The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-06-10
FOREIGN CITIZENS.

OF course the criminal and the physi,
cally incaracitated immigrant should bt
excluded at all times, the first because
OF his or her purpose to prey upon the
country, and the last for the reason thai
he or she is almost certain to become a
public burden. We have more criminals
and helpless people to resist and support
now than we would have had il in the
earlier days of immigration a properly
restrictive supervision of the inflow OF
humanity We're enforced. But We are
open to another and more serious danger
because it strikes at the roots of our free
self'governing institutions, by reason of
the very prosperity these institutions
and the splendid volume of high class
immigration coming to our shores within
the past few years. The high wages and
the high standard OF living are attract.
ing the toiling masses of Europe outside
of the English speaking and Saxon races
in numbers so great our power to as.
simulate them is endangered. The Grim.
inal and incompetent classes aside, the
kernel of the situation is contained in
the power of assimilation.
These conditions exist more in the
larger cities while in Astoria, where
there is large foreign element, there
are very few criminals and paupers. The
public schools make good Americans OF
the children of immigrants, while the
parents absorbed patriotism and Ameri.
can ideas from an environment intensely
patriotic and American BY the time
these immigrants came to exercise the
inestimable privileges of American citi,
Eenship, even though the period Of wait.
ing was but five years, they were often
more American than the native Ameri.
cans themselves, as was evidenced by
those who took part in the Memorial
day exercises, and who are always the
most enthusiastic in 4th of July celebra-
tions. They had suffered, being mostly
manual toilers of one sort or another,
from the class prejudices and the sur.
viying remnants of the feudal system in
the older lands and the contrast under
republican form of government made
them the most rigid sticklers for the
privileges accorded them under the new
dispensation
But different condition of affairs ex-
lists in oil the large cities. There are
foreign quarters in all the large cities
and foreign sections where immigrants
foregather with their own kind, and are
practically excluded from contact with
American life. Of American institutions
they know absolutely nothing. As has
been shown time and time again, where
these immigrants are brought forward
to be made citizens, they think, many OF
them, this country is monarchy Men
of this class as citizens are a positive
menance to the republic Some shrewd
countryman of theirs, who can speak
English, usually brings them up in herds
to receive the rights of citizenship, and
votes them afterwards very much in the
same way. That danger is serious enough
but it is nothing to what may happen
if glib demagogue should gather their
votes in favor of doctrines utterly an.
tagonistic to our American institutions.
Astoria has large foreign population.
but large majority Of them have as.
simulated with the Americans and i'm
bibed American ideas, They are in the
most part, home builders. The Finn
population Of Astoria is an honor and
credit to the city. They are frugal, in.
dustrious and patriotic. True, they re.
side, for the most part, in one section of
the city, but they interfere with no ones
rights. Their children grown occupy
some Of the best positions in the com.
mercial life and are honest and indus.
trious. The Norwegians and swedes are
among our best and most progressive
citizens They appreciate our form Of
government and obey its laws with more
strictness than do some of the native
born. There is no race or class preiu.
dices in Astoria and its people extend a
cordial welcome to these people to come
nd obi6o NTH ,ts