The Republican journal., 1870-10-06
RADICAL PETS.

"Call me pet names, dearest" says a pop
ular song, The refrain has been recently
started by the radicals of Maine, and direct
ed at certain Scandinavians or Swedes
These people of themselves are well enough,
and much like other nations of Europe-no
better and no worse. The Legislature at its
late session, made large appropriation for
the purpose of paying the passage of such of
these persons as could be induced to emf
CRATE, building them houses, and feeding them
until another year. As all the radical legis-
lature. that was SO viol emily smitten with this
new love, couldn't go in person to Sweden
Mr.. w. w. Thomas, Jr., was selected to
pour the enchanting tale into their willing
ears, by proxy. as Miles Standish wooed the
maiden of his choice. 1t doesn't appear what
the special qualifications, mental or physical,
of Mr.. Thomas We're; but he went thithcr,
made proclamation of the riches of Aroos-
took, and of the fact that the affections OF
his constituents, so long lavished on the
negro had veered to blue eyes and yellow
hair.
In due time the messenger came back,
conducting a small gathering of Mortimer,
with their household gods We read that
they were marshalled to theirnew h. mes with
speeches. banners and music The leading
argument in favor Of this immigration
ii would tend to increase the popul ation-was
wonderfully strengthened soon after Ivy the
birth of a boy, which the grateful Swedes
named for their Moses who 90" .l,~t~> 'Ireii
into the wilderness, w. w. Thomas.
| Whether this little propagation affair had
been artfuly arranged by the commissioner,
as confirmatory of all that had been promis-
| ed, or not, we are at a loss to determine 1t
may be held to admit of doubt whether that
baby was born of the normal condition Of
| things, and is an actual average production,
or a sort of show affair, gotten up regardless
of expense, like huge vegetables at fair, to
be Dragged over. At any rate he is the only
real, tangible result of the many thousands
expended, and for which the mother is main
ly entitled to the credit; tor if Thomas has
made the more fuss, the real pains have been
| hers.
But to come down to the hard pan of this
matter, is this immigration scheme fair,
honest and equitable transaction? When
there are millions of all ma atoms in Europe.
who are anxious to come to this country and
this State, if they had the means, why select
this particular people and urge them to come
by the incentive of free passages Why give
them lands and houses, when others are
obliged to buy them? Ten thousand of toling
Irish, English, Scotch, Germans in this State
are saving of their scant wages to bring hith-
er their relatives; why tax them to bring the
Swedes free? More than that, there are
thousands of grown up young men and wo-
men in Maine born on the soil, who are
ready to marry and accept farms and houses
in Aroostook, if the State has them to give
away. If it be desirable to populate the
;, northern part of the State, why not give them
a chance?
Our radical friends, meantime, have not en-
tirely forgotten their first love, the negro, al
though his care appears to be specially com
mitted to the administration at Washington.
Having clothed, educated and set up in bus
mess all there are within the limits of this
country, there is manifested at Washington
a disposition to reach out and care for the
colored population Of the rest of the world.
The extraordinary Difference to Hayti mani
tested at Washington, has emboldcned the
negro President of Liberia to come on tour
of observation and business to this country,
where he now is. He hasn't much to offer
in way of offset, but his capacity 'to have
and to hold'' Of our goods and chattels is
enormous. He has ALREADY arranged with
Grant for government steamer, to be paid
for with Liberian bonds, a security worth
about three cents a pound. This colored
confidence man has also secured q lot of
muskets, and it is understood that both the
war ship and the muskets are to be used to
compel certain of his refractory subjects to
pay up. Having succeeded so well, the great
Liberian now proposes that Grant shall help
him to build railroad toward the African
interior, in consideration of its great benefit
to American trade!
Isn't there danger that, between Scanda-
navia and Ethiopia, Alaska and St. Domingo,
between the pole and equator, and the en-
deavor to cover so much of the earths sur
face, we may get spread out pretty thin
And does not our huge national debt testify
that we have done enough in the name of
! philanthropy for at least one generation ?