The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-07-08

A Letter From the Editor OF the IA
coma a. Tfdende."

coma Tfdende."
TACOMA. June q, 1894.
| To THE EDITOR: A short time ago
| found an editorial in your excellent paper
in regard to my countrymen. the Noiwe-
gians, which take the liberty OF translat-
ing for my paper and give you due credit.
/ The article was commendatory OF the
Norwegian nation, and feel pleased to
say that / believe the Norwegians as ma
/ ton deserve an honorable mention from
the native-born citizens.
We come from land of liberty, so far as
! it is controlled by representatives, from
| the people in the Norwegian storthing,
| where tradesmen. farmers, merchants,
mechanics and others are represented.
The Norwegian king, whom We have IN
| common with our brotherland. Sweden.
has not, as in Russia. despotic supremacy
over any citizen. When We Norsemen
take the field outside of our motherland
| We may recall what our people have done
| in centuries past in Normandy. in France,
England, Scotland, Iceland and other coun-
| tries. They were the first. history tells Us.
| to discover America This shows that our
| nation, which IS the largest sea-faring ma
ton of the world in proportion to its popu-
/ lafion. deserves to go out in the wide world
| in order to better its condition. We have
many instances where Norway's sons and
| daughters have settled in different parts
| of the globe where the land has been
| directly benefited by the industrious and
| sound-blooded Norwegians; they have
been q great advantage to the land and
| community, and an honor to the nation
| from which they came.
| There is now much said about stopping
| immigration from European countries,
| and an expression of ill-feeling against the
| foreign citizen here now and then finds
| space in the press, not in the PosT-lNTEL-
| LIGEScER. BY such writings there will
arise an enmity between the native and
| foreign-born citizens which ought not to
find place in this country,
where all the land is, in the
possession of the European people,
and the whole difference. as far as | can
see, is that the natives happen to be born
| here, while the foreigners come here OF
| their own free will. | believe further
| that the Norwegians proved that they are
| just as patriotic to the stars and stripes 5
| the natives, as all will remember their
bravery, when side by side with the
natives, throughout the war, they shed
their blood in defense of the flag. know
there is not militia regiment and not
warship in the United States where one or
more Norwegians are not among the boys
| in blue. do not say this to secure special
| sympathy for the Norwegian nation, but
because / want to correct the misleading
howl, ''Stop' the immigration of all for
eigners," which is so often heard.
Every industrious, working and healthy
| immigrant coming to this country is a
direct profit to the United States and
loss to his own country, and instead of
hindering such immigration the people
and the government ought to help it all
they can. If this country was overpopu-
lated il would be another thing; hut as
long as We have millions of acres of unim-
proved land, which is Of no use whatever;
as long as we have richness of timber,
which by industrious hands can be used
and bring us millions of dollars in income,
beside having right here vast fish banks.
which can supply the United States, South
America and all the islands in the Pacific
ocean, will ask. is not here the place to
get in people who can make good use of
all that God in heaven has given us?
Surely these things do not belong to one
man, not to thousand men. but to eve cry
good citizen of our republic who follows
the law anu the CONSTITUTION III every re-
spect. America for Americans" is all
right, but | believe in America for every
industrious, respectable workingman, born
inside of the United States or elsew here,
who lives like a white man, acts like a
white man. and, as soon as he settles
down for good and all, adopts this land as
as his own. The fresh blood of the immi-
grated Norwegian nation is benefit to
America.
Hundreds of Norwegian families are
| leaving their farms in Dakota, Minnesota
and Wisconsin and taking land in British
Columbia. The Canadian government
knows the value of the Vikings as fishers,
shipbuiIders, sailors and farmers. The
Domision government grants special
favors and helps them in very generous
manner. About fifty miles north of Van
couver island 200 Norwegian families will
settle down during the coming year, where
there is splendid valley near the shore.
| The postmaster has promised to send the
mail twice month. and roads will be
built as soor as necessary at the expense
of the government. Some Norwegian
| families have already settled down in the
valley and are doing good work.
Remember, my fellow-citzens, that we
| Norsemen are honorably represented also
in the highest positions in the United
| States, for example, in Knute Nelson, gov
ernor of the state of Minnesota. He is as
| much a benefit TO the state as all honor To
| our nation. | find the Norsemen repre-
scented IN congress and in legislatures;
find them holding positions as United
States consuls In foreign ports; as custom
| officers in the north of Alaska. Does
| the United States want to stop men who
are able to hold such positions COM
ing into the countryi Draw a line.
| There is great difference between the
| immigrants. Leave the door wide open
for the industrious class and shut ii tight
| against those who come here only for
selfish or bad purposes and are injurious
10 our glorious country. Let 40 bad feel
| ing be allowed to come in between citizens
born here. in Canada or Europe. The day
may come when We may have TO stand
hand by hand, so let Us work in har-
mony as good and faithful citizens.
DIRK BLAAUw.