The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-23
HOME RULE ron AMERICA.
Mayor Hewitt Thinks the Time Has Come
When Decision Must BE Made.


When = Decision Must BE Made.
New York Sun.
Mayor Hewitt wrote to the aldermen, yester-
das, that be thinks il would have been only fair
of th en- since they asked him to hoist the irish
flag with the American flag on the City Hall on
st Patricks day, If they had asked him to hoist
the German flag at half-mast with the American
flag on the day of Kaiser Wilhelms funeral
They forgot about the German flag But his
reasons for not hosting the green flag were not
based on this oversight He repeats that the
flag of any foreign nationality has business
the City Hall. He says:
This country recognizes distinction what
ever between its native and foreign born cit1-
They are all under one flag, and owe al
legi ance to the same government 1t would be
q great injury. as it seems to me. TO the rights
of orr citizens of foreign birth il any public
officer should in any official manner recognize
the existence of distinction in the nationality
of American citizens. the flag 10 the symbol of
sovereignty. The public buildings pc
culiarly the home of that sovereignty. In them
suffered to prevail Over them should float
only the flag of the country to which they be-
long. SO sacred is this right that the flag OF
the foreign minister consul floating over his
domcile ia a foreign land, converts it into
the soil of the country which he represents
The display of a foreign nag over public build
fundamental prine1ple Of ''home rule" which
every intelligent citizen advocates, and which
doubtless you intended to emphasize by your
resolution.
THE argument thus far has been placed upon
the ground of principle, and seems to me to be
unAnswsrable. But grounds OF public
policy there is abundant reason why we should,
in this city especially, endeavor to eace and not
intensity the antagonisnns which originate in the
differences OF race and birth. Up to the year
1923, when President Monroe laid down the Ia
NOUS doctrine which bears his name, we
were homogeneous people, with very small
infusion of foreign elements. Speaking of the
population of this country he says in his
sage to Congress- What is more extraordinary,
is is almost altogether native, for the emigra-
tion from other countries has been inconsider-
able" What = change has been produced in sixty
FIVE years. By the census of $780, 80 68 per cent.
of the population of the city of New York were
of foreign birth, representing thirty seven
nationaliEies. and speaking eighty different dia-
lects; 40 AZ per cent more were the offspring of
foreign parentage, making total of so. 10 per
cent. deriving their immediate origin and early
education from foreign sources. The patriotic
traditions of the revolutionary forefashers, by
whose labor and sacrifices this country was
made the refuge of the oppressed of all lands.
are thus preserved as the direct inheritance of
less than 20 per cent. of the population of this
city. Considering that since the time of Mon
roe Ii, COO, 900 of immigrants have come to our
shores, our power OF assimilation IS, indeed, lit
tie less than miraculous, bnt in the presence of
this vast tide of foreign influence it is indispens
able to erect every safeguard and to preserve
every imminent of free institutions.
t'Of these nothing is potential than the
flag of the country which is associated with
memories altogether American. Its supremacy
should never be diluted by any suggestion of
divided allegiance Let il be remern bered that
fully 20 per cent of population do not
speak the English. language, and must neceS-
slrily be ignorant OF our laws and incapable of
understanding the genius of our institutions.
To them the flag is the emblem of power, and
if the spectacle is habitually presented to their
eyes of promiscuous flags floating from our
public buildings, they cannot be expected to
recognize the fact that the only source of
power is the whole people, whose unity and
sovereignty are symbolized by the flag of the
Union alone.
"It will thus be seen that, if my views are cor
rect, the display of foreign flags on the public
buildings, appropriated TO legislation and TO the
administration of justice cannot be defended.
To their use in the private or public festivities
of the natives of foreign countries there can be
well-founded objection, and, SO far as they
tend TO keep alive tho ties of family. they serve
q useful purpose; but, whenever It 10 sought to
put them equality with the ensign of our
common citizenship, the claim must be firmly
resisted the ground of public policy and of
tt ne patriotism
81 observe with regret that my action has been
thoughtlessly denounced in some quarters the
outcome of an unfriendly disposition toward the
Irish people in their struggle for national indie
pendenes very little reflection will serve to
show to these compliments tSst IN my action
have only been giving effect the principle
upon which their cause is advocated by ali
lovers OF civil liberty, myself among the others.
and that if it be right that Ireland should be gov
erned by Irishmen, as France is governed by
Frenchmon, and Germany by Germans. then it
IS equally true that America should be governed
by Americans, and that so far as the flag is the
symbol OF home rule, it, and it alone. should
float from the seat of sovereignty.
I'm order to show that the question involved
is serious one, worthy of the attention of
statesmen and patriots, / have caused to be pre-
pared q table which gives in detail the condition
of the population of this city in reference to
birth and language. invite your careful study
OF the facts presented which will serve to show
why candidates for Office anxious to Sc
cure the foreign vote and to prove also that the
danRerline has been reached when it must be
decided whether American foreign ideas are
to rule in this city. II the warning which have
been constrained 30 give shall have the effect of
a fousing public attention to the good old-fash-
Toned American idea of home rule, homesteads,
and home products. / shall feel that have not
made mistake in the official action which my
sense os duty has required me to take.
"ABRAM s. HEWITT, Mayor"
The Mayors figures may thus be condensed:
Born of native parents, 1885 per cent; native
born, both parents aliens, 4o.47 per cent; to-
tai native born 032 per cent; total foreign born
IS. 6S per cent. of whom Irish born 1916 and Ger
man born 1885. Non-Englishspeaking population.
1886 per cent.