The Tupelo journal. (Tupelo, Miss.) 1876-1924, 1906-08-31
A Serious Question.

century came a universal aWak
ening to higher responsibilities
and a grander realization of tn,
possibilities and duties confront
| ing our English speaking race. !.
| At no time in our history have
we stood face to face with more
intricate problems than we must
contemplate today. Among these
problems is the one of immigra.
ton.
1t is the duty of organizations,
unions and bureaus which have
grown up for the furtherance OF
local and of national interests. II
is the day of industrial activity
when intelligence and art shall
be woven into the commonest
forms Of labor, when the work.
man shall discharge the duties OF
his calling with skill and with
pride.
Labor in itself is neither noble
nor ignoble; its true status will
ever depend on the intelligence
and spiritual force of the laborer.
During the year just closed
more than one million immi
grants have come from Europe to
our shores. Every nationality,
every language is represented.
The great bulk of these immi-
grants came from southern Eu-
rope and consists of people who
are absolutely ignorant of our
customs and laws, and averse to
the spirit and conditions that
characterize American life.
Many of them come with anar-
chy and savagery born and bred
in their blood, and with stilllettos
in their sleeves.
For years they have landed in
ever increasing numbers on Ellis
Island in New York harbor, pass
ed the government test as to in
fectious and contagious diseases,
and then have been sent in a
stream through our greatest port
| to scatter over the north and
west until now practically every
city in the north has it's roreign
problem on hand.
The people of northern Europe
come to US now only in relatively
small numbers. The tide of inn
migration is chiefly from south
ern Europe. These people are now
invited to our southern states,
where, outside of Old England,
flows the best English blood in
the world.
Do you want them for your
neighbors, and their children as
playfellows of your children? Do
you know that they will be your
competitors in commerce and in
trades, and that they forced by
wears of want and poverty akin
to misery, can work at a less
wage than you can work for and
keep yourself and family in de-
cent clothing?
Our missionary spirit has been
too Jealous. 1t is precisely like
snatching burning brands from
afar and throwing them into
your own yard. Sooner or later
your own house will burn.
Our geographical domain is so
magnificent, our material re-
sources so abundant, our inven-
tive genius so vital, active and
versatile that in our enthusiasm
we are easily led to declare our
c. lntry the haven of all the op-
pressed and suffering. Truly,
our sympathy is great and ex-
tensive; it should be. This is
feeling, that is characteristic of
the American. But" you say,
"all men are created equal. f"
You quote Jefferson's words, but
you do not get his thought. Is
the mushroom equal in value to
the oak or the pine?
Both are products of nature.
Both are subject to the same laws
of sunshine and of storm, of heat
and of cold. But each shall be
used according to its value.
We all admit that the negro is
inconnotant. waSteful costly.
Then says some one, I'VE
must replace him with white
labor" True enough. But shall
we send for the scum and dregs
of Europe when we have all
around us native white Ameri-
cans. You reply that our young
men look with disdain upon men,
ial labor. There is some truth in
your statement. Let us look into
the causes. There are two. The
first is lack of training, a condi-
ton which can easily be removed.
The greatest cause is, in its ma
ture social.
The manual labor ard what we
usually call the mental work of
the south has always been done
in a very large measure by ne
groes. In a section of country
where this condition exists young
white men do feel averse to en-
gaging in the forms Of work just
mentioned. And why? Because
in many cases he would be COM
PEELED to work along with ne