79

4. Over-competition and surplus of Jews in industry and commerce 80

5. Historical rôle of the Jews: antagonism of peasantry and clergy 80

CHAPTER V

Conclusion

PART II.--JEWISH IMMIGRATION TO THE UNITED STATES

A. Its Movement

CHAPTER I

Determination of Number of Jewish Immigrants

1. Construction of table: difficulties 87

2. Sources utilized: reports of Jewish societies 87

3. Rearrangement of numbers from 1886 to 1898 88

4. Determination of numbers by country of nativity: methods used 88

5. Determination of numbers from 1881 to 1885: methods used 90

6. Tendency to magnify numbers of Jewish immigrants 91

7. Results 92

CHAPTER II

Immigration of Jews from Eastern Europe

1. Jewish immigration East-European 95

2. Summary by decades of Jewish immigration from Russia, Roumania and Austria-Hungary 95

3. Annual contributions of Jewish immigration from Russia, Roumania and Austria-Hungary 96

CHAPTER III

Immigration of Jews from Russia

1. Russian Jewish immigration a movement of steady growth 98

a. Summary by decades 98

b. Annual variations: effect of the Moscow expulsions 98

2. Participation of Jews in the immigration from Russia 101

a. Annual variations 101

b. Summary by decades 102

c. Relative predominance of Jewish in total 102

3. Intensity of Jewish immigration from Russia 103

a. Rate of immigration 103

b. Fluctuations of rate 104

CHAPTER IV

Immigration of Jews from Roumania

1. Roumanian Jewish immigration a rising movement 105

a. Summary by decades 105

b. Annual variations 105

2. Participation of Jews in the immigration from Roumania 107

a. Jewish and total synonymous 107

b. Annual variations 107

3. Intensity of Jewish immigration from Roumania 108

a. Rate of immigration 108

b. Fluctuations of rate 108

CHAPTER V

Immigration of Jews from Austria-Hungary

1. Jewish immigration from Austria-Hungary a rising movement 109

a. Summary by decades 109

b. Annual variations 109

c. Comparison of Jewish with total 110

2. Participation of Jews in the immigration from Austria-Hungary 110

a. Summary by decades 110

b. Annual variations 111

3. Comparison of immigration of Jews from Austria and Hungary 111

a. Numbers 111

b. Participation in total 111

4. Immigration of Jews and other peoples from Austria-Hungary 112

5. Rate of Jewish immigration from Austria-Hungary 112

CHAPTER VI

Jewish Immigration

1. Total movement one of geometrical progression 113

a. Summary by decades 113

b. Summary by six-year periods 113

c. Annual variations 114

CHAPTER VII

Participation of Jews in Total Immigration

1. Rise in proportion of Jewish to total 117

2. Summary by decades 117

3. Annual variations 117

4. Comparison of annual variations of Jewish and total immigration 118

5. Rank of Jewish in total immigration 119

6. Rate of immigration 120

CHAPTER VIII

Summary

B. Its Characteristics

CHAPTER I

Family Movement

1. Importance of sex and age distribution 127

2. Proportion of females in Jewish immigration 127

a. Tendency towards increase 127

3. Proportion of children in Jewish immigration 128

4. Proportion of sexes in total and Jewish immigration 129

5. Proportion of children in total and Jewish immigration 129

6. Comparison of composition by sex of Jews and other immigrant peoples 130

7. Comparison of composition by age of Jews and other immigrant peoples 130

8. Comparison of composition by sex and age of Jews and the Slavic races 131

9. Comparison of composition by sex and age of Jews from Roumania and Roumanians 131

10. Comparison of composition by sex and age of Jewish and "old" and "new" immigration 132

11. Conclusion 132

CHAPTER II

Permanent Settlement

1. Emigration of Jews compared with immigration of Jews 133

2. Comparison of return movement of total and Jewish immigration 134

3. Comparison of return movement of Jews and other immigrant peoples 134

4. Emigration tendency of Jews from Russia, Roumania and Austria-Hungary 135

5. Comparison of return movement of Jews and Poles from Russia and Austria-Hungary 136

6. Comparison of return movement of Jewish and "old" and "new" immigration 137

7. Comparison of return movement of Jews and other immigrant peoples, 1908 137

