INTRODUCTION 
5 
the original material and make an independent judg 
ment. This enormous mass of facts has, however, 
been well digested and summarized and is easily 
accessible. The facts now are known. 
In its conclusions and recommendations the Commis 
sion indicated certain lines along which standards of 
judgment might and ought to be fixt. In other direc 
tions they assume without formal statement what they 
believe to be the accepted standards of the people; but 
whatever may be the judgments regarding the recom 
mendations the facts set forth are undeniable. 
For the purpose of this book it is, however, desir 
able that at the beginning the principles be sum 
marized on which, in the judgment of the authors, 
the standard of civilization of our country may be 
affected by immigration. Throughout the discussion 
°f the facts these principles should be kept in mind. 
Principles Upon Which American Civilization is 
Based 
It is extremely difficult to analyze a civilization so 
complex as ours. All will agree that civilization de 
pends upon the characteristics and attainments of the 
individuals of whom the State is composed, and upon 
their relations one to another. In the discussion of the 
question of immigration, as of all other social or 
political questions, no better beginning can be made 
than to use the old division of human characteristics 
into physical, mental and moral. In many cases so 
interdependent and overlapping are the influences 
molding these qualities that the effects of any one in 
fluence can scarcely be separately analyzed. For ex- 
a mple, industrial prosperity in the community affects