The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-08-13

this time. Ia M. 1, touched the highest
mark ever reached, So Immigration
has. from the beginning. risen and fallen in
waves. each successive wave usually being
higher than tn predecessor unfil that rec
ord-breaking mark OF 1852 was touched.
After some comparatively slight nuctua-
tons. the highest level since 16sz Was reach
ed In 1852, t1S.0s4. when the panic of 1883
sent immigration downward once more. to
find It's lowest point ;n H. -. In 1888. The
Improvement h general trade has now
started the immigration wave again, and
* will doubtless continue to rise for few
years unit; trade distress or some untoward
circumstance starts II once more down.
ward.
and Ireland was. at the outset. by far the
largest contributor TO the immigration to
the United States. It's lead IL maintained
TO this dAy--the arrivals from England,
Ireland Scotland. Wales and Canada, the
figures from the last named quarter, how
ever. being defective-Iargesy exceeding
those from Germany. though not TO the
same extent which they did ia the first
half Of the century. German immigration
d.d not reach high figure until the poii,i-
cal troubles which eliminated In the abor-
tive risfngs In 1913. At that time, Just after
the famine OF 1s4s-47 started the stream
from Ireland TO this country. the imrnigra-
ton was practically confined to arrivals
from the British islands and the German
states. The Scandinayian-principa
6wedish and Norwegian-infiow did not
reach important figures until 1861 and lSGS.
That from italy. Poland. Bohemia and
Russia began within the past fifteen years
to reach high figures.
Many of the Incentives to immigration
the political and industrial troubles In the
old world and the chance for . general
betterment OF condition which the new
world Offered-hAve already been mention
ed. There have been other inducements.
The advent and the improvement In ocean
steam vessels has shortened and cheapened
the trip across the water, robbed It OF
many Of the dangers Incident to the sail
ing ships days, and introduced some COM
forts unknown then. Railroads now car
~ immigrants to all parts OF the country.
The rates OF fare are tar below those OF
earlier times. Some states. especially In
the West and South. have immigration
agencies IN Europe to set forth the adj
vantages Of the localities they represent.
Many steamship and railroad companies
have such agencies. The readiness ard
cheapness with which government land
could be obtained under the presumption
laws, and especially under the homestead
act. have been IN important attraction to
Immigrants
The benefits arising from immigration.
however. have far exceeded the evils. For
eignsrs have furnished the greater part
OF the labor which has built the country's
railroads and canals. They gave the North
in 1851 great preponderance over the
South In population. The foreigners were
al nAtionAaists. States stood to them as
part of the United States merely. They
knew nothing and cared nothing about
state scrersignty. These facts we're OF mo-
uantous consequence for the country.
Withosss the labor which the Immigrants
Furnished 1hr 5000 miles OF railroad which
the United States had in 1S60 would have
stood at a much smaller figure. The In
nuence which this had In the development
or the resources OF the country. principally
Of the North, which had by far the larger
share OF the railway mileage at that time,
cannot readily be overeetimated Practi-
cally all the foreigners who came to the
country during the slavery days settled In
the North. . large part OF them going. 10
the West. attracted by the abundance, fer
tility and cheapness OF the public lands.
To them there was no such thing as .
right OF secession. A they correctly -ea.
scned. secession would mean the destruc-
ton Of the nation They fought against
this heresy with as much art,or and cour-
age as any OF the native Americans. They
formed a large ingredient of the conting-
ent which each of the loyal states contrib
uted to the armies OF the Union.
The political attitude OF the foreign ele-
ment In the Wee. In the half dozen years
Immediately before the war OF secession
was Of material moment. Most OF the for
eiguers who were In the West prior to 1880
were Germans. They were chiefly Demo-
Gratis at the outset. BY an overwhelming
majority the Western Germans were OPP
posed 60 the extension CT slavery. The
Cincinnati 0axette in 1854 printed a list
Of German papers, and out OF the eighty
eight cited only eight favored the Kansas
Nebraska bill. which repealed the Missouri
compromise and threw tho territories ope.
10 slavery The eighty were against that
measure The American and foreign anti
slavery society. at It's annua; meeting in
New York In 1854. Just before the Kansas
Nebraska act passed the house. and after
X had gone through the senate. paid q
trihuse 10 the German newspapers and Ger
man citizens FOR their opposition To the
Nebraska scheme 10 inimlcal TO their
democratic principles. 20 their cherished
hopes. and to the renown OF their adopted
country"
Tho Nebraska act broke the partisan al
isance between the West and the South
which had been IN existence from the be-
ginning turned the West against the Dem
ocratsc party. put that party IN the minor
Ky IN the country at taEkSt s~Al HIS kFpt
II In the minority fnost OF the time since
then. Most Of the Germans OF the West
Joined the Republican party. which the re
peal of the Missouri compromise In iSss
created. All the Western states went 20
Fierce. th Democratic candidate. In fsSs
a.. in fact. d.d all thu states OF the coun-
try except Vermont. Massachusetts. Ken
lucky and Tennessee. In 1854 the first
year ia which the Republican party par
ticspasea In presidential canvass. Ohio
Michigan. Wisconsin and Iowa were car
ried ~ Fremont. the Republican Nominee,
ard only Indiana. illinOis and California
remained in the Democratic party. Every
Western state Was IN the Republican
column In lisa Including Minnesota. ad-
sssstssd 20 statehood IN tsss. ard Oregon.
admitted in iSSs. The change IL the Ger
uaan vote. which had been principally
Democratic until the break on the slav-
cry issue In lsss woslld aioce account for
the swing ef the West away from the