The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-06-18
COURSE OF EMIGRATION TO AMERICA
From the London Saturday Repie,c


America. VIII the United States break to
pieces sooner or later under their own weight,
or Will they spread north and south till they
include everything from the Polar regions to
the lsthmus of Panama? What will be the
character and the political institutions of the
vast population which in all probability will
fill what is still known as the West, bat will
soon be the central region of North America?
Prophecy such matters is notOriOusly as
unsatisfactory as it is tempting. Everybody
4 likes to have an opinion as to what will hap
pen a century or SO hence because there is no
chance of his being confuted at present and
very little chance that any one will take the
trouble to eonfute him after he is dead The
future supplies an unlimited fund of consoa-
tion for all who have stumbled in their calcu-
lations as to the present. We would by no
means deter any one from so harmless an
amusement. Americans derive infinite pleasure
from calculating the numbers of the vast
multitudes who for uncounted centuries are
to listen to Fourth of July orations in the
4. broad valley of the Mississippi, whilst their
IN detractors may count up the many obstacles
hat oppose the realization of such dream
)thers may be content with a humber task
which Is not without its pleasures-that name
W ", OF showing that nobody knows very much
K llbout the matter. When we can't blow bub-
P)les for ourselves, it affords gentle amuse-
ment to punctue those raised by our friends.
1t is indeed easy to prove that many elements
must be taken into account in forming the
ga horoscope of America, upon which it is
y simply impossible to arrive at any
accurate judgment. One of these is
the future OF the emigration from Europe.
!. No one can tell with any approach to GER
tainty what will be its character or
its influence. Will the Americans of the fu-
ture descend chiefly from an English, an
Irish, OF German parentage? Will the
negro survive and multiply, or will he have to
struggle, not only against the American, but
against Chinese population? Can the ma
tive population hold its own, and is there any,
and what, truth in the allegations that have
been made of its stationary or even declining
powers OF reproduction in comparison with
= the incoming races Will the national type
of the different constituents Of the population
I be preserved or blended into one, and will
they gravitate towards different centres or
interpenetTate each other throughout the
country? To all these and many similar ques-
tions we can only answer that nobody can
speak with any confidence, and that a very
f. large experience will be necessary before any
degree of certainty is reached
Thus, for example, some curious results
have been lately stated in regard to emigra-
ton. 1t is generally said that the New Eng
land population up to the time of the Decla-
ration of Independence, were almost as pure
a race as the inhabitants of the mother
country. Indeed Americans, who do not
often fail on the side of moderation of state
ment, occasionally declare that they not only
spoke better English, but were more genuine
Englishmen. However this may have been,
the tables have been strangely turned. Up to
the time of the war the immigration was
reckoned at about 100000, half of which
came from the British islands-the great
majority of this half being Irishmen, and the
larger proportion of the remainder from Ger
many. The immigran is, together with their
81 descendants, formed at least quarter of the
whole white population. The war only acted
as a very slight check upon the influx
of foreigners, which has since continued
n with undated energy. There is, however, a
marked change in the character of the immi-
~ grafton The year 1854 was the first in which
4 the German immigrants exceeded the Irish,
and they maintained their superiority for
81 some years. During the war the Germans
a fell off and the Irish increased since that
time it seems that the German element has
again taken the lead. Last year, according
a to the most recent statement we have seen,
the Germans formed about half and the Irish
only a quarter of the whole; and, which is also
worth noticing, the great maj ority came from
Protestant districts. The Scandinavian races
send considerable contingent, and the Eng
sh immigration has also increased. Any
one who is acquainted accurately with al
the statistics, and accurately appreci
ates the political, economical and socia
condition of the various European races
possesses the materials from which some esti
mate may be made of the probable future o.
emigration. He will be able to say which Of
the rival constituents of the American popu
lation has the largest reserves to draw upon
whether Irishmen are likely to transpor
themselves, though not their island, some
three thousand miles to the West whethe
A. zkEnglish artisans, as we might be disposed t.
nfer from some recent manifestations a
Preston and other manufacturing districts
ire likely to follow the example of Irisl
beasants: and whether Hans Breitmann
HWikely to be reinforced by some millions 0
8 Aevotees of hger-5Ger and the Infinite; and OF
the other hand, whether American principles O
~ commerce and taxation may prove to eXercis
a deterrent influence. 1t is remarkable, in
deed, that these Jealous protectionists ar
~ resolved in the interest of the laborin
classes, to protect everything except Labor
Il In order, as they declare, to prevent tn
American laborer from sinking to the levt
~ of his depressed brother in Europe, the
u hamper their own power of production, an
allow any amount of paupers to be in
ported This intelligent policy may ult
mately check emigration by dininishin
X the demand for labor; but it is scarcel
possible that the most peryerse ing'
nuity can permanently injure the attraction
\ of their vast natural resources. In all probi
bility a great immigration will continue
though it is more difficult to guess at its con
position, OF to determine its effect upon I'll
W American character. One or two points
however NAV he worth noticing In tl