The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1882-07-06
nl-ll Ml,NnlllltllL annMrll.

fie last census NJ the United states dis
closes the most extraordinary national Dc.
yelopment Of which history hns any oc'
count, every sheet Of II anofling new food
for ie1cc ION and causes for wonder We
are In deed and in truth the asylum for the
oppressed and tn refuge Of nations, and m
a decade or Two more we are certain TO be-
come the most mixed people on earth. What
effect such fusion with foreign elements
will have upon our institutions or character
of manhood, IL is, of course, impossi-
all now TO imagine, but the gratifying lea-
ture in the matter Is the fact that the great
majority of our immigrants spring from
our own original source, the sturdy Anglo
Saxon, are by nature true lovers OF liberty,
and hardy and fitted for the accomplish
ment of the highest aims and civilization
One thing however, we may rest assured
of. The thought of this country, from the
great multiplicity OF races and creeds, will
inevitably become the most liberal Of
the world as regards religion, politics
and society, and intolerance or oppres
sion will be impossible. We may
become wonderfully mixed, but we con
rest assured of perfect freedom. The teal
that the free introduction of foreign ele-
ments and ideas might weaken the faith in
our own peculiar modes of belief and politi-
cal institutions is not founded in reason as
the difference and constant friction oil
views will have no other possible effect
than to beget constantly greater tolerance
and freedom. In short, we may continue
to welcome the world to our shores with
! the assurance that every increasing tide Of
humanity only brings us more ideas, more
muscle, and ultimately greater wealth
and freedom, In view of, these
acts it is interesting to glance at the cen
sus,reports to see how rapidly and wonder
fully we are growing. Nothing better illus
trates the real strength and significance o.
u nation than its voting population. 1t il
the directest practical way of determining
what is the nations power and bona fide
dependence. In other countries it is diff.
cult to get accurate figures in the premises,
but by our system ofr,Iniversal suffrage il
is comparatively easy here. The round fig
ures just issued by the departments
as to our voting population,
place the total number at H.
3I3,OO5. Excluding the more aged it
will be seen that we could put an army OF
at least 100000 men in the field, some
thing that perhaps no other country could
do. OF this II 900, 900 and over 100000 are
foreign born. Our present white male
adult foreign population is therefore greater
than the total population of the thirteen
colonies which revolted from GEORGE Ill.
and this fact alone is one of the most re-
markable in history and calculated to set
reflective men to thinking In Texas we
have 391, 737 men over 81 years. of age
some 5000 of them being foreign born.
In Wisconsin the foreigners exceed the
native born by 40, 900. These are wonder
full facts, and, as before suggested, more
wildly illustrate our great growth than any
other facts of our history. The rapid intro
duction of the foreign element is seen at
glance, and the indications are now that
this elment will continue regularly TO be-
come larger year by year, until, in the next
ten years it is likely we may have more
foreign born voters than native. The re-
suits no man can now calcu-
late, but the fact is beyond
dispute that our politicians, literIti, bust
ness and thinking men must turn tn cir at
tention more and more to European
thought and customs if they would con-
tlnue to lead and appreciate the sentiment,
wants and pecuiarties of our population
OF the future. We may desire TO be cX-
elusive. and refrain from participating in
the broils and confused complications Of
the rest OF the world, but the very growth
and organization OF our society in a few
years will force us into lively interest
therein and prevent neutrality. We
are more rapidly becoming cosmopolitan az
a people, than any other On tue globe, aud
the influences of this fact upon our Thought
and manners a quarter OF century hence
will be simply incalculable. In the meau-
time the growth, which is so grand ana al
most perceptible, is the most remarkable
aud pregnant fact OF the century, and each
new inquiry therein only discloses new
causes for wonder.