Arizona daily citizen., 1901-07-15
THE COLONIZATION OF FOREIGNERS.

The action of the managers OF the Santa Fe rail-
way in inaugurating grand scheme of colonization
in the southwest with the intention OF bringing over
thousands of foreigners is worthy of serious consid
Grafton the part of all patriotic Americans They
have selected the rich grazing fields of the San Joa
quin valley and portions of Arizona and New Mexico
as the scene of their operations and they
have sent their agents into Italy with inviting liter
ature descriptive of the ground to round up thou
sands who willing to emigrate. If report be true
it is their purpose to extend their work into various
other countries of southern Europe. Surely this
scheme of bringing thousands of foreigners who
absolutely ignorant OF the character of institu-
tons to America and placing them in fertile val
leys the exclusion of future generations of native
born Americans deserves some governmental atten-
| tion
During early history, and even today the
American people prepared to welcome to their
shores the oppressed of every cline who willing
to accept political theory and conform to the
laws Of the land We have never found it necessary
to send agents into the crowded regions Of Europe
to secure healty immigration. They have come to
us from every country largely because of our inst
tutons, with the liberty, equality and opportunity
which they present, and, coming largely for that
son. they have entered into the spirit OF expert
ment The plan of colonizing a vast number of for
eigners is hardly conducive to their rapid assma~
tion of American ideas Living among themselves,
there is the danger of building up region where
foreign spirit will prevail
But granting that such may not be the case, the
plan presents certain dangers. Years ago. in ac-
knowedging a volume of "Randals Life of Jeffer-
son, Macaulay expressed the opinion that the ex-
pertinent of Democracy was doomed to failure. He
said:
Your fate believe to be certain, though it is
o deferred by physical cause. AS long you have
8 boundess extent of fertile and unoccupied land
your aboring population will be far more at ease
than the laboring population of the old world But
" the time will come when New England will be as
: thckly peopled as old England Wages will be as
i low and will fuctuate as much with you with
Then your institutions will be put to a test.
The opinion Of Macaulay concerning such mat
ters cannot be lightly brushed aside. Few men
have 80 thoroughly mastered the movement of his
tory the goal of tendencies the conclusion of theor
les But we have always in the past pointed to the
broad unpeoped plains the fertile unturned valleys
of the West and South and smiled at Macauay dire
= = prophecy.
- Rapidly however, pioneers taking posses
u sion of this vast domain. We have found it exped
lent to push the Indian still further back that the
r white man may utilize the soil. Shall we hasten ar
inevitable problem by bringing great swarms of for
D egners into our midstp Is it not worth while te
consider the claims of the future generations tina
l. must leave the overcrowded regions of the East
And, without questioning the motives of the Santt
Fe is it not somewhat audacious for corporation t.
undertake a Wholesale pouring OF Europe into ou
= midstp