Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-05-07
in this country great bodies of immigrants,

in this country great bodies of immigrants,
whose ignorance of American institution :,
proneness to resort to violence IN disputes
and to resist all authority by force, intense
prejudices against prosperity and wealth,
and incapacity to understand the conditions
upon which the prosperity of any industry
or of civilized society as whole must de-
pend, make them mere kindling wood for
the use of agitators where they want to start
blaze.
! Labor controversies in this country have
greatly changed their character since immi-
grafton of this ignorant and brutal class be-
came large. 1t has not escaped notice that
practically all the great outbreaks of the
last ten years have been due to this foreign
element. If strike results in violence,
almost invariably foreign hands, compare
lively recent immigrants, generally of
| low grade, are found conspicuous in the
| threatening and the riot. Broadly speaking,
the lawlessness and the rioting are import
ed. The South has almost monopoly of
| the lawlessness grown on American soil.
| In other states lawless violence is almost
wholly the fruit of unrestricted immigra-
ton. And it is becoming a serious question
how long the country can afford to import
explosive material, which is in effect social
and political dynamite, for the use of the
Anarchists and other destructive plotters
who begin to find in this country the only
safe field of operation.
Unrestricted immigration for century
was the main source Of the nations growth
and strength. For many years the immi-
grants were manly of the most valuable
class, thrifty, independent, enterprisin9,
selfsupporting, at rscted to this county by
its most valuable and progressive character
istics, and thus by principle of natural Sc,
lection, so to speak, the new world drew
from the old the very elements best calcu-
lifted to aid its DEVELOPMENT and to strength
en- its institution Even the immigrants
who brought with them least intelligence
and least faculty of approaching American
institutions were so far ready for absorb
ton and assimilation that their children be-
came valuable citizens. But there has come
great change. Instead of the best ele-
ments from other countries. this land has in
recent years been getting much of the
worst. The deliberate and systematic de-
portation of criminals and paupers to this
country by European authorities is but the
least part of the difficulty. The worst is the
tend ency to SEEK tie m )st d 'gr lded labor,
because, for time at least, il is the cheap
est.
The Chinese act was off ensive to the best
intelligence of the country. mainly cause
it involved an unfair discri ninaton. Immi-
grafton equally vile and degraded, equally
dangerous to morals and social order, was
constantly encouraged from Europe, and
there WAS pspable Unreason 10 defending
the Pacific but not the Atlantic coast. 1t
would at least be more just and reason
able to exclude immigration of un desirable
character from every quarter. IL must
be granted that the practical difficulties
are great. Ii ALL not he found easy to
frame a measure which would exclude
worthlts but not valuable ell ments, and
whith would be enforced with fidelity and
fairness. Still more difficult would it be to
bring about III, Intelligent and settled pub
lie opiaion which is necessary to secure
continuous. equsl and unvarying enforce
ment of any such measure. But the prob
lem h ,s to be faced, before long. whether
it is desirable or safe to continue the im-
portAtion Of insurr, Ions AMI riots.