Genesee co., Apr 11-1881 "The transportation rates across the ocean are cheaper than before in years, and it would appear that the poor of the old country are taking advantage of this opportunity to emigrate to the land of the really free and truly brave." Just a little historical side note to the 1881 article "The Emigrant Boom". Increased use of the steam engine on ships is part of what made transportation cheaper. Railroads were also competing for passengers, which reduced ticket fares. Tariffs were in place by the US on foreign imports to protect our booming industries. Obviously this hurt the economy in Europe. So rather than give up their trades they brought their trades to America. If ya can't beat um join um! By 1882 the US imposed its first laws restricting immigration. Fifty cents a head upon entry, and no convicts, insane, or people who would end up becomming the publics responsibility. Also the Exclusion Act was passed which barred Chinese immigration for 10 years. It was nothing racial against Chinese, but econimic. They were brought over in droves since the 1860s as cheap labor to build the transcontinential railroads. OK I'm done... ;-) Knowing more about history makes you take the world news less seriously. Over the summer, I believe, the US added a tariff on imported steel, so the American steel union workers could compete price wise. See nothing in America has changed. -- Cindy Amrhein Town of Alabama Historian in Genesee Co., NY Experience the Town of Alabama in Genesee County, NY. http://www2.pcom.net/cinjod/historian/ APHNYS (Association of Public Historians of New York State) http://www.tier.net/aphnys __________________________________________________________________ The NEW Netscape 7.0 browser is now available. Upgrade now! http://channels.netscape.com/ns/browsers/download.jsp Get your own FREE, personal Netscape Mail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com/