The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-11-13

OF prosperous II IL Is suffering from chunc
Indigestion. No nation ON earth can digest
the shoals OF paupers of other nations, or the
shoals OF criminals or the shoals of political
agltators, men who are of SO low discrimina-
uon that they do not see that what might be
excusable under King Bomba would be au
objectionable crime under a constitution
which res poets the manhood of every man,
and only does not respect his beasthood and
devllhood.
With all our desire not to believe in total
depravity, we have to recognize the fact that
in the nations Of the Old World there is what
Mr.. John Bright has called resiudum Of
population which, do what you will with ii,
remains in condition of resistancy to all
the influences which education and beneyo-
lence bring TO bear upon ii. All men charged
with the responsibility of doing something
with this kind of population are at their
wits END TO know what TO do with it. About
the only resource left is to ship 1t to America
liIe optimism aud sentlmentalism and in
experience OF America give great encourage
ment 10 the practical exempliication of this
Idea. Then you hear the remark, EITHER
those Americans have resources of ciyiliza-
ton never before heard of in history. or they
are great FOOLS" With all the military force
OF the Roman empire, with all its genius for
law, 1t was ultimately destroyed because It
could not Sbrng its heterogeneous pOpula-
lions INTO any KIND OF cooperative unity. 1t
is true That the Roman empire had not at its
centre Christian church, vigorous in its
lie ana variable in its work. America has,
But what pastor is there who is not even
now perplexed beyond endurance with the
Denehcences without number which con-
stantly appeal TO him for help. Our churches
are In danger of becoming machineries for
collecting charitable contributions. Appeals
are made on the ground of our republic being
IN danger because of the perpetual ingress
OF foreign ignorance and foreign pauperism
inere Is limit TO the forbearance even If
-f4 10 T.kttt
we have asslmllated and AmericaniZed what
we already nave 1t seems to be necessary TO
call a halt. Not alone for our own sakes-
not alone Tor the sake of the laborer who
nncS himself, notwithstanding a protective
tariff. threatened with cheap foreign compe-
ton, the manufacturer tempted all the time
TO buy his labor in the cheapest market. not
alone for the sake of maintaining American
ideas and preserving American Institutions.
put lor tne sake OF the people and their
necessary to refuse, Immediately and
absolutely, to be the outlet Tor the
sewerage-physca, mental and moral-of
Europe and Asia. So long as Germany.
spain. Italy, England and Ireland can dump
their surplusage of incompetency and in
capabillty upon these shores SO long the
cause OF the people as against the cause of
monopoly and privilege will remain nm
remedied. Instead of helping the cause of
popular government in European countries.
corners, they are hindering it, III | was to
allege that America is in danger of becom-
Ing nation of foreigners | should be usjng
language which would seem self -contradic-
tory and unintelligible. What is a foreigner?
Evidently man who cannot be assimilated
TO the Ideas and customs of the country
where he resides. Those Anarchists. merci-
iully hanged In Chicago, were not the only
foreigners III an Englishman here wanted
TO establish monarchy and aristocracy and
prlylleged CLASSES, would he not be for
signer? When the Episcopal clergymen
tried to persuade their body to cali their
section OF the church the American Church.
tney acted as foreigners. The church of
Henry VIII, whatever its virtues and
gIaces, can never be the American Church.
ine American Church consists of all Chris
tianlZed Americans of every name and order
Ii men of other nations come mere accenting
IN good faith American, political, social and
ecclesiastical ideas, you will welcome them
In the present as You have done in the pa,t.
IL INDUSTRY comes that it may be more in
auSIrlous-li lntelllgence comes that it may
nhu Tor Itself fair field and no favor-if re-
llglon comes asking for itself nothing which
is not just as good for everybody else-not
supremacy. but equality-in the present as
IN the past you will give industry. intelli
gence and religion hearty welcome. But if
communism comes, seeking to depreciate
Industry. to lower intelligence. to destroy
reiigiOn, no welcome can you give to it, The
moment OF welcome is the moment of
tredchery To all American ideas The man
porn on American soil, even under the
shadow of the monument on Bunker Hin il
no longer an American if he votes against
INDUSTRY, Intelligence and religious equality.
Immigrants WHO remain aliens" saws
one, whether in language or in poll,
tlcal Thought, are of comparatively little
oeEent to. the country" Many of
our city governments have already become
I'M American In many cases the foreigner
In MS heart rendering allegiance to foreign
government and to foreign ideas, has stolen
Them from the American. "rhe decompos-
lng cowardlce OF partisan vote-mongering
NILS our municipal boards with boodlers, our
legislatures with leeches and our houses of
Congress with time-servers
In all our large cities foreigners who could
meyer rise to the ranks of ordinary respecta-
duty IN their own country not only get
pitched into Office by the votes of the rum
power, but when in it they are most often
slvely dogmatic and dctatorial in political
matters. In our own day the public school
system Is threatened by men who have
tTeasonaoly stolen their way into the ranks
81 American citizenship for the purpose of
degrading 1t from its original integrity. No
national calamity could be more far reaching
In Its effects than the break down of the
American school system-a system which
mas won for itself the admiration of educa-
tors in every county of the civilized world
say then, not only for our own sakes. not
only for the sake of preserving and perpetu
atlng American ideas and American institu
tons, only for the sake of the industrious
elements already here in our populations,
not only 1or the sake of religion freed from
political control, and an education freed from
ecclesiastical restrictions and deprivations,
but Tor the sakeIOf oppressed peoples abroad
for the sake of free government all the
world ovel-lt Is of the utmost moment that
American Republicanism should maintain
a W odi f.f into Hoo ~
bllify. 1t cannot maintain that moral quality
and that intellectual responsibility which
mas characterized it in the past if cargoes of
unlmprovable material are shipped here
without let or hindrance. Down and down
the republic will go under such a policy nm
til the word American would stand not for
industry, Intelligence and Righteousness, a
higher type of manhood, but for disorder.
defeat aud disgrace History would write
opposite the word, This man began to build
and was not able to finish"
Surely we all can sympathize with the gen.
nine New Englandism of the Poet Whittier's
words. suggesting as they do the kind of
light which has Illuminated the past and as
we read them the resolve must be born in us
70 DO as well in our day as the men of yester-
day did in theirs:
Yet on her rocks. and on her sands
And wlntry hills the school house stanSs;
M what her rugged soil denies
lhe harvest OF the mind supplies
The riches of the Commonwealth
Inc Tree, Str0ug minds and hearts of health.
Ana, more to her than gold or grain,
The cunning hand and cultured brain.
For well she keeps her ancient stock,
The Stubborn strength OF Pilgrim Rock;
And still maintains with mider laws
Anu clearer light the good old cause.
Nor needs the sceptic's puny hands,
While near her Scnool the church spre stands.
Nor fears the blinded bgots rule
Whlle near her church spire stands the school,
The discussion following the address
called out brief remarks of interest from
Rev. E. p. Wilson of Deering, DR.. Dana of
Portland and from Rev. L. III. Hallock and
others.
Eloquent closing remarks were made by
DR.. Thomas who believed in the power of
Christianity to assmilate in our republic
these foreign elements whenever and
it could be brought to bear upon
these elements. He could not, however
close his eyes to the fact that there is a large
and rapidly increasing addition to our popu-
ation by immigration which cannot be
by religion, and is to all intents and
purposes an unimprovable factor in our
and, menacing seriously our national safety.
The Rev L. II. Hallock moved the thanks
IL the club in appropriate terms for the able,
interesting and weighty address.
The next meeting of the club will
'e Forefather's Day session, and will also