The record-union., 1891-02-24
'OUR COUNTRY And OUR CHURCH" /"
A Sunday Discourse by Rev. R. NJ
Stevenson.
He Sees Danger In the Alleged Tend
ency Toward Establishing Foreign
Institutions Over Here.


sermon on the above subject. If there is
any time in the year, he said, when it is
fitting to consider the condition of our
country, the dangers threatening it and
what is being done for it, it is to-day, the
anniversary of his birth, whom we
proudly call "The Father Of Our
Country"
This is an exceeding good land,'' far
grander and richer one than that which
the Israelites described as flowing
with milk and honey" reaching beyond
the fairest dreams of Washington and his
contemporaries. But after We have been
in it many generations we are still in the
situation that Gods ancient people were
who stood on the threshold of Canaan.
AS there were difficulties before them
which caused them to tremble, so there
are difficulties before us which may well
cause us to pause with apprehension, and
yet, with Caleb and Joshua, the Christian
people of this land may say Let US go
up at once and possess it, for we are we'll
able to overcome it."-Num. xiii, so.
Let us look at some things that cause us
apprehension and which we must be pre-
pared to meet.
Look toward Wisconsin. Two-thirds
OF its people are foreigners. Onehalf of
them are Germans. Out OF 81, 900 people
in the city Of La Crosse only one-fourth
speak the English language. TWo-thirds
OF the people of Milwaukee are Germans.
What OF it?" asks some one. Why,
such cities and whole counties in that
State are little Germanies Shall Wis
consin become Germany in the midst OF
America? That is the trend of things, for
the German language ana German Gus
toms prevail there. And if Wisconsin
shall become another Germany, why not
Texas, where whole counties are given
up to Germans, as in Wisconsin? Then
New York City, with her 100000 Ger
mans, shall have a Germany within her
borders, as Cincinnati has i'll her lover
the Rhine" And Chicago, with her 250,-
900 Germans shall have another.
1t is not necessary to speak disparag-
ingly of the German people, but we have
a right to demand that they shall become
Americans and conform to our language
and customs if we adopt them into our
family, and TO do otherwise is a source of
danger.
If Wisconsin shall be Germany, why
not Minnesota a Scandinavia? And if we
once open the door to such privilege,
why not give up part of tha country to
the Italians, and another to the Hun
garians, and so parcel out our beloved
land to the nations of the earth.
From 1870 to 1880, $500 600 immigrants
came to our shores. From 1880 to 1890.
y
that the tide may not be doubled again
from 1890 to 2000? But notice the change
In the character of our immigration. For
merly our chief immigration was from
the north of Europe. Over 80 per cent
used to be Irish, 80 per cent. German, and
the other 20 per cent. from the north of
Europe; but now the Irish have almost
ceased to come.
Notice this contrast. Less than 80, 600
from England and Scotland came last
year; but $4,000 Italians came, and 56, GOO
Hangarians, and $4,000 from Russia and
ton swelling with rapidity, but it is
bringing to us the most filthy and de-
graded and undesirable classes.
Here is another thing you must notice,
just at this time when manual laborers in
our streets are clamoring for work, viz.
of the 356,3l0 immigrants who came to
this country last year, 239,644 were COM
mon laborers. Only five per cent. were
farmers. They are not pushing out to
open up our great uncultivated lands, but
crowding the already over-crowded
portions of the East.
No Intelligent man can look at the fact
that our immigration is increasing 50
rapidly, and at the further fact that its
character is changing for the worse, and
at the further fact that so per cent of the
increase for the last eight years is of per-
sons without occupation or training, and
welfare of our country.
We all know the danger of taking more
into our physical systems than we can
digest, and a corresponding danger lies
before our country in receiving into her
midst a great mass of people whom we
cannot aSsimilate. In view of the fact
that the increase in immigration for the
last eight years was 81 per cent. greater
than for the eight years just preceding,
and in view of the fact that steamship
lines and railroads are advertising all
over Europe and sending their agents to
eXaggerate the advantages of this land.
we can only look for the state of things to
grow worse instead of better, unless our
Government is more successful than it
has been in changing the character of the
Immigrants coming to us, and this it
finds exceedingly difficult.
There IS not time to take UP and exam
inc all the things which threaten the well
fare OF our land, but there is one so over
whelmingly perilous that it would be a
carlcature TO speak on the evils threat
ening us and pass this by. 1t is needless
to say | refer TO the saloon.
Men may talk of the tariff and reciproc-
lty, and thousand other things, but
there IS nothing relating to our national
life so much needing to be considered as
the saloon.
Nothing is soimpoverishing the people.
nothing is laying such heavy burdens
dDOl III lllG III Ol GsiAtS us the S3lOOn.
Nothing so increases the number of
criminals and the number of paupers as
the saloon, and 1T is great producer of
lunatics and idiots. Men may point here
and there and everywhere else, turning
the attention of the people to other points
of danger, but the people know, ana they
know that the peculiar point of danger in
our land to-day is the saloon.
And / trust none of us viii do as a man
did in st. Louis. He was asked to take
an interest in just this question, and re-
fused. When pressed to do so he replied:
Gentlemen, it is not my business" A
few days after that man is walking up and
down the depot platform, pale and dis
tressed. He came down to meet his wife
and daughters on an incoming train, but
he has learned that an accident has oc-
CURED down the road.
He telegraphs to the Superintendent,
81 viii give you $500 for an extra en-
gine." The answer flashes back, NO"
Il will give you 81 900 for an engine"
"A train with surgeons and nurses has
already gone forward and we have no
other" comes back the reply.
A quart of whisky which was drank
fifty miles away, by railroad employe,
was the cause of the catastrophe
1t is some of his business now. He
PAGES up and down that platform for a
half hour, and when the train pulls in,
the lifeless, mangled bodies of his wife
and one daughter lie in the tender and
IN the car following lay his other daugh-
ter, with her precious life fast ebbing
away Do you suppose that man ever
SAID again of the saloon business, sit is
not my business?n
Nor can you and I turn away from
this terrible evil that is impoverishing
and degrading our people by saying, at
is not my business
A Cain may ask, Am I my brothers
keeper, but you and / can not ask it, as
he did, if we are disciples of esus Christ.