8. Response of Jewish immigration to economic conditions in the United States 138

9. Comparison of Jews and other immigrant peoples who have been previously in the United States 138

10. Conclusion 139

CHAPTER III

Occupations

1. Occupational distribution of Jewish immigrants 140

2. Jewish immigrants reporting occupations 141

a. Number and percentage of occupational groups 141

3. Skilled laborers 141

a. Garment workers 141

b. Other important groups 142

4. Participation of Jews in occupational distribution of total immigration 142

5. Comparison of occupational distribution of Jews and other immigrant peoples 143

6. Comparison of occupational distribution of Jews and Slavic peoples 144

7. Comparison of occupational distribution of Jewish and "old" and "new" immigration 144

8. Conclusion 145

CHAPTER IV

Illiteracy

1. Illiteracy of Jewish immigrants 146

2. Influence of sex upon illiteracy of Jewish immigrants 146

3. Illiteracy of Jewish male and female immigrants 147

4. Comparison of rate of illiteracy of Jews and other immigrant peoples 147

5. Comparison of rate of illiteracy of Jewish and "old" and "new" immigration 147

6. Comparison of rate of illiteracy of Jews and East-European peoples 148

7. Comparison of rate of illiteracy of each sex among Jews and East-European peoples 148

8. Conclusion 148

CHAPTER V

Destination

1. Factors influencing destination 149

2. Proportion of Jewish immigrants destined for divisions 149

3. Proportion of Jewish immigrants destined for principal states 149

4. Comparison of destination of Jews and other immigrant peoples 150

5. Participation of Jews in the immigration destined for divisions 150

6. Final disposition of Jewish immigrants 151

CHAPTER VI

Summary and Conclusions

STATISTICAL TABLES

PAGE

IA. Participation of Jews in occupations in the Russian Empire, 1897 158

IAB. Participation of Jews in occupations in the Pale of Jewish Settlement, 1897 159

II. Jewish immigration at the ports of New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, July to June, 1886 to 1898 159

III. Jewish immigration at the port of New York, July, 1885 to June, 1886, by month and country of nativity 159

IVA. Jewish immigration at the port of Philadelphia, 1886 to 1898, by country of nativity 160

IVB. Jewish immigration at the port of Baltimore, 1891 to 1898, by country of nativity 160

V. Jewish immigration at the ports of New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, 1886 to 1898, by country of nativity 161

VI. Jewish immigration to the United States, 1881 to 1910 93

VII. Percentage of annual Jewish immigration to the United States, contributed by each country of nativity, 1881 to 1910 94

VIII. Jewish immigration to the United States, 1881 to 1910, absolute numbers and percentages, by decade and country of nativity 162

IX. Jewish immigration from Russia, 1881 to 1910, and percentage of total arriving each year 162

X. Jewish immigration from Russia, 1881 to 1910, by decade and percentage of total arriving each decade 163

XI. Jewish immigration from Russia at the port of New York, January 1, 1891 to December 31, 1891, and January 1, 1892 to December 31, 1892, by month 163

XII. Total immigration from Russia and Jewish immigration from Russia, 1881 to 1910, and percentage Jewish of total 164

XIII. Total immigration from Russia and Jewish immigration from Russia, 1881 to 1910, by decade and percentage Jewish of total 164

XIV. Immigration to the United States from the Russian Empire, 1899 to 1910, by annual percentage of contribution of principal peoples 165

XV. Rate of immigration of peoples predominant in the immigration from Russia, 1899 to 1910 165

XVI. Rate of Jewish immigration from Russia per 10,000 of Jewish population, 1899 to 1910 166

XVII. Jewish immigration from Roumania, 1881 to 1910, by decade and percentage of total arriving each decade 166

XVIII. Jewish immigration from Roumania, 1881 to 1910, and percentage of total arriving each year 167

XIX. Total immigration from Roumania and Jewish immigration from Roumania, 1899 to 1910, and percentage Jewish of total 168

