New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-06
AMERICA FOR AMERICANS.


"Amcricans must rule America" said some
of tho speakers at the Cooper Union, FRIDAY
night. OF course, but who are Americans
That is the whole dispute in nutshell. Ger
tain thousands from Germany, Sweden ana
other countries arrived in steamers that Same
day: industrious and thrifty men, with wives
and families, who 90 directly to chosen homes.
Many have already purchased farms, and have
intelligence and habits which fit them TO be not
only valuable producers Of wealth. but useiul
citizens. These come because they know some
thing of the institutions of this country, ana
what they know they sincerely love. Americans
in heart, in belief, and in purpose from the hour
they land. they are admitted to suffrage In
different States as native born Americans are,
under the provisions of widely differing laws,
which were expressly framed in most OF the
Western States, to invite and encourage immi-
grafton. These States in their infancy wanted
a rapid increase Of population, and they saw
fit to offer strong political inducements when
they welcomed TO speedy participation in the
government those who should come from for
eign lands to help in their upbulding.
BY no means all of the immigrants are OF
this sort. But there are many, who find en-
ployme9t in every part of the land, who kno"
what they want when they come, and are IN the
best and highest sense Americans as soon as
their lohg-chershed desire has been auaincd.
They are Americans when they land, Just as
others are Americans when they are born ana
over them all the National flag casts its protec-
ton, The question how soon the immigrant
shall be admitted to suffrage is one which each
State has exercised the right to determine 1or
itself, and most of the States, by exceedingly
liberal laws to encourage immigration, nave
fastened the growth and the industrial de-
yelopment of which their people are now SO
proud. If this has been mistaken policy II
can be altered only by Constitutional amend
mcnt taking from the States the power 10 oe-
termine for themselves the terms OF suffrage
There arc other immigrants, not few, who
are not genuine Americans when they land ana
never will be. Years of residence here do not
give them any competent understanding or APP
preciation of American institutions. Their
only notion of freedom il liberty to wrong OF
rob somebody else, II they can get majority
to agree to it. In habits, intelligence, preJu-
diccs and clannish feeling, they are essentially
Injurious to the country and not In any sense
Americans. Neither five years nor twenty-five
make some of these persons fit for self-govern-
ment. But the law has no means OF separating
the American in heart, in understanding and
purpose from one who is not.
If il had, how many native-born citizens
| would be excluded? BY all means Americans
should rule America, and the creatures who
worship British theories British institutions
and WAYS, striving to ape the least worthy class
of Englishmen In manners, in dress and even
| in ignorant faults of speech, are not Americans
in any sense. Neither five years ner twenty
five can make them decent citizens. Their
pride is to befoul and belle the customs and in
situations of their country, to preach here the
theories which have made a million of paupers
in Great Britain, to belittle or vilify every
| leader or statesman who is truly American.
The honest truth is that these creatures are not
one whit more fit for share in self government
than the most ignorant and british foreigner
who landed on Friday to go into Pennsylvania
coal mines.
That is not all. There are native born Ameri-
cans, and not a few, with shame be it said, who
neglect every duty of citizenshipi who think 1t
refined and aristocratic to take no part in pub
| lie affairs, and to talk of politics as filthy. TO
some of them it does not seem ut all degrading
to make living by gambling in products OF
securities, by grinding the faces of the poor as
employers, by owning and renting tenetnents
which are breeders of pestilence. But it is
beneath them TO take any part in the govern
mcnt of the country. Are these people Ameri-
cansp Once more, the honest truth is that they
are less fit to govern the country than any i'm
| migrant who comes because he knows some
thing of American freedom and desires it. The
very day that immigrant lands he is more
| useful citizen than the British dude or the
| American who thinks It digni6ed to shirk his
| civic duties.