The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-03
Our MANY RACE ELEMENTS
Argument That Their Tendency u Long
TO Remain Distinct.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN SIR, TLs
amalgamation Of all the races In this coun,r,-
Will undoubtedly be the result of continued
intercourse and community of interests, but
the process will be very slow and generations.
perhaps centuries will have passed before OF,
racial elements hBve united in one.
Racial feelings are deeply rooted, as tho.
trumpetings of Anglo-Saxonism will TESTIFY,
In addition, there are religious differences, =,
keep the races apart The Catholic Church
forbids the marriage Of Catholics with non
Catholics The Jewish Church has been Ills,
as hostile to mixed marriages In the pas
many Jews have abandoned their faith Tn.
was while they were few in America Thou
sands OF Irish Catholics who came here befor-
the Revolution were swallowed up and los,
sight Of, But when the Irish came in hun
dreds of thousands they established parishes
and chung to their religion The same chang
will take place among the Jews. As they are
now numerous they will rally to their religious
rites and views. Accordingly, We have three
religious bodies, each steadily opposing anal
gamation. Conversions from one religion to
another are too few to make any apparent
change. Some may marry without regard 10
religion. but, as a rule. Churches have greater
influence socially than morally
Practical conditions will soon be less favor
able to amalgamati0n, While the country Ia
developing men advance quickly from one
laborers have made and are still making for,
unes. Men Of all PAGES are climbing together
and working side by side in all lines Of effort
But this cannot continue forever. When the
country IL developed, when business is organ
ized, when farms. houses. and even stores are
held by those who cannot easily mount higher.
the intercourse Of different racial clements
will not be as general as il is now. The later
immigrants will be more or less confined to
certain lines of work, and. consequently, TO
certain environments and associations. There
will always be advancement for some, but the
greater number will be held In check lnan-
Cialy and socially They will form an WI
assimilated body. composed, probably of
southern and eastern Europeans The Anglo
Saxon remained for centuries the serf OF tho
Norman. American institutions cannot dupl-
cate that situation, but practical conditions can
keep many Of our immigrants in asom"wha'
similar position for a great length OF time,
This problem is not to be met az has been
snggested by DISTINGUISHING certain racial
dement's That method belongs to times
that were less enlightened. The know-Noth-
ing doctrine Is as much out OF place In this aga
and nation as n pug dog would be in the ken
mel OF Il st. Bernard The signs of the times
and. more especially. the universal mourning
for Pope Leo, point copclusively to the Grad
icatton Of racial and religious bigotTy IN the
liKious divisions. as there are political d.
visions to-day, but they will cause no more
trouble or ll-fpeling than do our present
political parties. The bigOt Is a creature OF
little courage, who trembles ut horrors thai
exist only in his weak nerves and morbid mag
nation. No sane and healthy American IN
afraid OF racial or religious distqrbances In
the United States. i. j. fkOAN
DorGLAsToN, l.. l.. July 30.