Although most of the European countries have placed restrictions upon emigration, these restrictions unfortunately do not retard the emigration of the undesirable classes. As a result America was called upon early to legislate on this problem. The first act was in 1819 and was aimed to regulate the transportation of immigrants. The laws of 1875, 1882, 1891, 1893, and 1903 dealt with the class of immigrants to be admitted. The acts did not accomplish the end for which they were framed, and the question was taken up again by Congress which, after a lengthy discussion, passed the act of 1907. No great change in policy was effected by this law which, for the most part, only revised the wording of the old laws and modified the methods of regulation. The head tax of two dollars, hitherto levied on each alien, was doubled but was made inapplicable to immigrants from our insular possessions or to aliens who had resided for a year either in the British possessions in North America, or in Cuba or Mexico. All aliens suffering from tuberculosis or loathsome diseases or those who were "mentally or physically defective, such mental or physical defect being of a nature which may affect the ability . . . to earn a living," were excluded. Children under sixteen unaccompanied by a parent were excluded. Steamship companies were placed under additional restrictions to insure against their violation of the act. Should an immigrant within a period of three years be found to have entered the country contrary to the terms of the act, he was to be deported and the transportation company responsible for his coming would be held liable for the expense of his deportation. The effect of the new law can be seen in the immigration statistics--the number of immigrants for the year 1908 is but little more than half as great as the number for 1907. The chief decrease was in the stream from southern Europe. This decrease cannot be attributed entirely to the act of 1907, but must be accounted for in part by the panic of 1907. Observations extending over a long period of years have disclosed the fact that the ebb and flow of the tide of immigration is closely attached to the periods of economic prosperity and depression. When the races of northern Europe contributed the greater part of our immigrants there was a general feeling that this was a decided advantage to us. The people were readily assimilated into our population and were in general intelligent, industrious citizens who soon acquired a patriotic love for America and its institutions. The serious problems came with the increased number of southern Europeans. [Illustration] One of several churches built for emigrants of various faiths in the station or "model town" of the Hamburg-American Company, for use while waiting to sail.