Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1891-10-02
America for Americans

Mr.. Over, commissioner of Immigration rvbo
framed the present law while he was a me,nhor
of the house says: I'VE have already excluded
the Chinese. The day is coming when it will
perhaps be timely question whether some other
nation shall not be excluded This expression
finds widespread echo of approval and is one
of the leading topics of the day and promises to
be among the foremost of the questions that will
receive the attention of congress this winter
Of course, we realize that it is subject that re-
quires delicate handling and the combined good
Judgment Of our wisest statesmen, but it is none
too soon to agitate this subject
The future of this republic largely depends
upon the class of men we admit to citizenship
and especially when immigration is 50 largely
on the increase OF late there has been a very
large percentage of very undesirable immigrants
allowed to land on shores, and to colonize
themselves in quarters which have already
assumed too much of foreign character to hsr
monte with our ideas of American citizenship.
In this city there are districts where the Ian
guage of this country is unheard and absolutely
unknown, where the people have lined out their
own forms of government and are ruled over
by chosen leaders, who are the makers of the
laws, and who administer them according to
| their own whims and fancies. There are other
alien colonies where slave masters control and
direct their minions, and who farm them out to
labor, and secure their earnings just as is done
in their native land. These people know abso-
lutely nothing of our laws, neither do they care
to learn them, and so long as they commit no
overt act which brings them in direct conflict
with the police, they are allowed to dwell in
comparative peace
No other country on the face of the globe
would permit this herding together of ignorant
classes in this kind of colonial settlement This
| class of people is of no value to the country.
and, IN fact, is a very dangerous element in
society. And we are heavily taxed to keep up
police force with which to keep them q, der con-
troll and overawed No amount of moral suasion
serves any good purpose with this class of people
when aroused by some fanatical leader, and it is
only by constant and ever-present physical
force that they are kept in subsection. All these
new social conditions of alien life in America
are at utter variance with the constitution of the
country, and our forefathers never dreamed that
we of this generation would ever have permitted
| this fair soil to be smirched by these alien
hordes, who have gained an abiding place in our
great cities, and who are colonizing certain
sections of our inland territory
| 1t is high time that we awoke to the threaten
ing aspect of our relations to the Iow-class for
eigner who has been and is crowding in upon
us. 1t is a matter of vital Importance to all who
claim to be Americans, whether by birth or by
| adoption-in the true meaning of the word
and the day viii surely come when we shall have
serious trouble with this element, if we do not
at once set about correcting this growing evil
| by prohibiting colonization of nationaIities in
| 7isting upon one language for all peoples who
| come to our shores for permanent residence, and
compelling them to abandon foreign manners
and customs and be like unto US in action and
speech. If immigrants do not wish to conform
to our methods let them stay at home. We do
not want anyone here who will not Americanize
| himself.
There are thousand5-yes hundreds of thous-
| ands-of adopted citizeas here who are Just as
truly Americans those who were born and
bred in this countrywide understand Just as
well our laws and constitution, who are Just as
solicitous for liberties, just as ready to give
| their property, and if need be- their lives, in
defense Of the republic. 1t is such foreigners
as these were when they came here that are well
! come and to whom we extend the hand of good
fellowship
America for Americans means America
not only for Americans born, but for all those
who are able and willing to become loyal citi-
zens of the republic Such citizens we need and
are glad to receive, whether they come from
Great Britain, Irelan :, Germany, Scandinavia,
Switzerland, France Spaine or elsewhere; for
the other kind we have no use, and they ought,
SO far as that can be done by legislation, to be
excluded.-New York Mail and Express