Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-03-27

The German Colonization Movement.
While Germany has always contributed
largely other population for settling and
developing the resources Of new countries
in various parts ct the world, she has
never turned this cliuN of energy and in
dustry to account 10y the establishment of
colonies enjoying her protection. The
reason for this is not that the German
people lack the enterprise the energy, the
organizing spirit necessary for the plant
ing of successful colonies in foreign cuun-
tries but that the state of the German ma
ton has been such that this energy and
spirit could not he brought into play.
Germany has but recently outgrOwn the
feudal system Its history has been large
ly that of a COntederaCy of several powers,
striving to attain union without ccntral-
zation-tO enjoy the advantages of Il great
nation without submitting to the supreme
authority of national government. Tn
der such a condition of affairs the estab-
lishment of colonies was recognized to
be impossible. The colony would either
have outstrippcd the province, and been
no longer Il colony, or else, failing Of the
necessary protection and assistance from
home, it would have persisted. or become
absorbed in the larger colonization enter
prise of some other nation.
Having emerged from this condition
and become a great and powerful nation
under IA central government, it is not at
all strange that the idea of colonization,
hough late, should have taken possession
of the German mind. The nation is be
l1.. Il t,,,ft
vitality which the steady and enormous
outflow of population has occasoncd.
The emigration has been silent, but il has
been deep, like the current of great riv-
er. Probably, no nation but Ireland, has
lost so much of its population without Il
corresponding return, as Germany. There
are millions of Germans in the United
States, hundreds of thousands in Russia,
England and the scandinavian States.
thousands in the South American prov
inces, and even national hatred has
not kept them out of France, where
they are said to form no small
part of the population in the great
centres of industry and trade. In
Australia certain regions have been vir-
tually populated by them, and in the
neighbUring groups of islands the settle
ments are composed almost entirely of
Germans. Add to the fact of the extent
of this immigration that other fact, well
known in all countries which have been
favored by German immigration, that the
average German possesses in the highest
degree the necessary qualities for develop
ing the resources of the territory to which
he goes, namely, industry, perseverance,
economy and a law-abidng disposition,
and we can readily see why Germans
should be welcomed as immigrants, and
why Germany should be alarmed at the
drain upon her national life.
Bismarck meets this feeling and allies
himself with popular movement, in his
scheme for the exploration and COLOMBIA.
ton of the African coast. England must
stand back-much as she dislikes to-and
give Germany Il chance to plant few set
Elements in this remote quarter of the
habitable globe. The TeutOn comes late
to claim his portion, but what he does Oh
tain he will be sure to make the most Of
The German heart is all ON fire with this
new movement of colonization. Already
New Guinea, New Britain, New Ireland
and St. Lucia Bay fly the German flag.
England grumbles over the loss of even
the names which she had given to these
German settlements. The malcOntentS
and the ultramontaneS can not check the
movement the great chancellor will prob
ably once more ride high on upon the tide
of popular favor, and the government will
be upheld by its championship of nation
al idea.