XX. Rate of Jewish immigration from Roumania per 10,000 of Jewish population, 1899 to 1910 168

XXI. Jewish immigration from Austria Hungary, 1881 to 1910, by decade and percentage of total arriving each decade 169

XXII. Jewish immigration from Austria-Hungary, 1881 to 1910, and percentage of total arriving each year 169

XXIII. Total and Jewish immigration from Austria-Hungary, 1881 to 1910, by decade and percentage Jewish of total 170

XXIV. Total and Jewish immigration from Austria-Hungary, 1881 to 1910, and percentage Jewish of total 170

XXV. Percentage of annual immigration from Austria-Hungary contributed by principal peoples, 1899 to 1910 171

XXVI. Rate of Jewish immigration from Austria-Hungary per 10,000 of Jewish population, 1899 to 1910 171

XXVII. Jewish immigration, 1881 to 1910, by decade 172

XXVIII. Jewish immigration, 1881 to 1910, by six-year period 172

XXIX. Jewish immigration to the United States, 1881 to 1910 173

XXX. Total immigration and Jewish immigration, 1881 to 1910, by decade and percentage Jewish of total 174

XXXI. Total immigration and Jewish immigration, 1881 to 1910, by year and percentage Jewish of total 174

XXXII. Total and Jewish immigration, 1881 to 1910, by number and percentage of increase or decrease 175

XXXIII. Sex of Jewish immigrants, 1899 to 1910 176

XXXIV. Sex of Jewish immigrant adults at the port of New York, 1886 to 1898 176

XXXV. Age of Jewish immigrants, 1809 to 1910 177

XXXVI. Age of Jewish immigrants at the port of New York, 1886 to 1898 177

XXXVII. Sex of total and Jewish immigrants, 1899 to 1910 178

XXXVIII. Sex of European immigrants, 1899 to 1910 179

XXXIX. Age of European immigrants, 1899 to 1909 180

XL. Sex, 1899 to 1910, and age, 1899 to 1909, of Slavic immigrants 181

XLIA. Sex of Roumanian immigrants, 1899 to 1910, and of immigrants from Roumania. 1900 to 1910 181

XLIB. Age of Jewish and Roumanian immigrants, 1899 to 1909 181

XLII. Sex and age of "old" and "new" immigration (Jewish excepted) and of Jewish immigration, 1899 to 1909 182

XLIII. Jewish immigration and emigration, 1908 to 1912 182

XLIV. Total and Jewish emigrant aliens and percentage Jewish immigrant aliens of total immigrant aliens, 1908 to 1912 183

XLV. European immigrant aliens admitted, and European emigrant aliens departed, 1908, 1909 and 1910 183

XLVI. Jewish immigration and emigration, Russia, Austria-Hungary and Roumania, 1908 to 1912 184

XLVII. Polish immigration and emigration, Russia and Austria-Hungary, 1908 to 1912 184

XLVIII. "Old" and "new" (Jewish excepted) and Jewish immigration and emigration, 1908 to 1910 185

XLIX. European immigrant aliens, 1907, and European emigrant aliens, 1908 185

L. Total European immigrants admitted and total of those admitted during this period in the United States previously, 1899 to 1910 186

LI. Occupational distribution of Jewish immigrants, 1899 to 1910 186

LII. Jewish immigrants reporting occupations, 1899 to 1910 187

LIII. Jewish immigrants engaged in professional occupations, 1899 to 1910 187

LIV. Jewish immigrants reporting skilled occupations, 1899 to 1910 188

LV. Occupations of total European and Jewish immigrants, 1899 to 1909, and percentage Jewish of total 189

LVI. Total European immigrants and immigrants without occupation, 1899 to 1910 189

LVII. Occupations of European immigrants reporting employment, 1899 to 1910 190

LVIII. Occupations of Slavic and Jewish immigrants reporting employment, 1890 to 1910 191

LIX. Occupations of "old" and "new" immigration (Jewish excepted) and of Jewish immigration, 1899 to 1909 191

LX. Illiteracy of Jewish immigrants, 1899 to 1910 192

LXI. Sex of Jewish immigrant illiterates, 1908 to 1912 192

LXII. Illiteracy of European immigrants, 1899 to 1910 193

LXIII. Illiteracy of "old" and "new" immigration (Jewish excepted) and of Jewish immigration, 1899 to 1909 194

LXIV. Illiteracy of peoples from Eastern Europe, 1899 to 1910 194

LXV. Sex of illiterates of peoples from Eastern Europe, 1908 194

LXVI. Destination of Jewish immigrants, 1899 to 1910, by principal divisions 195

LXVII. Destination of Jewish immigrants, 1899 to 1910, by principal states 195

LXVIII. Percentage of Jewish and total immigrants destined for each division, 1899 to 1910 196

LXIX. Participation of Jewish immigrants in destination of total immigrants, 1899 to 1910, by principal divisions 196

APPENDICES

A. President Harrison's Message, 1891 199

B. Article VII of the Constitution of Roumania 200

C. Secretary Hay's Note 201

Bibliography 207