There is much misapprehension in the popular mind, both as to the number of immigrants arriving in the United States, and those remaining for permanent residence. Until 1907, all aliens arriving were enumerated; but of those departing, no record was kept. The Commissioner General of Immigration arrived at the figures of net immigration given below, by estimating the departures according to figures obtained during four months in 1907, when the returning tide of immigration was normal. The year 1908 shows an abnormally small increase, due to the industrial depression in that year, when the returning tide of immigration was very strong. The following tables show that a large number return every year, and I am inclined to believe that the estimated figures of the net increase are too high, and that the permanent increase of the foreign-born population cannot be calculated from this insufficient data. The net gain in our foreign born population in the last ten years is estimated as 5,240,200 which is 68% of the total immigration. ========================================================================== Ratio estimated net Alien arrivals. immigration -------------------------------- bears to Accepted Other Total Total alien Net accepted Year. immigration alien alien departures immigration immigration figures. arrivals. arrivals. estimated. estimated. figure. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1899 311,715 [7]45,000 356,715 172,837 183,878 59 per cent. 1900 448,572 65,635 514,207 206,351 307,856 69 " 1901 487,918 74,950 562,868 209,318 353,550 72 " 1902 648,743 82,055 730,798 220,103 510,695 79 " 1903 857,046 64,269 921,315 247,559 673,756 79 " 1904 812,870 27,844 840,714 332,019 508,695 63 " 1905 1,026,499 33,256 1,059,755 385,111 674,644 66 " 1906 1,100,735 65,618 1,166,353 356,257 810,096 74 " 1907 1,285,349 153,120 1,433,469 431,306 1,007,163 78 " 1908 782,870 141,825 924,695 [8]714,828 [8]209,867 27 " -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 7,762,317 753,572 8,510,889 3,275,689 5,240,200 ========================================================================== APPENDIX III INDUSTRIAL DEPRESSION AND IMMIGRATION