The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-04-26
NUMBER IA
ORGANIZATION OF CLANS.

ORGANIZATION OF CLANS.
Franklin said of the English, They
feel but they do not see." That is, they
are sensible of inconvenience wheI
they are present, but do not take suffi
cient care to prevent them; their natura
courage makes them too little apprehen
sive of danger, so that unprovlded with
the proper means of security, they are
surprised at il. When it is too late, they
are surprised at it. When, it is too late
they are sensible of their imprudence,
after great fires they provide engines
and apparatus; after pestilence they
think of keeping clean their streets and
common sewers.
This kind of after wisdom is common
with us. But, the more insensible we,
generally, are Of public danger, and in
different when warned of it, so much
the more freely, openly and earnestly,
ought, such as apprehend it, to speak
their sentIments;-thatif if possible, those
who seem to sleep may be awakened, to
denise some means of avoiding or pre-
venting the mischief before 1t is too late.
Felew Citizens, we haYe a natural af,
fection for you-and prompted by that
affection we desire tn give publicity to
certain growing evils affecting our
country, that you in your wisdom may
take measures to counteract them.
The time has come when words OF
caution should be spoken. The willy
politician, for a time, may seek to
smother them. The thoughtless may
not notice them, but he who is true tU
the welfare of his country will carefully
heed them.
The combinations of adopted citizens
in the interests of scheming politicians,
on account of race, etc, are antdgonIstic
to the welfare of the country.
All citizens of country should cher
ish a national feeling towards it. This
Is sometimes more important abroad
than at home, for they then are more
dependent upon each other, because few
IN number and among strange people.
But they should never clan together for
the purpose of resisting the laws of the
country in which they reside. While
they are enjoying the protection of a
country, they are bound to obey its laws
and to encourage others to do the same.
Neither, after becoming permanent
members of any country, should they
retain their National partialities as to
sympathize together In concerted effort
for change of institutions.
But wheI they become citizens by
adoption, they are bound to merge their
sympathies into the adopted country,
They should not, at first lead, but fol-
fow; they should not dictate, but obey
as good citizens do. Such should be the
rnnHnpf Of apninrantg 10 n thio
and of Americans who become the sub
jects OF foreign countries, If foreigners
do not like the country which they have
chosen to adopt, they should leave it, OF
passively endure what they do not like
and cannot lawfully alter,
OuI foreign born citizens do not all
practice such teachings. IL almost
every section of our country we find
them acting in concert and unpopular.
lzjng their nationality. They have their
secret associations and parades peculiar
to their native land and foreign tC
America. When pOpularized and found
to be power,they are sought by design
ing politicians, to elevate them to posi-
ton. Without such influence they
would stand among the lowest in So
cIety.
We would not include all our adopted
citizens. MANY of them are warmly at.
tached 10 our country and its institu.
tions. Thev are noble men and ar,
among our most patriotic citizens,
There is not a nation in Europe tha
would not condemn combinations o
adopted citizens Not onIy are sucl
combinations impossible in these coun.
tries. but even to obtain the right of cit
izenship in them, many difficulties arr
encountered. We consider the flexibili
ty. with which foreigners become citi
zens of this country, a question worth,
of investigation. There should be givei
to the authorities some positive assur
ance that the applicants will not onl,
renounce all allegiance to their forme
country, but that they will make worth
citizens.
We, as Americans, welcome all for
eign BON citizens to our shore and Civ
them, in becoming citizens, the righ
hand of fellowship. We welcome then
to our institutions and receive them a