The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-06-14

both native born, as well as natural
lied to aid US in our endeavors to re-
gain and maintain the rights and lib.
critics granted US under the cOnstitu'
ton.
In view Of the fact that none of the
existing parties has ever given ex-
preston to the principles of personal
liberty, we have as liberal citizens,
organized ourselves without any de-
sign whatsoever to found upon these
principles a new party but only for the
purpose of making it the task of each
one of us to use his best efforts in
his respective party in the direction
Of bringing the above principles into
prominence.
1t will be noted that really the main
point in these resolutions is found in
the second resolution. So that this may
be considered clear cut fight against
the American Sunday law. Was the
information of THE STATESMAN then
so IL UGH at error as it stated that in
formation in the second sentence of
the editorial il question, which is
herewith subjoined?
Given then the history of the crea~
ton of the association as now fur
nished by one of its members, given the
objects of the association as furnished
in it's constitution and bylaws, and
given the present purpose of the asso-
citation as now outlined 10 gather into
it other than German mericans, can
anyone cay THE STATEsMAN's edi-
torial was unfair? Can they do aught
than admit that we treated the sub
jeCt most carefully, most temperately
and with the keenest desire to serve
well all our German-American friends
and our citizens generally? This is
the editorial in question, published
Monday morning.
THE FORMATION OF A FOREIGN
LEAGUE.
We did not understand the full OBJ
ject of the call for meeting of citi-
zens to form league at the court
house last Saturday night. We I'M
derstood, however, it was to be- a
league composed generally of German
Americans and it's object was to Goa
operate in inducing the legislature to
repeal the Sunday laws and open up
Sunday to all kinds of amusements
that distinguish the day in Germany.
If this was so we are glad that there
was no response to the call, as any
distinctive league of foreign. born citi-
zens having in view the ENGRAVING of
foreign customs on American institu-
tions is injudicious and wrong and we
believe the great body of our foreign
fellow citizens agree with Us. We
have no objection to liberal indul-
gence of the kind of amusements aud
entertainments that the people born
and raised in another country are &C.
customed to, if there is no disturbance
10 the enjoyments, and in this Sunday
matter, no shock to the moral princi
pies of the people in this country.
Foreigners coming 70 this country
have all the privileges the natives
have in the enjoyment Of the largest
liberty consistent with the rights of
others that any nation in the world
enjoys and it certainly does seem that
ought to be all they should demand.
Again, we think everything ought
to be done to cultivate an American
spirit, and these people as they thro W
OF the yoke of bondage that CALLED
and tretted them in their native land
might afford in consideration of the
freedom insured them here, to respect
native prejudice5 that they
find here. Foreign born citi-
zens are passing into another
political atmosphere when they come
to this country and they ought rather
to train their lungs to breathe it than
yearn for an air that is contaminated
with the breath of a monarchy. In
other words, these people ought
thoroughly to identify themselves
with the natives in the whole homo
genous social regime as they profess
to do in a political.
1t may be that the puritan preju
dices that were brought to this coun.
try at an early day colored too deeply
religious thought on the subject of the
observation of one day in the week,
Sunday, and it may be that modern
thought desires to modify the rules
and temper the prejudices upon the
subject of that day, but the effort to
do so should not be made exclusively
by foreign born citizens, organized ex-
clusively for this purpose. If Orgsni.
cation is necessary lei it be organiza
ton without reference to native ma
tionality. Germans alone might desire
to go farther and abolish all Sunday
laws, but if cooperating with native
citizens for the same general purpose
the former would be held in check by
the latter, and the laws might be so
amended as to suit all parties without
exciting the opposition of Il g advo.
Gates of strict Sunday laws, We do
not believe IN the organization Of an
exclusive foreign element on Ameri.
can soil We give you all we enjoy
and we ask you to cultivate Ameri
canism and cooperate with us in
modifying any laws that the enlight-
ened public regards as oppressive on
any one class of men. The Sunday
laws are made to protect deep and
profound religious sentiment that
controls the whole native population
OF this country, and any exclusive for
eign influence that would succeed in
having them amended would natnr-
ally offend that native sentiment