The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-04-10

THE ITALIAN IN.POLlTlCS.
! WASHINGTON, April 9-Politicians OF
| both parties who are in Washington are
giving considerable thought and attention
! to the questions which are to form the is
sues OF the presidential campaign next
year. 1t is true that their glances into the
future are largely discounted by the fact
| that the next congress will doubtless fur
nlsh the bulk of the campaign material for
| both parties. The tariff question will not
down and the problem of an increased cur
rency has yet to be settled, while score of
other less important topics may all be act
ed upon IN one way or another ere the
| nominating conventions meet next spring.
| There seems to be drifting away from
war issues The defeat of the force bill
| was largely due to the almost total apathy
| in the public mind as to its fate. There
was general feeling that it was a parti-
! san measure aimed at the south, and the
| nou-support which it received from the
masses indicates that sectional questions
/ will not again agitate the country unless
| the present conditions are radically
| changed.
| While there is no possibility of re-
vival of the fanatical KnowNothing cam
paign, the events of the past few weeks
| point to the possibility of a strong senti-
ment in favor of America for the Ameri-
cans as an issue in the next campaign
| This feeling has cropped out with more or
| less y!ruiency ever since the famous Hart
ford convention complained of the ease
with which foreigners became full-fedged
citizens. Then, in 1885, a ''native Amer1-
can party" appeared in New York city, but
was never more than local in its influence
and soon disappeared. Some seven years
later another political organization of the
same name existed for year or two, with
headquarters in New York and Philadel-
phia. Finally in 1852 came the Know
Nothing movement, which stands today as
the climax Of that peculiar national feel
ing which believes that foreigners have
no rights which Americans are bound to
respect.
The know-Nothing party was similar
to the Farmers Alliance of the present
time, in that it was secret, Oath-bound
organization. 1t was so exclusive and
mysterious, however thatits name nature
and objects were kept secret even from its
members until they had reached its higher
degrees. Their consequent declaration
that they knew nothing about it gave the
society its popular name, although its
proper name was the American party. Its
object was to oppose the easy naturaliZa-
tion of foreigners and to aid in the cleo
tion of native-born citizens to Office. AT
first by indorsing the nominations of one
or the other of the two great parties, it de-
cided many elections Like the Alliance,
it contented itself at first with carrying
state elections, and when it had achieved
some success in this direction nominated
presidential candidates After that time
its southern members gradually united
with the Democracy, and the KnowNoth-
ing party disappeared from politics.
But, like the scar that is left to tell the
tale of inoculations, the Know Nothing
movement could not live and have its be-
ing without leaving trace behind. The
passionate appeal of Kate Field. which
was published few days ago, sounds the
key note of what may be a rallying cry in
the next campaign. In the national plat
forms of 1888 both parties, while avoiding
reference to immigration itself, vigorously
demanded that the importation of foreign
contract labor should cease. The position
of the Republicans is quite emphatic.
1--WE declare our hostility to the intro
duction into this country of foreign con-
tract labor, and of Chinese labor, alien to
our civilization and our constitution, and
we demand the rigid enforcement of the
existing laws against 1t, and favor such
immediate legislation MS will exclude such
labor from our shores"
1t is regarded as quite within the range
of probability that the national platforms
next year will go a step further than this
and favor restrictive immigration laws, |
or they may recommend that all for |
olSntrS WHO engage III business III the :
United States and enjoy the protection of |
this government shall become naturalized |
citizens
If Italy had not been so aggressive the |
issue would not have been so we'll defined |
AS it is the attention of the people has
been directed from New Orleans and cen
tered upon Rome, the very possibility of |
war has quicked the public pulse, and the |
enormous influx of foreigners, aggregat-
y d
cradle discussion. If the sentiments that |
are now expressed privately by senators !
and representatives of both parties in
Washington find an echo in the platforms,
thay will make interesting reading.
The last congress passed new immigra-
ton law, which its trainers believe will
keep out all the bad immigrants and ad-
NIT only the good There are others, how
ever, who do not take this hopeful view,
and who think that the measure was a
weak compromise. 1t is the almost uni
Versal belief that the next congress will
Undertake to make some radical changes
the immigration laws. Representative
of Tennessee, who is in the
,ity, is of this opinion. He does not think
hat it will be party matter, but antici-
oates that the reform will be urged by
men of both parties.
There is no objection" be said 'to re-
,eiving into this country men who propose
% become law-ablding, good, and useful
citizens like the Swiss colonies in nv
tate. But there are hundreds of thou
ands of others who came here with no
dea of assimulating with US, who have no
or respect for our laws, and
who are certain, in course OF time, to
,reed mischief. These people will not
wen become amenable to our laws and
institutions by taking cut their natural
cation papers.
When land was plenty" continued Mr..
al Europe poured itself
through our doors and found homes But
low uaoccupied land is scarce and if the
'eople of the United States want any OF it
or themselves there must be some restric-
ion of Immigration. / feel sure that
borough discussion of this whole question
: inevitable in the next congress.
Whether any law viii be passed to enable
he federal government to enforce It's
reaties, / cannot say; but it seems 10 me
hat as the foreign governments uego-
lated these treaties with full knowledge
f our constitutional form of govern
lent, they cannot now come and ask US
0 revolutionize our system simply TO
blige them"
TlC IiNiNM CAHTtE Nff9