The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-15
cHARAo ERIsrIo, or IMMIGRANTS
From the North of Europe-Fifty
Thousand I'm Washington.

-
By Frank Oleson, of Seattle:
There il no SET Of facts more thoroughly
established by Genealogical research than
those which determine the characteristics
OF races ~ their geographical position.
Apart from those elements OF character
that are common 10 mankind IN general. the
great stock Of primal human motives which
spring from the mere fact of our humanity.
there are variations of abilities and apti-
tudss which are unquestionabiy developed
from the variations Of external conditions
that surround men and races This IS A
matter Of such universal observation that
u has become proverhial in the everyday
thought Of the common people. For ex-
ample. savages who live BY hunting and
fishing, and who maintain life chiefly by
destroying other lives. are known 10 be
uercer m instinct than those who live main
y 10y culsivaung the soil Here the mere
variation IN occupation determines tn large
measure the variation in character. even
when all other external conditions are sub
stantialiy equal The characteristics OF
people who live in valleys viii differ ma
terially from those who live in mountain
Gus regions There the formation OF the
eaTth's surface produced the variation
Again. those who live in southern climates
viii differ radically from those who live IN
northern. In This case the effect is pro-
duced by the climate. and 50 on through a
long list OF conditions.
The most striking evidence that these
variations are due 10 external and local
circumstances Is furnished by the we'll
known historical fact that all the Euro
pean races spring originally from the same
parent stock the Aryans, lnhabiting cen
trail Asia. They were. undoubtedly, homo
geneous in prehistoric times, before their
migration 10 Western Europe. All the yari-
atoms exhibited by the European races
have been developed since then. probably
in a period of five or six thousand years.
There Is another fact ia connection with
race distribution which is very significant
The movement Of immigration is on paral-
lels OF latitude Northern races do not
settle much in southern climates nor south
ern in northern chimes. This is undoubtedly
due 10 the principle of natural selection.
the adaptation OF organisms 10 their envi-
r0nnent. The environment required by
southern races is different from that re-
quired by the northern. The working out
OF this principle may be observed anywhere
that northern and southern races are
brought together on this continent.
There are certain industries in which
some people are pre-eminent. Their eXpe-
rience makes them proficient. IL is the
capacity and desirability Of the northern
Immigran TO which desire more especial
~ 10 refer in this paper, and particularly 10
the Scandinavian race as eminently de-
W
ton
The problem Of securing desirable immi-
grafton has. wsh all our Western states,
become matter OF business and rivalry.
like everything else in our practical and
sharply competitive age. oregon and Cali
forna are both putting forth their most
strenuous efforts 10 secure the westward
bound immigration, and 1t will become nee
dssary for cur convention 10 give its efforts
the wisest direction possible. 50 as not to
get left behind in the race.
II is matter Of necessity. from business
point Of view. that we should secure at the
earliest possible moment the largest pos
slble inflow II desirable immigration. 1t
Is a fact. ard. though many think il should
be carefully hidden from view. / can see
no good reason for Disgusting it either from
ourselves or others. that throughout the
state and especially in the cities, we have
during the FIVE years since our admission
as state contracted a public Indebtedness
that imposes an und1ly heavy interest on
cur present population and taxable prop
errv | say that il is unnecessary 10 dis
guise this fact. because every dollar OF this
debt has been Incurred for improvements
more extensive. more elaborate. than our
present needs roqUire-improveme made
i'm anticipation Of a largely increased ratio
Of immigra improvements that such
immigration. when Il sd0es come. would
70 IT.
ia any event. improvements that leave
favorable first impression. add 10 material
and social comforts ana security, and which
VIII extend their benefits q the immigrant
fer much smaller outlay of money than
b,s bs.r re.ll.iref Of the pioneers who We're
here when they We're built.
But the class Of immigrants We require
~ hin ma carry mis- interest burden and
..,-,,,+,',ll,. l,.lt, rs make SIM other pubIie
,-r,-,,..,.e,,,..,ts must ~ wealth producers
--5is - "a vital roinf None other viii sat-
tsf,, Nd Va other class viii long feel sat-
tst3...} ,,.ftf, .,,,r state
+. fs,,- ,ear. a.,o our state syyarrled with
er,e,.,laforz frarr every quarter of ne
.rI.,f. Their chief Industry was the plat
tios az tovnsites Those * .utIemen were
ais, yk~y active i0 securing q certain class
~ t-,-,,i.--attan R,f for thair u,lrnaeas
,h-re MS o-t, one class ~ desirable i'm
,,,ts.rett,r The {u7-r7 fr~art thev wanted
-, f..s....a en- ,---,.. To WASHINGTON was tra
49,, ~ ,,.,o,s- who hq.f "a f.vs hundred r-
, fsvs thousand arp a eoo1 many thousand
s.lre~s =, f-yeSt fr town lots or acreage
ard who. ir the sIarE phrase ~ tAat Iav.
vas st,le6 n smoker" th5.k it Will he
.-..,,..~,il, conceded nos. test Neither THAR
Sass ~ immigration ro~ ths agencies that
hrou-b, tHe-n here we're as profitable 20
.ee srata as thew were ~-D~es-u1et u be.
d. 49, 49,, .,ftsr, tts case chat che so-rslfa.f
..-,folar.t lacked all csraeifv for work ~
o,,- sind THO often 49, o~lv posse ssaf the
80, r,,-f-..a or f.vg thousa~f dollars that
e.. t--.,.~A- here and y ssfffrt-~f stock NJ
.-lifet.t... -, l,.. tak.,, t~ The result f-s-
-,,.a-.1,- v-es tAat h4 was lsft stranded
...,~.f.- .tt4- hts arrival rhe h~ab.r v-srf
- ~. t..zt sri the "a. IS seller wsut ta
... s,,.t r ....hs- ~ },tt, ,f ,s,. latter
-....- e -t.,- returned broke
rs.-.. ,.-,-.-. - ,,..-.,~sv.- --4 .,...-.-