Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-05-08

/ industry anu promote CollHuSIcidi anu
wealth producing progress. All the ma
| teriai advantages to be derived from the
4 flow of foreign blood into the American
system may be conceded, in fact, but it is
well to realize that there are other con-
siderations to be taken into account in
which the beneficial effects of this immi
grafton are not so conspicuous. 1t is OBJ
vious that the time has passed when there
are any urgent demands for such aids to
the growth of population as immigration
affords A nation of forty five millions must
certainly be able to perpetuate itselfwithout
extraneous assistance. Its own natural
increase will in a few generations furnish
claimants for all the openings which are
available. With so magnificent a nucleus
it may well be doubted whether the CONT
nent is too large for the settlement of the
citizens of the Republic as it stands to-
| day. No one can cast glance backward,
and note the almost miraculous rapidity of
this nations growth, without recognizing
the possibility that within comparatively
brief period the domain of the Republic
may become all too narrow. Yet we are
asked to believe that notwithstanding this
swift increase there is nothing to appre-
bend from the addition every year of from
a quarter to half million of new contest
ants for bread, to the population, and we
| 1oI 10 81, m q
BILE result of this abnormal accretion, and
unite in rejoicings over the conditions
which bring to US the surplus adventure
and discomfort of Europe. And though 1t
is plain that this is a grave consider
alton, it is really by no means the
most serious one which the subject
of immigration brings us into con-
tact with The most serious considera-
ton is political, not material, and it
is one which has been engaging the atten-
| ton of American thinkers more and more
for several years past. The safety of
democracy such as ours must ultimately
depend upon the intelligence and har-
monious action of the people. A deep and
abiding sentiment of patriotism is the
only foundation upon which a solid and
stable government can be established.
But patriotism is not property capable OF
being transferred or purchased. 1t cannot
be conferred by the process of naturaliza-
ton. 1t cannot be instilled even by edu-
cation, unless that education is commenced
at the very beginning of mental develop
ment 1t is a growth of established set
Element, of full adaptation to the environ
ment, of long familiarity with our institu
lions and traditions. And however i'm
migration may avail us in producing
wealth, it is very seriously to be doubted
whether it can strengthen that love Of
country which is the main recourse in
time of danger and difficulty.
Granted that our immigrants are all
well -disposed, conditioned, and meas
urably reasonable. 1t is nevertheless clear
that the majority of them must have ev-
erything to learn concerning the govern
ment under which they have chosen to
live, and that in the ordinary course of
things they will find little time for the
study of American politics. We are not
now merely specializing upon abstract pos
sibilities, but we are writing with specific
results of the infusion of foreign blood into
the community, before US. The extraordi-
1 ~ l.
which has been so marked feature of re-
cent agitations in the United States, un-
questionably indicates one of the natural
consequences of too hasty effort at the
assimilation of crude material. For it is
certain that the American Communists
have in every instance enormously as
cribed to our institutions and govern
mental forms effects such as are found
only in European countries, and that
their most Incorporate attacks have
been consequently directed against
imaginary evils. Now this kind of
error could only have occurred
among men ignorant of American govern
mental policy. No American citizens born
and bred could have fallen into like delu-
sions But the newly arrived foreigners,
familiar only with abuses such as despotic
governments create and shelter, jumped to
the conclusion that similar evils existed
here, and naturally resorted for redress to
the turbulent and undemocratic methods
which they were accustomed to in their
original homes. The cratic and anomalous
character of these movements has per-
picked many observers, who have been in
able to account for the reproduction on our
free soil of outbursts which had not and
could not have any just reason for exist
ence here. The mystery is explained,
however, by the theory of an excess of
crude and undigested material in our popu-
lation, and these movements towards Com
munism accentuate danger which is not
likely to diminish so long as the present
rapid influx of immigration continues. The
| foreign element cannot be expected to as
simulate politically any more than socially
without due time for change. No foreigner
is so radically Invested of his former
habits and customs as to be socially I'M
distipguishable from born American,
after residence of five years in the United
States. If he comes here as an adult the
strong probability is that his character is
fully formed before he lands, and formed
on foreign model But We have taken
no note of the slow process of adaptation
to new surroundings which nature follows,
and have sought, by an arbitrary rule, to
condense the work of half lifetime into
half decade. The results of this expert
ment are becoming more alarming every
year, and every observer knows it. Strange