Albuquerque evening citizen., 1906-12-08
Has Been Located in Lithud-
MIA on the Baltic. People
of Which
NOW SEEK THIS COUNTRY
IN VERY LARGE NUMBERS
An interesting Article But One
Rather More FdnClful and Far
Fetched Than True.
(By A. W. Greeley)


An chronological tragedy is told in
the prosaic figures of the annual re-
port of the federal bureau of immi-
grafton. Hidden away in serrled
ranks of statistics is the story of the
exodus from Lithuania to the United
states, a tangible evidence of the
homeless sness and despair that has dls-
heartened Europe's oldest race in the
very birthplace of the blond Aryan
TYNE whose descendants have forged
n circle of conquering civilization
around the world. II is signhcant
fact that this lineal remnant of the
original Aryan blond type should, al
ter struggle of countless centuries
for the realization of racial ideals,
turn to the youngest of its descend
ants for asylum and refuge upon the
COLLAPSE of the ill-starred and short
lived Baltic Republic, whose brief
page in history drips with blood.
The records of the immigration
bureau show ihat among the thou
sands of Lithuanians who for the
year past have been focking to the
United States a large number are
Rocking to the farms and ranches OF
4ue west anu uOIluNtoN, iOi thS
Lithuanian has been a tiller of the
soil and tewer of wood from times
immenlorial. But not a few of them
go to increase the struggling colonies
of Iithuanians in the big cities,
where relentless competition drives
them in gaunt want to the sweat
shops. Chicago has a large colony
of Let's, Lthuanians, and Esths,
from which place they have spread
over Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin,
and Minnesota, the states which show
the largest proportion of the new i'm
migration.
Caused NapoeIon's Downfall.
Lithuania, the home of the Let's,
Lithuanians, and Esthonians, is one
OF the most primitive and least
known regions in Europe. Until
quite recently 1t was practically terra
incognita, a harsh, inhospitable eli
mate sheltering an almost savage
people upon the marshy shores of
the gale-swept Baltic. 1t has for cen
turies been darkest Europe. Only
now and then at great historical in
terVals has it emerged from its fogs
and mists to attract general notice,
as, for instance, when it gave Napo-
leon his coup de grace in the fate
ful march from burning Moscow. 1t
was in the swampts of Lithuania
rather than on the field of Waterloo
that Bonaparte's grip on the destinies
of Europe was wrenched loose by
savage, revengeful blood-lusting
Let's.
Politically, Lithuania is included
within the boundaries OF the Russian
governments of Livona, Wilma. Kov-
no, Grodno, Vibesk, Minsk, MOhaley,
and Suwalki, and in Prussia it in
eludes the provinces of East and
West Prussia. Long years ago it
was an Independent kingdom with its
own prince and nobility, a dim tradi-
ton which, however has kept alive
the national spirit through centuries
of political servtude. Crowded in
between conquering Germans on the
one side and aggressive Russians on
the other. Lettish autonomy sue
cumbed to overpowering forces and
sullenly accepted foreign suzerains.
1t is within only the past ten years
OF so that Lithuania has been recOg-
nized as the scientific treasure house
of Europe, region which held the
answers to the most perplexing an
thropological and archaeological plob
lens. discoveries which have cast q
food of light upon race origins and
forced the abandonment of time
honored theories. AS the result OF
patient investigation and long delv
ing considerable school, probably
the most authoritative, declares thai
the birthplace of the Aryan race was
not on the high planes of Asia, where
Muller sought to fix it, but that the
point of dispersion the cradle of the
Aryan race. was on the shore OF the
Baltic. in the home of the Let's anL
the Lithuanians. Scholars for many
years held the theory that Sanskri
was the oldest tongue, the one near
est the original Aryan speech, bu
investigation has proved to the mind!
sf many modern Investigators tina
Sauskrt must surrender its place o
honor TO Lettish and Lithuanian al
the most primitive of Aryan tongues
The testimony of philOlogy is hell
10 support the theory that Lithuani,
is the home OF the primitive Aryan
The Lettish-Iithuanian languag,
between Slavic and TeutOuic, but IA
more primitive than either and Will
peculiarities Of It's own that show
close kinship with both Sanskrt an,
Let's. who had been crowded iron
the 100000 Lithuanians and give
evidence of little changes through
the centuries
There is more evidence that th
Ihthuanians are the remnant OF tn,
original Aryan stock. II is a couu
try of dense forests and sWamps. al
inhOspitable wilderness past whic
the conquering hOrdes of the NOR
progressive and militant Aryau tribe
swept without invading, leaving tn
Let's which had been crowded iron
the more fertile valleys and plain
into this refuge, TO develop withou
the spur Of competition, the struggl
for existence, being simply one wit
she elements. Civilization sprea
slowly north from the shores OF th
Mediterranean and as a result, th
Lithuanian tongue has remained praC
lcally unchanged down to the pres
ant time, long after It's old time rela