The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-08-27

The Scandinavian is our cousin, with
like instincts of freedom, secular and
religious" Major Valentine points
out the strong and attractive character
istics of the race. These can be studied
to advantage in the West, where it is
found that the Dane, the Norwegian
and the Swede become rooted to the
soil, building homes of thrift and con-
tentment. "All are good citizens, but
the Swede seems to excel, in that he
more readily assimilates with his neigh
bors and the more thoroughly tills the
soil, being the better agriculturalist."
We are not to suppose that the new
corners are uneducated. Major Valen-
tine afilrms that Sweden's public school
system is better than anything in this
country, and that to the age of four
teen the boy and the girl are better edu-
Gated than the boy and girl of Massa-
chusetts. Education is compulsory,
and none escapes its benefits" If the
freemen of Wilmington, or one of the
other towns in which the Swedes have
located, would send one of their new
neighbors to the legislature, possibly he
could solve the school problem which
now vexes the state. In a very few
words vivid pen-picture of the Swedes
as a class is given: "They are sober,
peaceful and religious in disposition,
industrious and thrifty; physically, tall
and stalwart, with blue eyes, light hair
and cheerful, honest faces; mentally,
bright and intelligent, acquiring the
English language with great facility"
No higher compliment could be APP
piled to race or class of men than
these words. The Swedes are hardy,
industrious race. They are like our
selves in essential respects. They
love the land, and men who cling to
the soil are always good citizens. It
would seem that the only thing for the
people of this state to consider in con-
nection with the Swedes is whether or
not they can be induced to come here
and settle. If, by making the condi-
tons of their immigration and settle
ment as easy as possible and by giving
them a warm and generous welcome,
they can be turned in this direction, it
is surely the part of wisdom to do this
much. Sober, industrious and inteli-
gent men are states most valuable
possession. Major Valentine gives
several reasons why he hopes Vermont
will prove a congenial and permanent
abiding-place for the immigrants. He
notes the isothermal lines on which
European immigration moves. The
Spaniard and Frenchman from the
south of Europe and people from the
shores of the Mediterranean make their
home in Louisiana and along the coast
of the Gulf of Mexico. The German,
from the center of Europe, chooses
Ohio, Pennsylvania and other Middle
States. The Scandinavian from the
North builds his log cabin in the woods
of Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, or
his dug-out on the plains of Nebraska
and the Dakotas. The line includes
Vermont, and naturally Scandinavian
immigration should flow to u.s." The
success of the Maine colony augurs
we'll for the experiment in Vermont.
The land which this colony cleared,
and on which an increase of nearly
fifteen hundred per cent in population
was made in ten years, was abandoned
by the natives, who declared it worth
less. a." 1t is believed that the induce
ments for the Swedes to settle in YER
mont are greater than those offered by
Maine or are now being offered in any
Western State. While the Maine en-
terprise was a great success, very
much greater result may be reasonably
expected in Vermont, without one
quarter of the outlay there made"
This is fair and reasonable inference.
The chances of success are so great
that the experiment is entitled to a full
and unobstructed trial.