The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-13
BLUNDERs ABOUT IMMIGRATION.
History Refutes the Assertions OF
Frightened Nativists.
New York I~ndependent

New York Independent.
Again. as in prosperous times. there is
a larger flow Of immigration TO this coun-
try, and again, as many times before.
there arises a frightened cry that our in
stitutions are in danger. We heard 1t fifty
years ago, when it created a party whose
pretext il was 10 put none but Americans
on guard-in the offices-but whose real
service it was to destroy the Wing party.
Then every village had its secret lodge, and
election day offered a great surprise, when
whole States elected Governors and legisla-
lures Of a new party that had no name and
no continuance.
One of the blunders of our present know
nothings'' is that the newcomers rob the
older citizens by taking their employment
from them. This is not true. The Irish
immigration of fifty years ago did not rob
the native Americans of work, but rather
supplied the increased demand for work.
So the Hungarian and Italian and Russian
immigrants now find plenty of land and
! plenty of work in mines and roadways,
and wages go up while immigration in
creases. Each new immigrant adds by his
labor to the wealth and prosperity OF the
country. When that condition ceases inn
migration will cease.
1t is more frequently complained. by those
| who would restrict immigration, that an
uncomfortable mass of immigrants, ignor-
ant Of our language, often unable 20 read,
will become citizens and swamp our insti-
tutions. They would exclude all who are
illiterate, and they approve the action of the
Judge who, the other day, refused the APP
| p~lication of an intending citizen because he
could not talk the Language OF the coun-
try
In reply to this counsel of fear and de-
spair there is much to be said which we can
here only indicate.
In the first place, it shows great unfaith
if intelligence thinks it cannot, on the whole.
direct and control ignorance. The ignorant
members of any community are dependent
on the others for their opinions and beliefs.
and if intelligent people will take any proper
pains TO influence them the effort is sure 10
be successful. The idea is ridiculous that
the comparatively few illiterate voters can
so combine as TO endanger our institutions.
The danger comes from another source, from
those who are both intelligent and corrupt.
Once more, what we are concerned about
is not the immigrants themselves, but their
children. They are themselves passing
away by death; their children remain. in
corporated in our body polite. These chill
dren we can and do assimilate. Our schools
1 90 IL, our CnuTC0eS 40 II, our udSc OOfS
it; our newspapers do it; our political insti-
tutions do IL. The children OF the immi-
grants of fifty years ago are good, enthusl-
astic American citizens; they are no detri-
wars, and they are indistinguishable from
our best citizens. What has happened TO
the children of Irish and Germans will hap
penis happening-to the children OF Ital-
ians and Hungarians and Russian Jews.
None could be more enthusiastic Amer
leans.
Aga;n ~ ;S tho n,ide we may saw the ar
rogance, of language and race which gives
it's vicious violence 10 the attacks on cur
rent immigration; Why should a man be
refused citizenship who cannot talk the
English language? He can talk one or two
other languages of civilized peoples. Are
we going to forbid citizenship 10 French
Creoles in Louisiana, or 10 Spanish speak
ing people i'm New Mexico, whose ancestors
settled there a hundred years before Ply
mouth Rock? And what is there to fear?
Have they not scores OF papers in their
own language-French, Spanish, German,
Hungarian, G~reek-published in this coun-
try that will give them as much informa-
ton as they would need TO get from Eng
lish journals? And will not their children
all talk the English language from prefer
ence?
Especially is this late know-nothing at
tack made on the Italian and Hungarian
immigrants, as il they were of inferior
stock which would degrade the American
gressive country in Europe than is Hun
gary. Its people are Of fine physical ana
i sfrenefSl health Hd1io end en Tasy N in'T peopie
nave more native genius than the Italians.
or a truer sense of the beautiful side OF
life. We may expect a real advantage 10
come from that element i'm our population,
despite the presence of a few cutthroats
and anarchists. So of the Russian jews.
They are not illiterate; they learn Enghsn
quickly; they are moral and industrious
and are enthusiastic lovers of their adopt
ed country. Their children are quick schol-
ars in our schools and ambitious OF the
best instruction of our colleges.
And we may raise the question:, how much
selfshness there may be in the noisy
patriotism which would shut out the less
favored, perhaps the oppressed people OF
other countries, from the chance 10 better
their condition here. Is there no such sen,
timent to be cultivated as international
altruism? Have we not a duty 10 otners
than ourselves? Is IL not just as wei 10
consider the point of view of the Russian
lew or Finn or of the tax-ridden italian as
OF ourselves? Can we not generously give
them better opportunities and freer me-
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