[MichaelGG]

"I have no idea why anyone should be required to have a special visa to work in the US. Because we are selfish?"

Seriously? If the US didn't have immigration requirements, half the world would move there, causing the society and infrastructure to collapse? I can't see how unrestricted immigration benefits the US at all (I'm not a US citizen).

[alexeisadeski3]

Immigration wasn't restricted until the 20th century (in any meaningful way), and the US didn't seem to suffer too bad.

[MichaelGG]

I'd wager that A: the disparity between countries is larger and more well-known now, and B: the ease of physically travelling to the US is far easier now.

[alexeisadeski3]

And I'd wager that the cost of living is higher now, relative to the other countries.

[wpietri]

The Model T started production in 1908 and the first commerical airline flight was in 1914. The state of the art for sea transportation around then was the Titantic, which sank in 1912. So maybe that had something to do with it.