The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-04-17
Cork and Canton.

Cork and Canton.
Signs are many that the old unjust preju-
dice against men of foreign birth "a preiu-
dice from which we supposed this nation,
honoring its fathers, had shaken itself free
is reviving. And strangely the Democrat
ic party, that once was the friend and strong
partisan of the immigrant, is promoting that
prejudice. Democratic newspapers, like the
Sun in New York, and the Argus in this
city, are, in correspondence and editorial
comment, vehemently insisting that we must
close our ports against ''the poor-houses and
prisons of Europe" Senator VOORHEES,
has introduced bill into Congress calculate
cd to make these editorial utterances and
partisan pronunciamentoes statutory law,
and his proposition is supported by many
Democratic journals. In advocacy of it are
adduced the same arguments that were
urged against the Irish thirty years ago and
are urged against the Chinese and Italians
to-day. We are told that the immigrants
are clannish; that they congregate in citlE
and avoid villages-like many native born
the town; that they can live cheaper and
work for less wages than we can; that they
are sworn to the service of despot whom
they hold in superstitious awe, and to whom
they look for guidance in both spiritual ana
material conduct. This despot, thirty years
ago, lived at Rome, and wore tiara. he has
secured another rent recently, has moved to
Pekin, and waves fan. But change of res
idence and fashion of clothes do not deceive
the vigilant American citizen. He sees
through it all, distrusts the foreigner who
lives frugally and works cheaply, and sounds
the soul inspiring slogans ''none but Amer
cans on guard" "America for Americans
only" "Down with foreign hordes," I'VE
don't want men who worship images, hud-
die in filthy novels, live on roots and rats
and spend less on board than the Yankee
does on beer" These cries, heard in many
know nothing lodge three decades ago, are
echoing to-day in many Democratic club
room. The scenery has been reprinted, 1t is
true, but the play is the same. Instead of
the boys of Connemara we have the hills be-
hind Canton and the marshes about Rome.
This outbreak of distrust and hatred of the
foreigner is natural and to be frequently ex-
pected. Historians make mention of 1t in
their accounts of the Indians whose lands
we took aud whom we look upon as intrud-
ers. 1t is distortion of the home feeling,
the instinct of self-preservatio n, the proper
care that one shonld take for his own which
has built up the family, the tribe, the ma
ton. With the feeling we are in entire sym
pathy; with the distortion of it we have no
patience. We hold that this country has the
right to lock its gates against all corners
whom it has cause to dislike or disinclina-
ton to entertain-as any household has to
close its doors against unwelcome would-be
visitors or importunate tramps. But we do
object when the supplicant we have, PERHAPS
unwisely, let in through the kitchen door
aud generously given the freedom of the
home, tells us that we shall admit no more
wanderers, that they are distasteful to him,
that the color or the customs of them are
offensive, and that he purposes to run the
house to suit himself.
It is, to use the phrase of that ephemeral-
ly eminent Irishman, Oscar Wilde, utterly
strange that the Irishmen who live In Amer
lea aid by their ballots the Democracy. 1t is
easy to understand why they once gave their
support and their suffrages to that party. 1t
is difficult to understand why they should
help its proscriptive policy to-day. The cry
~ for ho ANA lahnrar
be just and timely. But why should an
Irishman raise it? True, it does not affect
those Irishmen domiciled here. Most OF
those have done we'll; many of them have
made money; some of them have won high
honors in art and politics. But how will it
be with their brethren over the sea, with
these who hope to be but are not yet Ameri-
cans? How will it be with the men pinched
by hunger in the realm of whica Victoria is
Queen and Famine King and the Tax Gath |
erer and the Rent Collector Marshals sof the
palace? Do Irishmen here wish to shut out
their kindred from the untitled acres of this
land? Having Jared well themselves do hey
wish to cut off their brothers from the chance
to better their condition? Is it for their inter-
est to revive the yawp of the know-nothing
lodges?
Evidently not. They should know that
the policy of exclusion adopted will be broad
enough to cover the Irishman as well as the
Cbinaman or Italian; that the protest they
make against immigrants from Pekin and
Pisa will be made by others against immi-
grants from Parsonstown and Portaferry.
Limerick and Cork will be put on the black
list with Hong-Kong and Marseilles. We
Americans are men of liberal opinions and
wide though sometimes inexact information.
Our dominion stretches across an entire con- |
the Atlantic to the Pacific. 1t
need not be wondered at-considering the
extent of our farm aud the necessity of fenc- |
ing it in alleged by Democratic politicians and
other fence-viewers-if we mix those CONT
nents up and compare Europe with Asia, or
the shores of the Mediterranean with those
of the Irish sea. No opportunity for such a
mistake should be afforded us
by our adopted citizens.