The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1894-10-27

the problem of self-government, and
make its issue more problematical
than otherwise it would have been.
There is no constitution conceiva-
ble which is SO abstractly excellent
as to be applicable to all nations.
Every known system of government
is completely adapted only for the
people which evolved it, and of whose
spirit and historical tradition it is
legitimate expression. 1t may by
stretch be applied to a people differ
emily constituted; it will in that case
work less satisfactorily, and the alien
people will instantly take it in hand
through the suffrage, and gradually
tit it to to their physical and moral
condition. 1t is this very thing which
is taking place in the United States
today. Our people is no longer what
it was a century ago. Fifteen million
immigrants, many of whom were the
subjects of despotically governed
countries, have since 1920 taken I'm
their abode among us; and if we take
their descendants into account. we
cannot escape the conclusion that
scarcely one-half of the American ma
ton today are of American origin.
that is descendants of people settled
here before 1920. l cannot but be-
lieve that Gin spite of much that
points in the opposite direction) many
of the sinister phenomena in our
present political condition are due to
the changed characters of the elector-
ate and its lack of ability to work
representative government for the
greatest benefit of the greatest num-
Der. am we'll aware, of course, that
the widest political heresies have
found their adherents in States like
Kansas, Mississippi and Colorado.
which have attracted comparatively
few aliens; while Wisconsin and Min
nesota, which are preponderatingly
German and Scandinavian, are fairly
well governed States, with an inte.li-
gent and wholesome conservative
electorate. This fact proves only that
American birth is in itself no guar
anty of political maturity; and that
aliens of kindred blood may make
very excellent American citizens. The
German element in our population in
fact has always been most valuable
one, and furnished needed counter
polse against the mercurial, volatile.
emotional Celtic.
have often discussed with promi-
nent Europeans the problems which
beset our national life, and they have
invariably declared that any sort of
government would be workable in the
United States as long as we are not
confronted with that sternest of all
problems-the pressure of our popu-
lation. They told me that It was
madness to encourage immigration
after the warning which we had re-
ceived, that in fact we had been orow-
ing too fast for our own good. Our
present duty is to assimilate and Am
erlcanlze our vast alien population,
and to throw every obstacle in the
way OF immigration until we have ac-
complished this difficult task. Ouy
national domain is now nearly all oc-
cupied. No desirable land can he
obtained any more in any State under
the homestead law; and the result is
that an even larger proportion of i'm
migrants remain in our large cities,
where they constitute a proletariat,
living from hand to mouth, having
no stake in the welfare of the State.
and therefore ready to listen to the
Socialist and the Anarchist, and per-
haps in time take hand in reyolu-
tionary proceedings.
1t is largely as a defence against
this class that the standing armies
are maintained. We have no mills
tary establishment worthy of the
name; and it is therefore extremely
reckless to permit this disproportion
ate increase of an element which by
its mere existence weakens and un-
dermines the foundations of social
order. A man who permits the ac-
cumulation of explosives ana inflam-
mable material in his cellar should
not be surprised if one day his house
catches fire and is burnt over his
head.
NEW YORK CITY.
Emparor Williopnso ranoo IL 4L.Al