Final answer:
Option (B), Political bosses in the late 1800s provided immigrants with jobs and housing but mainly exploited them for political gain, expecting votes in return. This situation led to increased city taxes due to municipal corruption.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the late 1800s, political bosses in major industrial cities played a significant role in the lives of immigrants to the United States. Political bosses often provided job opportunities and housing (option A), but more critically, they exploited and controlled immigrants for political gain (option B). These bosses, central figures in what is known as machine politics, extended help to immigrants with the expectation of their votes in return. Immigrants, many of whom lived in neighborhoods with others from their home countries, faced challenges such as learning a new language, adjusting to new customs, and encountering discrimination and anti-immigration legislation.
Although these communities kept cultural practices alive and offered some comfort, the influence of political bosses and the system of patronage undermined the democratic process and often led to increased municipal corruption, resulting in higher city taxes due to graft (option B in the reference question).