Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-01-20
THE ALARM ABOUT 1nmIeRArIoN.

The constant, systematic and increasing
tide of foreign immigration pouring into the
United States has had tendency TO revive
knownothingism. Men of narrow and con-
tracted views, and ignorant as to our ability
to furnish homes, employment, prosperity
and happiness for all the people in the civil
lied world are impressed with the belief that
if the tide of immigration continues We will
soon have a surfeit OF population, and stag
nation and struggle for existence will be
the result. There is no occasion for any such
alarm, as the facts show that the whole OF
France could be emptied into California, and
the whole of England into Texas without
producing density of population equal to
that now in Massachusetts,. 1t will be time
enough to talk about too much population a
hundred years from now. But this subject
has already attracted attention. In an arti-
Gle headed How Much Population do We
Want" the ST. Louis Repubican says:
Our country began the present century with a
population of 5 eos OOO it now has 80, 1000. The
increase has been ninefold in eighty years The
growth in the last decade was over thirty per cent
This rate, If continued will give us IS, 600 900 in
1890 and 81 500 600 in l900-a growth from sos 900
able the ten-year-oId children of to day, when
they shall have reached middle age, 10 look upon
reputation OF 100 o9S COO and BY the time t sney
upon population OF 2S7, 600, 600. These are stag
gering fgures. 1t is hardly conceivable that our
present rate of growth will be maintained for sixty
years to come, for even If immigrants should con-
tinue to come to shores in such armies as now,
repeI them. There are few children, If any, now
living who will be willing to see 200 0e9 900
time VIII come. then when we
is enough. Interesting
question which we shall need TO discuss, perhaps,
sooner than we imagine: How much population
do we want? At what point shall we shut down
the gates against the intowing tide from the Old
World. and declare that it shall flow in upon us no
longer? Just at this time we are welcoming all
immigrants who come, and even taking some
trouble TO invite and encourage their coming; and
absorbing and assimilating the enormous
annual aecessons with a robust yoracity that as
tonishes the world. But this cannot last many de
end there viii be exhibitions of Impotence among
the laboring classes at the continuance OF move
ment which threatens to break down wages and
make the struggle for existence sharp and painful
1t may be wise craftsmanship to discuss
this important question in advance and to
provide against evils that are likely to result
in the remote future, but there is certainly
no cause for serious trouble ahead 1t is
impossible for the tide OF immigration to be
go continuous and so large as to produce dis
tress and dangerous connections. Ii France,
with its immense population, is prosperous
in country of less area than one of our
States, Texas, with its rich and productive
soil, could swallow up the whole of Europe
and still have ample elbow room. Why,
Cfittenden county, opposite Memphis, would
be able to feed the entire population of one of
the smaller empires of Europe if all its lands
were in cultivation and protected by leyees.
But the immigration from Europe will in
ume until Europe is rid of its surplus popu-
lation, but then the flow of humanity to
America will cease. The wonderful pros
perity in the United States and the general
depression in Europe have given an i'm
petus to immigration. The first reversal of
this incentive will not only stop
the tide of immigration, but
cause it 10 some extent TO flow back to
Europe. The people OF the United States
should not discourage immigration, but
endeavor to Americsnize America. Our
people should absorb the foreigner and
induce him to assimilate to our institutions.
If knownothingism had prevailed, the for
eigners, deprived of their civil and religious
rights, forced to pay taxes without represen-
tation, and to obey laws which they had no
voice in making, would have been an army
of aliens in our midst, enemies to the insti-
tutions which ostracised them. But thanks
to the Democratic party, acknowledgment
was crushed out, and now the American peo-
pie protest against that new phase of know
which has made its appearance
in the shape of foreigners banding together
and demanding office because they are for
eigners. This exaction is an abuse of the
of the American peo-
pie. The mission of this republic
is not to give men Office because
they had their origin beyond the sea, but
to afford equal opportunities to all men,
without regard to nationality. The Amer
ic an people say to the oppressed of Eu-
rope, -emigrate TO America; leave the
land where men are quarreling over its ira
where thousands OF tender mothers
have cried until the fountains of their grief
are exhausted, and with parched lips are
bewailing with unspeakable anguish that
there is no way in which they can procure
food for their children; but in locating in
America you must not affront us by organ
lzlng as nauonalltles and demanding office
because you are foreigners. This is not the
way to Americanize America, which has no
symbols save those of civil and religious
liberty. 1t is not a matter of the slightest
10 the American people as to the
birthplace of citizen. Here all
are within the grasp
OF energy aud patience, and here
the only royalty or nationality is merit,
honesty, heart and brain. Here we have
free lands on which to produce bread, and
free schools in which to educate your chill
dren, and where the air is so pure that the
mists of wrong and oppression can never
exist But it should be remembered that if
the American people arose in their majesty
and crushed out knownothingism because it
proposed to give Office only to native Amer
leans, they will with the same indignation
crush out that knoHnothingism which claims
Office for foreigner upon the ground that
he is foreigner.