Litchfield enquirer., 1870-08-11
Fusion of Races

ABns ou s40 iu6ure0I the aEuTopean lmmi- grant. This is the rapidity with which he is becoming an American landowner. The more thrifty immigrants have, within q few years past. been buying up not merely houses, but farms. We could enumerate many such instances within a few miles of this village. and we hear Of them every where. The farms thus bought are not usually the best, or the largest, but such cheap places as hard work and economy will soon make valuable and productive. With the possession of land the race characteristics of the immigrant seem read fly to adapt themselves to their new posi- tion. The Irishman, from being careless and prodigal, soon learns the sharp econo- mics that are necessary to the small landed proprietor. All the merchants with whom we have conversed on the subject aver that the closest dealers they meet are our immi- grants. The shrewd, patient economy which many a small proprietor of Irish de- scent now develops,is constant source of surprise to those who are acquainted with the characteristics of the race as it appears under harsh English rule at home. In fact, the Irish farmer of today probably much more nearly resembles the Yankee farmer of half a century since than does his existing descendants. It may be said with much appearance of truth, that the immigrant who develops the necessary amount of persistent industry and econo- my to become landowner is an exception to the general rule-that the bulk of for eign laborers show no such capacity. Grant ing that position (of the truth of which we are by no means certain), the exceptions are certainly numerous enough to make 8 great change in our rural population in few generations, should the exodus of Yan- kees to the cities and the West, and the filling their places with immigrant land owners, continue at the present rate. In one respect only does the new race of pro- prietors fail to copy the frugality of their predecessors, and that is in the raising of large families. The naturalized farmer trains up his numerous descendants in his own rigid habits of economy {; and they are just the men to fill the places made vacant by the extinction or removal of native fam flies. ot i ttro#
 The lesson which our emigrants are teach ing us is an excellent one-that while in. dividuala may succeed by snaartness, races can only succeed by persistent industry and economy. No amount of natural abil- ity will ever make the non producer, living by his wits, or on the capital accumulated by an ancestor, an equally valuable citizen with the producer who fairly earns his liv- ing by hard work. If our emigrants, as body, continue to work harder, and live more economically than our native citizens, we may be certain that they will sncceed them as owners of the soil of New England. That there will be any such result we have no fear. The native Yankee is just now becoming aristncrafic. stunning labor. and losing a little ground but it is a race that is full of recuperative power. They made themselves what they are by being the hardest workers in the world. and on ne- cessity they can work again. For the won
 derful progress the emigrant has made du- ring the few years of his stay with us every true American should be thankful. There is no stronger proof of the correctness of the fundamental principle of our govern: ment than the readiness with which the foreigner of industrious habits becomes 8 prosperous American freeholder.