The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-12-18
HE COMPLAINS.
An Old countryman objects 10 the
Course OF an Evening Paper.

Astoria, December i3.-tEditor Asto-
rian.) My attention has just been call
ed to the following editorial In the As
toria Evening Budget'
"The nineteenth century will close its
eyes upon a people who form at least
the groundwork Of a distinct American
race. It's best representatives are Meth
er German, Irish. English. Cavalier,
Quaker nor Puritan In their ancestry.
They are the result OF the crossing.
more or less scientific. OF all these. with
a dash Of French and Spanish added.
The man who Is a mixture OF Pennsyl-
vania Quaker. Pennsylvania German,
scotch-Irish, New England Puritan and
perhaps Kniekerbocker Dutch Is much
superior TO the man descended from an
cestors who have stald In one place
and reproduced. without change, the
blood OF the Puritan or Dutchman or Of
the English families. however noble.
that originally settled in the South. The
typical American will have the blood OF
the most civilized nations OF Europe.
people not too dlssimilar. running In
his veins There will be lighting blood.
scholarly blood. commercial, agricul-
tural and artistic blood. and from the
mingling and chemical combining Of II
all will spring the handsomest and most
gifted race on the globe. We are not
vain. but we really feel sure of this.
Even scandinavians. Poles. Hungari-
ans. and Italians will have their share
In producing the perfect American race.
We do not want too many OF the last
named peoples. however. and the gov
ernment is wise to restrict their immi-
grafton"
II seems very strange to me how Il
can be possible for that paper which
during many months past has posed
as the friend and official organ Of the
fishermen. who. In Astoria, are largely
Scandinaylans. Russians and Italians,
to Justify itself In making such an ed
Itorial statement as the one above. I
belong TO the Scandinavian race my
self. and believe that as a nation we
are just as good as any, and on as
high a plane OF civilization. We have
our faults and our bad men; but the
inference conveyed In the sentence.
Even Scandinavians. Poles. etc." will
have their share in producing the per-
feet American race. seems to me to be
insulting in its tone. and for one take
exceptions to II. Have not the Scandi-
navians already done their share 40
wards perfecting the American race,
or the people OF the United States, and !
have not those OF our nation who have |
thrown in their lot in this country
proved to be good citizens, honest and |
Industrious, and have they not in many |
Instances in states like Minnesota and
oregon, taken their part in the law
making machinery of the country, with
credit 30 themselves and the districts
they represented?
II admit that the United States, nor
any other country. for that matter.
wants TO receive the off-scourings and
classes OF other nations, and
just laws to prevent such immigration
should be enacted, But when the de-
scendants of the hardy Norsemen are
classed amongst the lower orders of
civilization, every Scandinavian is jus
titled in making his protest think not
a few OF us in Astoria now appreciate
the real animus of the paper which
can utter such sentiments"
SCANDINAVIA