Democratic messenger., 1902-03-01
WILL OUR GRAND
REPUBLIC UVE !!
Its Foundations Threatened by
migration.


Rev. DIR. Madison G. Peters in a pa
triotic sermon in Baltimore Sunday,
said:
IAN old adage worthy of repetition
is that There is always danger where
the persuasion exists that there is none.
Edmond Burke declares that Early and
provident fear is the mother of safety
We have too long dreamed that things
would right themselves which have
brought us only dismay. In thinking
of the perils which threaten our repub-
lie first of all call to your attention
our unrestricted immigration.
"Of course no American would pre-
scribe any man for the place and condl-
tion of his birth But il is time that
America says to the European commu-
mites that they have long enough re.
lieved themselves of their undesirable
classes i'll the form of assistance TO
reach America.
THE time was when our immigrants
were of character which added luster
to the stars and stripes. Those who
come to-day come to us from the most un-
favorable recruiting grounds under the
sun for American citizens. Many of
them come here with dynamite i'll one
hand and the stilleto in the other. aud
with ignorance so thick that you could
cut it with knife.
1--WE are to day i'll America elevating
the material condition of the people of
the south and east of Europe at our en-
pense and To our sorrow and humillia-
ton. The governments of Europe, act
ing i'll the strongest selfinterest. are
allowing criminals their freedom on the
condition of their emigration to the
United States. This accounts for the
fact that while crime is on the increase
in America il is on the decrease in Eu-
rope. This question is above partisan.
ship We must stand shoulder to should
er. be i'll very truth Americans and
make it unsafe for any congressman un-
less he votes right on the question
"Those foolish and false optimists
who predict that there must come time
when the supply of undesirable imi-
grants will be exhausted, should study
the statistics of population i'll Europe
of the past decade. Notwithstanding
the millions who have come to the
United States from Europe. yet there
has been an increase of over 10000. 900
i'll that continents population, taking
no account of the increase of $4,000. 900
i'll the population of Russia.
"When it is considered that notwith-
standing the immense emigration from
these countries the population i'll the
past 10 years has increased in Austria
Hungary 3,600.0 900 and Italy 2,150. 900 it
must be acknowledged that there is no
hope of the exhaustion of the source
from which we are deriving such IA
mixed food of immigrants every year
"An other thing OF Importance If
we would save the republic we must ap.
pretiate citizenship by the extension of
the naturalization period. The | aw re-
quiring five years residence before ma
turalization was enacted April II, 1903,
and the frequency of congressional acts
relating TO naturalization during the
first years of our national life shows
that from the very BEGINNING the found
ers of this republic considered this ques-
ton of natural importance.
''In 1889 an act was passed requiring
a residence of Ii years, and had our
forefathers dreamed of an immigration
of 900 Il year | am quite sure that
they would have devised more effective
stitutions from the dangers to which
they would be exposed in the hands of
alien races. Eighty per cent of our
immigrants to-day can neither speak,
read nor write the English language
What can they know about the consti-
tuition of the United States:
"Men of all shades of political opinion,
who place citizenship above party, must
be deeply indignant over the spectacles
seen i'll our courts in connection with
naturalization.
Herds of men driven in hordes like
cattle into courts of law as if such
places We're low barrooms, under the
lash of drivers belonging to both politi-
cal parties, waiting their turn, as in Il
barber shop. to become American voters.
Very frequantly these men have not
sought citizenship; it has been thrust
upon them. II some party driver did
not hunt them up aud pay. not only the
court costs, but something more, they
would not consent TO become citizens.
What respect can such citizens feel for
the ballot they thus acquire:
II would make naturalization as SOL
emn and impressive as patriot 5 march
TO battle. | would confine all natural
ization to the federal courts. would
have scared day or days i'll the nation
al calendar wherein the qualified alien
might assume the rights aud duties of
am American citizen under circumstance
es of investigation, dignity and solem-
nifty I would have pvery annlicant for