The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-03-11
VOL. w
REPREssIaN OF ImmIGRATIOA--
THE END or II.

sfa -. = ENr r4
Il was supposed that the tide Of immi-
grafton into Texas would grow steadily
greater with esch successive year. But
there are obvious reasons initiating against
this course Of events. European popnla-
tiOns are unwilling to enter desolate wastes
inaccessible to civilization ana cut off from
intercourse with the exterior world, and
the suspension OF railway construction, in
the South and West wiz not promote the
incursion Of intelligent populations Of the
Old or New World. Then It was supposed
that iAtolerable burdens imposed by recent
European wars would expel vast multitudes
unwilling to devote the best years Of worse
than useless lives to the brutaIizing duties
Of common soldiers in standing armies.
But then, the remorselessness Of Grants in
sane ambition, by which American tradi-
tiOus ara violated, may beget the very evils
here which Europeans would escape in
France or Germany or Austria, Moreover,
the story Is persIstently circulated in Eu-
rope by agents Of Northern railways that
these Southern States are in a revolutionarg.
condition. and that, tliereforv,- rOur ,Srerr1Ieci
States. Alabams. Missssippi, Louisiana ana
Arkansas, contiguous te Texas, are only
made tolerable by the bssonet in the iron
hand Of the woodeu-headedd des9ot at Wash
ington. In view of these revolrag facts,
advertised By proceedings in Congress and
sought 20 be approved and asserted in iAfa-
nous Federal legislation, it is hardly prob
able that Germans or Frenchmen would
seek escape from any known caIsmities they
endure by plunging into Western wilds
whence railways are excluded by ignorance
or local selfshness, or-by purposes of parti-
san leadership. Thus, looking at the quss-
ton from our own side, It will be seen
that burdens Of taxation, Federal and local,
are hardly less lntolerable here than in the
most ruinously robbed provinces of Euro
pean monarchies or empires. The brain
less, passionate, corrupt Congress-at this
moment drawing ITS last breath with its
pay, and thus doing the only act for which
It will escape the curses of mankind-in-
stead of reducing the cost Of government
to make up deficit of thirty or forty mil
lions, has only duplicated burdens of Fed
eral taxation. Southern State Legislatures,
seeing how Immigrants are repeIled by local
burdens imposed by universal suffrage in
rabble-ruled counties, towns and cities,
have not the moral courage to do right and
restrict suffrage, even when the Radical
Congress practically DISTINGUISHES the ne
gro-governed District of Columbia by de-
Priving the rabble of the right to elect local
rulers. Every negro-plundered county and
town Of the South is another robbed and
ravsged District of Columbia, and every
negro-chosen sheriff or mayor is another in
famous Boss Shepherd. Foreigners are not
blind or fools. They read even more than
we, and know more of America than
most Americans. It is true that in Europe
the burden of enormous ornaments, and of
the conscription, takes much time and
money from the citizen for the sake of the
soldier, and so long as the United States
or Texas could relieve the emlgrant from
tnese burdens, ana give MIN q chance for an
honest livelihood, SO long would immigra-
tion from Germany tend toward this coun-
try. But, looking at the subject from our
own side of the question, 1t is evident that
tins process of equalization of public bur
dens here and in Europe has already pro-
ceeded so far that we are not likely to see
such immense volumes of immigrants tend
ing toward this country hereafter. Our
public lands are measurably filed up, labor
Is cheaper than ever before in out national
experience, and the difficulties Of obtaining
a living consequently greater. We are, in
fact, ceasing to be new country, making
a vast progress by a succession of rapid
strides, and must be content to adapt our
selves to the more gradual but perhaps not
less permanent advances Of the older ma
tioualities.