The Period of the Later Immigration
The years intervening between 1861 and 1917 marked the period of later immigration. During the early part of this period there was need for more man power to do work and to provide troops for the armed forces during the War Between the States. The need for workers for industry and laborers for railroad construction encouraged President Lincoln to ask Congress to pass favorable legislation for immigrants. Employers of unskilled laborers rushed to support the recommendation. The American Emigrant Company was organized to secure immigrants by advancing their transportation expenses and recovering the loan from the wages earned during the first year of employment. The government capitalized on the influx of immigrants by building stands in the fields next to the harbor of New York City and offering sums of money to the newcomers if they would join the army. In the post-war period immigrants eagerly sailed for America as the golden land of opportunity where the streets were paved with bricks of gold . The rapid growth of industry and reports of our prosperity continued to call thousands of immigrants to our land long after the war needs were over. These inducements and descriptions of America motivated immigrants to sail for the United States in large numbers during this entire period. So many came that the American people became concerned about the open-door policy. In 1882 the first restrictive law was passed. This law forbade acceptance of people who were lunatics, idiots, immoral persons, paupers, and persons likely to become public charges. In 1885 the Alien Contract Labor Law was passed, prohibiting American employers from importing laborers from Europe under contract.
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