The Worthington advance., 1882-04-27
THE YANKEE IN EUROPE.
How American Ideas are kevolutl onisiux
the Continent.

How American Ideas are Observation-Disclosures
the Continent.
Geneva Letter.
For good or for evil, railways, steamboats,,
and the United States are reVolutionizinp
Europe. By the mere force Of attraction,
America is acting on the populations Of the
Old world as the moon acts on the water Of
the earth. agitating them and drawing them
thitherward. the human tide is moving
westward, and every new railway that is
laid down, every new steamboat that is
built, facilitates and intensi6es tue move.
ment. The effects Of the enormous emil
grafton which is no" in progress, as we'll
on the social al Oh the political condition
of Earope, can hardly fail to be both mo-
mentous and lasting. Whole districts
a1e losing more tta half their popu.
latiou. Last year about $4,000 per-
sons emigrated from Wurtemburg, equal to
aine per thousand, nearly per cent. of the
population. From the grand duchy of Bad
en- the emigration was eleven thousand, be-
ing rather more tn Il per cent. of the pop.
uiation. At this rate, even if the exodus
does not increase, and it is increasing, Ger
many will lose one.tenth of the power OF
its people during the next ten years. But
this statement gives only an made quate idea
OF the significance Of the movement. The
emlgrants are not drawn in equal measure
iron, all parts Of the country. There are
local causes that tend to make tho move-
ment much brisker in certain districts than
in 0therB. In a spsech made few days
ago by Herr Panger, in the chamber Of depu-
ties, he said that. during the last three
years. two.thirds of the population Of the
Baden Ooerland had emigrated. At this rate
in two more years the Baden Oberland will
have los. the whole of its population. The
emigration from STi'Z er]and, though less
in proportion than from South Germany,
is sill on an extensi'e scale. The num-
Der who left the confederation last year in
the character of emigrants reached a total
OF II, 800, against I 800 in 1880, aud 4 400
ia 1879. II the increase should continue
at this rate for the next eight years, the eIn.
i8rants Of 1890 will Luuber something like
20O. 900. But this is hardly possible.
migration is ono Of those tides in the
affai1s ct men which ebb and aow,
and it Is now on the flow. It should
be remembered Oh the other hand
that. in the opinion ct the most competent
observers, the dow il far from having
reached its height, and that either war or
revolution, contingencies which are always
in the cards, would vastly swell its volume.
AA0 Ia6t Two years III which Go many was
engaged were followed by great increase
in emigration. For the present exodus sew
eral reasons may be assigned; but the
main causes are doubtless desire on the
part of those who emigrata to bet
tor their condition and escape from
the blood tax, which, in Germany, espe-
oially. ia e1aoted with such merc,less sever
iiy. On this side Of the Atlantic thers are
hard work, and not too much Of it, little
pay. scant freedom, and the consc1iption
with the contingent liability Of being called
out for service in the field and manned or
killed. On the other side Of the Atlantic,
for all but the idle. there are careers With
untold possibilities, good wages, unrestrict.
ed freedom, no enforced military service,
and chance OF war so remote as to be
hardly appreciable. The wonder, after all.
is less that 80 many 90 to America as that
80 many remain in Europe. II the Unitod
States continues prosperous it is hardly
possible that emigration should not in.
crease; for the destination of nine tenths Ut
those who cross the ocean in search of for
tune Ia the great republic Of the west.