The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-12-09
CITY NEWS.
WRITING HOME OF U. S
\ SCANDINAVIAN TELLS THE
FOLKS AT HOME HOW He LIKES
ANfERICA-WOUL HAVE SCAN
DINAyIA BECOME PART OF THE
GREAT REPUBLIC.

A farmer living in the western part
of the state, who came to Minnesota
a few years ago from Norway, writes
the following letter to his brother in
Christiania. 1t is of interest as show
ing how the former citizens of Scan
dinavia represent conditions here to
the friends they have left in the faith
erland:
Dear Sir and Brother-As it has
been some time since I heard from.
you, I want to write now so that you
may hear something from us and our
Christmas. We are in good health
and in a happy frame of mind, The
times are pretty good; money, is easy,
and work is plenty and we'll paid for.
Common laborers get 81 a day, masons
and carpenters 81 day, and others in
son I got 81 a day for myself and
team. We might live luxuriously now
were it not for the old $4,000 debt
hanging over us, as a. bad one-elghth
CT our earthly possessions. But we
have paid a good portion Of it ($6S0)
this year.
Our girls have earned as high as
$40 and $50 a month, but they do not
offer to help me pay my debts. They
are like their mother in this respect,
preferring to put the money into the
bank at per cent. while pay 6-to
Is per cent. I have never, however,
asked them to help me because I know
that the American woman generally
is the master Of the situation. Our
| boys help all they can on our 400-acre
farm, and I must admit that. they run
| the binders and gang pillow nearly. as
! we'll as I can. - = ~
| The boys are in the eighth and
| tenth grade respectively, having so
| far passed every year, althO they
could not attend school until after 1t
| froZe UP in any one year, and they
| have to drive in all ten American
miles e(to and from schooD every day.
I am very glad that we settled in
a good country with plenty of good
people in it. Those who are not SO
| very good make really excellent bind
| er Irvine, which was once sold me at
cost, one cent a pound being added
| for safe delivery. I simply love the
American people, their civilization,
their government, and their easy and
beautiful language.
You will soon read that we, for the
sake Of humanity, will take under our
wings as sovereign states the repub-
| lies of Cuba and Panama. And. let
me tell you 1 would be very glad to
| count as independent sister states, in
our really uniting American union,
| Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Lib
erty is not unknown to any of them.
but as among the family Of nations
they are simply three ciphers. You
are neutral, but you have to protect
your neutrality. You are nobody and
you look to the powers" to protect
your right to be nobody, altho you are
capable Of. being somebody.
Another thing, you fear Russia, and
if the other powers did not protect
your neutrality she would swallow
you UP. But Russia is an old friend
Of ours, and if you became one of us
you would become a friend Of Russia
whom thereafter you would never
need to fear. =,
The best of your people have emf
grated to this, the richest and best
country on earth, retaining the kind
Hest feelings towards you and the
best wishes for your prosperity. Now
as American citizens, they feel with
pleasure and pride, that they are
somebody, and only wish and hope
that by your joining the United
States Of America you might become
somebody, too. When your honorable
kings over there wish to abdicatt
their thrones. Join us and be some
body, you may rest assured that YOU
kings will be properly honored, re
spected and provided for.