Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-02-20
OUR Duty TO OURSEL YES.

immigration is one of the chief questions of
the hour. The number of European immi
grants arriving on our shores annually
amounts to nearly 300, 900, or about 200
day for every working day in the year.
Ofthis grand army OF labor, 800, 900 strong,
which every year sails over the ocean to us,
more than 100000 are working men. 1t is
fully proved by Commissioner Wells and
others that the average cash value of the male
immigrant to the State is 81 600 The stream
of European immigration is worth then to the
United States 500, 900, 900 year. And this
sum represents the annual tribute which the
monarchies of the old world are compelled to
pay to free America.
The expense of rearing our adopted cit-
zens, is all borne by the country which gave
them birth, while we reap the benefit of their
matured productive force. Europe at her
own cost builds and equips 100000 working
machines worth 81 900 apiece and is compel
led to present them to us a free gift each
year.
100000 900 or any considerable portion of
this sum, is indeed aprize worth striving for.
The Western States have long been keenly
alive TO their interests in this direction,
spending hundreds Of thousands of dollars in
agencies and the distribution of information
advantageous to themselves. The Southern
States are also moving in this matter and the
new Dominion of Canada has now entered the
field and is striving for her portion of the
enriching immigration stream Maine, too,
has at last awakened to her interests, and can
now point to a thriving Swedish settlement
on her public lands, where eight months ago
was an unbroken forest
Much of the European immigration would
be impossible and undesirable for our State
to obtain
~ ~
shores is guided by certain fixed isothermal
laws in obedience to which the emigrant from
Europe takes the same relative position in the
New World he occupied in the Old.
The immigrants born along the sunny Med
iterranean, are to be found near the shores of
the Gulf of Mexico. The Germans from cen
trail Europe, are settled in Pennsylvania, Ohio
and our great Middle States while the Swedes
from the cold Scandinavian peninsular, have
made their homes in our northern tier of
States. Maine forms one Of this tier. Swed
ish immigration naturally flows to us.
OF the annual stream of SOC, 900 immigrants.
IS, 900 or over one tenth, are Swedes. They
settle in few States and these all northern
ones. Names fair quota of this immigration
is not less than 5000 year, worth at least
81 200, 900 to our State and this annual ac
erection Of million dollars a year in labor
our State is now in fair way of obtaining, If
we are but true to ourselves.
Wisdom, prudence and energy have in a
very short space of time diverted the first rill
of the Scandinavian immigration stream upon
our soil
Everything attending this movement has
been complete success up to the present
time, but its continued success must also be
rendered absolutely certain.
Our Swedish colony arrived too late to OBJ
tain crop last year. They worked like
giants but blackened fields filled with black
ened stumps, without kernel to eat, was all
the result last Autumn could give them for
their labors. The State must provide them
with food till next September, when they will