The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-05-04
THE RIOT m CLEVELAND.

The dispatches which to!d us OF tue
rioting and destruction Of property by
the mob at Cleve and mention that there
were few Englsh-speaking people in the
mob. It was a rabble composed almost
entirely Of foreigners"
We get now few Of the immigrants
that came here when the Irish and
Germans were populatlng our country.
our immigration now comes principally
from Russia, Hungary. Bohemia, 'oland,
and Italy. and IS the most Indifferent
part Of the population Of these coun-
tries.
What took place at Cleveland on We'd
nesday is, to a great extent, unparalleled
in this country. and it should, therefore,
direct our attention most pointedly to
the fact that the riotous and destructive
mob was composed Of foreigners who
could not speak English. and 1t ought,
therefore. 10 make us ask ourselves very
seriously If it is not time TO put some
limitations upon the immigration to this
country.
one thing is certain. The country no
longer stands in need Of immigration.
our natural increase is sufficient for
building up our waste places. DO we
owe II TO mankind TO keep our borders
longer open to the oppressed Of other
nations? We cannot see that We do.
Strong as their appeal TO our humanity
is, self preservation is the first law Of
nature and matters have now got to the
point that compes US to treat the ques-
ton as one that involves our own in
t,rests. as we'll as that Of the oppressed
foreigner.
We say all this, bearing in mind the
movement that continually crops out TO
bring foreign immigrants to the South.
While we want the emigrants OF sub
stance and steadiness, who are free Of
revolutionary principles. We have little
confidence whatever in the feasibility of
getting many of the desirable sort to
come, because of their antaSOnism TO the
negro. and though this antagonism may
be exaggerated it is for the time being
sufficient to keep the emigrants we would
welcome away from us. II is better to
build up by degrees, with good reliable
material, than TO aggregate an unhealthy
and dangerous mass of men who do
not understand the fundamental ideas
of Americans and freedom, and who
either cannot or viii not learn them.
And it is perfectly certain that we
should lament this being the case? The
immigrants who now come to this coun-
try have among their number a large
proportion of Socialists or Anarchists. 1t
is true that a generations residence
under our free institutions teaches most
of them the folly of their beliefs and
converts them into useful citizens. But
a generation is long time. and, as at
Cleveland, they make us pay a heavy
price for the good they bring to us, and
this price must rise higher as or waste
places fill up and employment becomes
scarccr; If we cannot. therefore. get
the best we are better off without the
others.
An officer Of high rank IN one of our
western railroad systems was recently
in one of our Richmond manufactures
OF machinery. He was delighted 10 see
the orderly way In which business pro-
ceeded in 1t, and exclaimed; We'll. II
your negroes bring you many curses they
also secure you the blessing of keeping
away from you the foreign Anarchists
who are the curse Of our lives"
What took place. at Cleveland should
set public opinion 10 work.