The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1882-04-27
THE YANKEE IN EUROPE.
How American Ideas arc ReVoluti0nizlng
the Continent.

the Continent.
Geneva Letter.
For good or for evil, railways, steamboats,,
and the United States are revolutionizing
Europe By the mere force OF attraction.
America is acting on the populations or the
old world as the moon acts on the water OF
the earth, agitating them and drawing them
thitLerward The human tide IS moving
westward, and every new railway tnal ID
laid down, every new steamboat that IS
built, facilitates and intensides the move
ment. The effects of the enormous emf
grafton which is nov il progress, as we'll
on the social az OIL the political condition
of E lrope, can hardly fail to be bo:h mo-
msntous and lasting. Whole dlstr1c
are losing more tba half their popu-
lation. Last year about l5,0Oo per-
sons emigrated from Wurtemburg, equal to
nine per thousand, nearly per cent. OF the
population. From the grand duchy or Bad
en- the emigration was eleven thousand be-
ing rather more tn n l per cent. OF the pop
uIation. At this rate, even if the exodus
does not increase, and it is increasing, Ger
many " i'll lose e-tenth of the power OF
its people during the next ten years. But
this statement gives only an made quate idea
of the signitc ance of the movement. The
emigrants are not drawn in equal measure
from all parts of the country. There are
local causes that tend to make tho move
ment much brisker in certain districts than
in Others In speech made few days
ago by Herr Pfluger, in the chamber of depu-
ties, he said that, during the last three
years, two thirds Of the population Of the
Baden O ,erland had e1ngrateu. At this rate
in two more Years the Baden Oberland will
have los. tho whole Of It's population. The
emf IRA ion from SSi zerland, though less
in proportion than from South Germany
is ST on an extensive scale. The num-
Ter who left the confederation last year in
the character Of emf grants reached a total
of TO- $40, aeaiust Z, 500 in 1880. and 400
in 1879 If the increase should continue
at this rate for the next eight years, the en-
grants of 1890 will number something like
100000. But this is hardly possible
migration is one Of those tides III the
fins of men which ebb and aow,
and it is now on the flow. It Should
he remembered on the other hand
that in the opinion Of the most competent
observers, the flow is far from having
reached its height, and that either War or
revolution, contingencies which are always
IN the cards, would vastly swell its volume.
The last two years in which &c many was
engaged were followed by great increase
III cu1StdtlOu. Lux liC P1CoOlt CAo1tso oCN-
5ral reasons may be assigned; but the
liain causes are doubtless desire On the
part of those who emigrate to bet
ter their condition and escape from
lie blood tax, which, in Germany, espe-
cally, is exacted with such merclless sever
". On this side Of the Atlantic tn Is are
hard work, and not too much of it, little
pay, scant freedom, and the corscilptlon
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,
ind chance of war SO remote 1t, TO be
hardly appreciate. The wonder, after all.
is less that so many go to America rs thar
so many remain in Europe. If TIE lnitoa
State, continues prosperous it is hardly
pos idle that emigration should Mt in
crease; for the destination Of nine-tenths VI
those who cross the ocean in search OF for
tune is the great republic of the west.