The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1891-07-23
PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY
Democrat Printing Co.
REsSELLvILLE. ARK.
4 SERMON ON THE MOUNT.
rhis Il. public Is in No Danger From
Catholic Influences
AND NEVER WILL BE.
Catholic Immigrants Needsd-Let Them
Come and the solvent Power of
American Liberty Will
DO the Rest.

In the issue OF The Arkan IS
Methodist of July there is an edi-
torial which does an injnstico to some
good Catholic Germans in Logan
county, this state, and which, by q
mere assumption on the part of the
writer, places the people of the state
in a false and repugnant position.
| have seen for several years a
reader of The Arkansas Methodist,
and it is but fair to say that its col
umns have been singalarly free OF
intolerance towards 1issidcnt
churches. The instance cited is not
violation of the golden rule, but
rather an honest conviction honorably
presented. The going little out
of the way to find peg on which to
hang thought does not lessen the
honesty OF the writer.
While in attendance at the Darda-
nellie Methodist district conference,
held at Prairie View, and quietly
grinding the little Ratchet of Tue Ar
kansas Methodist, the reverend editor
learned from Baptist brother that
much OF the uplands were in good
state OF cultivation by industrious
Germans, who are making money
and accommodating property by farm
ing. They are more economical
than Misunderstanding nearly all
they consume, paying in barter for
what they must necessarily purchase
at local stores and keeping
out OF debt. They do not
patronize the public schools and very
seldom any Protestant religious meet
ing, this being forbidden by their
priests. They study the German
language two thirds Of the time in
their parochial schools; and, after
having been citizens Of that county
fifteen years, have very little social
intercourse with their American
ne ghbors. They are punctual in
observing their religious holidays,
and their marriage occasions are cele-
brated by day or days Of beer
drinking"
''In our candid opinion, II will be
far better for the educational, moral
AMI religious interests OF any county
in Arkansas to secure American i'm
migrants from the older states than
German citizens who will not identify
themselves with the existing institu-
lions OF American society,"
The grievance of The Methodist
seems to lie in the facts that these
industrious Germans DO not pat
ronize tho public schools nor attend
very often Protestant meetings and
at command OF their pastors, and
that they do not staay the English
language sufficiently, nor associate
Familiarity with the natives OF the
state. 1t Is not said that they fur
nish an undue proportion OF the
criminals OF Logan county,o or ia their
beer drinking become moonshiners.
Nor is this remarkable thrift and
economy along with q natural love
of olden fatherland allowed as any
nind of counterbalance. Tue writer
also omits to state whether the right
baud OF I, lowship has always beeh
extended in a friendly and SYM
pathetic spirit by those among whom
their lot was cast.
Are those Germans doing any
thing more than Americans, Eng
lish and French have done under
similar circu instances. Under the
supposition that the reverend editor Of
The Methodist lie to the manor born
and comes from the oldest possible
American stock, he might recall the
fact that his ancestry were fully 200
years in learning love Of country
and severing forever the links OF the
chain which held them to the mother
land. Even to this day societies OF
st. George are to be found and bands
of Englishmen in every state, who
refuse to give up their foreign ale
glance or Americanize them
selves. Let some untoward
aad only imaginable circumstances
transplant to-day tho reverend ed
itor himself and his choicest adj
herents to some foreign cline, and
the chances are that more than fifteen
years residence will be neces-
sary TO cbliterate their Ameri-
can language and American ways
The best wine and beer OF the
couatry may be given them with a
liberal supply Of Swei'zer wurst, and
they would, to the no small disgust
Of the natives, turn lovingly to corn
bread and bacon and whiskey
straight.
The first generation must necessa-
rily pass away before much assimila-
ton can begin, but begin II will and
continue until all viii be brought
under the sway of American life.
These Germans have come TO stay,
and il they have some things to learn
from us we have many things to learn
from them. A colony of Germans
ia every county in the state that will
constantly practice the principle OF
raising nearly all they consume and
paying in barter for what they must
necessarily purchase, and keeping out
OF debt, would be the very best in
dustrial investment any county could
make.
More white people we must have.
Under the advancing ideas OF the