The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-19
LOYALTY OF THE FoREIGN-BoRN.

weeks or even six months.
LOYALTY OF THE FOREIGN-BORN.
Native Americans are patriotic, they are
enthusiastic in their way, but their way is
certainly not demonstrative. During the
war with Cuba they have taken an intense
interest in the news; they have talked war
and thought war; they have read newspa-
pers as never before; they have hung out
their flags; they have stopped before bull
letn boards as they went to and fro, and
they have cheered over victories recorded
thereon; but, having learned the news and
having cheered, they have gone on quietly
about their business. They have not cell
ebrated those victories in any formal way.
wonderful achievements though they were.
The country, from Florida to the State of
Washington, and from Maine to California,
is proud of Dewey and Schley, of Hobson
and Wainwright and Shafter and all the
rest, but it has not stopped it's accustomed
routine to give public expression to it's
opinion of those men and their deeds-deeds
that have brought an honor and distinction
upon the country that it has hardly known
before. What is true of the people as a
body, however, does not apply to citizens
by adoption. They are delighted over the
victories on sea and land and are taking
pains to show their joy. From the begin
ming of the war forelgn-born residents have
manifested the deepest interest in all the
happenings. Even the Russian Jews of New
York's East Side, whom sensational mag
azine writers depict as having no other
thought in life but that of warding off
starvation, have decorated themselves and
their children with our national colors and
have shown themselves pleased with the
triumphs of our arms. From here and there
over the country come reports of patriotic
demonstrations by people of races lately
alien but now undergoing that process of
acknowledgements swift than usual during
this war, apparently-that makes them
Americans first, and German, or Polish, or
Russian, or French more remotely. Moth
ing more notable in this line has occurred
anywhere than the flag raising d few days
ago by the French and Belgian residents
which made in the Journal at the time
This incident was one to attract the greater
attention here because, until recent indus
trial developments brought about new con-
ditions, Indiana has had but few large
groups or entire communities of foreign
born citizens within its borders. The
French and Belgian glassworkers of Alex
andria have not been in their new homes
long enough to have adopted the language
as we'll as the flag of the country, but that
circumstance did not deter them from Gel
ebrating the victory this government has
won. They provided large flag and a
flag pole and raised the banner with much
enthusiasm and ceremony. The chief speak
er. Mr.. Lemaire. whose address was in the
French language, made these significant re-
marks:
1t has been said that our Netherlands were
against the United States in the war actu-
ally going on. l know you ALL / see you
every day and am sure to be the interpre-
ter of your feelings when / protest here
with all my strength against such asser-
tlonS. Perhaps capitalists abroad are in IA
vor OF Spain on account of their personal
pecuniary interests. But for us who came
here to work, for us there cannot be any
doubt of our patriotic feelings. Weare of the
United States; we are a part of her soldiers
OF labor; we want our adopted country
great and prosperous and our aim is "a free
and happy man in free country" No
where Is the maxim better applied than in
the United States. We must be the true
compatriots and humble imitators of the
Lafayette, Rochambeau, d Estaing and so
many other ones who came to this coun-
try to fight for it's independence and who
witnessed the birth of these stars and
stripes, symbol of the greatness and pros
rerity of our adaptive country
Let us be faithful to the flag let us be
the true adopted sons of this glorious coun-
try and say with me with all your heart.
Long live the United States! Long live the
flag! Long live the stars and stripesi'
Could anything be more loyal or more adj
mirable than this? French immigrants are
proverbally less ready of assimilation into
the American social and political fabric
than any other of the European races; they
cling closer to their native customs and
cherish longer their traditions. But when
such comparatively recent arrivals express
such sentiments as these and prove their
earnestness by their acts, no fault can be
found with their power of adaptation. And
with the new citizens feeling thus, what
matters It that some of their countrymen
in their old home talk in an unfriendly way?
With its own citizens. native and foreign
born. sincerely loyal. the United States is
invincible.