Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-29
Our Impending Peril.

Ex-senator Ingalls, in Truth.
curing the month Of March last Italy
contribute 1856 to our population, Ger
many sent 7.os7. Great Britain and Ireland
1855. Hungary $3.50. Austria s,4s4 and Rus
sia 1893. The addition in four weeks was
S,sSs. and in a short time the adults will be
voters. assisting in the decisions of Ques-
uons OF finance, taxation, tariff, suffrage
oomesuS and foreign policy, of whose rudi-
ments they have no more conception than
Of the blocks with which it plays.
For a century We have been insisting
Sa-s me s,S doctrines Of expatriation. The
rSlaSe q ao fhs SSlppressed We have al sung
Fourth Of July. till we find ourselves sud-
denly confronted with an appalling enier-
gency. The public domain Is practically
homes on the prairies OF the West. The
crisis predicted by Macaulay u upon us,
has Of
cal equality, universal suffrage and the I'M
precedented opportunities for work and
tracted ten million, immigrants to the
United States since 1850.
-, Before 1s4o the influx had never reached
10O, 90 In q single year. 1t has since gone
ervoir from which this inun,iation nows
land sent more than half the annual sup
ply: Then Germany took the lead, and In
two successive =, ss yea, years contributed $1,000
gary and Italy. which formerly sent none.
now furnish enormous eontingents, the
gary rom 5o.oo to 5000. and Italy above
s.. 900. These come from nations unfamiliar
with our language. laws. literature, ard
In blood and not kindred with our own.
They import their customs, hahits and
aure our Language They s are esGes ri
states and nearly all Of our large cities
number sssens rsaa
citizens. They refuse to coalesce with the
extent that in many Localities the Political
orator Is compelled to speak several
tongues in order to conduct a successful
They are sullenly reinforcing the oniinous
horoes OF nfhilfsm, communism ind anar-
fesased hSerty and social s
chasm between capital and labor. the en-
poor, the masses and the iniiliona.res.
Riots, strikes and secret combinations are
their avowed methods of relief and reform
in the mines. the quarries, the mills where
they are employed by sordid capitalists be-
cause they will work cheaper than slaves
which brutes would revolt.
we have crossed the danger line. and
every hour increases the peril An enor-
nous majority Of our trampS, pauperS and
criminals. the tenants of our prisons, asy-
lums and gibbets, our drunkards. felons
Of elections. marauders, incendiaries, bull
lies and burglars are of foreign birth, the
offal garbage and carrion of fallen and
fetid races
Public opinion is aroused as at no other
time to the necessity of limiting irrmigra-
ton and of so reforming our naturalization
and suffrage laws as to exclude rigidly
this foreign feculence-to extend the natu-
radiation period to not less than ten years
and to limit the right Of full suffrage to
completed citizenship.
The leaders Of both political parties are
pustllanimous, each fearing the appeal of
demagogues to the foreign vote, should
either advocate genuine American policy
But 1t is one of the portentous issues Of
the near future.
Aside from the moral and political point
Of view the people perceive the delusve
mockery of the demand for the protection
Of American labor, while the American
honorable competition which reduces wages
to the starvation level and permits no COM
partnership compatible with the preserva-
ton of self-respect.
We are not inhospitable, but A nation,
like any other host, has the right to select
and invite its own guests. The intelligent.
Industrious foreigner, capable OF seif-sup-
port, who renounces allegiance because he
loves liberty and aspires to become an
American citizen. will be welcome to break
bread with US and share our salt: but there
IS no room at the board for the Mafia, the
habitual criminal. the professional pauper
and the follower of the red flag.