Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-04-27

and AFRO radically and profoundly
changed thereby. tho rapidity ofstheir
assimilation being marvellous. But
each group OF newcomers. rs 1t adds
It's blood to the life. also changes It
somewhat. and this change and
growth nnd development have gone
on steadily, generation, by generation
throughout three centuries.
GREAT TASK UNDERTAKEN
BY THE EARLY SETTLERS
Tho pioneers of our people who
first landed on these shores OH that
eventful day three centuries ago, had
before them II task which during tho
early years was of heartbreuking dan
ger and difficulty. The conquest of
Il new continent Is iron work. People
who dwell In old civilizations and
lind that therein so much of human.
ity's lot Is hard. are apt to complain
against the conditions as being sole.
~ due to man and to speak NJ il life
could be made easy and simple Il
there were but Il virgin continent In
whic hto work. II Is true that tina
pioneer life was simpler, but It was
certainly not easier. AS matter OF
fact, the first work of the pioneers
In taking possession OF lonely will
derness Is so rough. so hard, so dan
gerous that all but the strongest
spirits fall. The early iron days of
such conquest search out alike the
weak In body and the veal, In soul.
In the warfare against the rugged
sternness of primeval Nature, only
those can conquer who are them.
selves uncomfortable. Ii is not nm
III the first bitter years have passed
that the life becomes easy enough
to Invite n mass of newcomers, ana
SO great arc the risk. hardship. and
toll of the early years that there nj
ways exists n threat OF lnpslng bnck
from civilization.
Perlls They Have to Face.
The history of the pioneers or
jamestown, of the founders of Vir-
GINA. illustrates the truth of all this,
Famine and pestllence and war men.
aced the little band Of daring men
VINO hnd planted themselves alone on
the edge of frowning continent,
Moreover, rs men ever find. whether
lp the tlniest frontier community or
In tho vnstest and most highly or.
ganized and complex civilized society,
their worst foes were In their own
Dosoms. Dlssension, ,lis,rust, tho IN.
ability of some TO work and the M.
Willingness of others, jealousy, AFRO.
gance and envy. folly ana laziness-
In short all the shortcomings with
winch we have to grapple now, were
raced by those pioneers, and Mt mo.
ments threatened their whole enter.
prise with absolute ruin. 1t was
some time before the ground on
which they had landed supported
them, In spite OF its potential fertil.
lty, and they looked across the sea
tor supplies. At one moment so
hopeless did they become that the
whole colony embarked, AMI was only
saved from abandoning tho country
by the opportune arrival of help from
abroad.
AT last they took root In the land.
and We're already prospecting when
the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth. In
few years great inflow OF settlers
Eegan. Four of the present States of
New England We're founded. Virginia
waXed space. The Carolinas grew
up to the south OF It. and Maryland
to the north of 1t. The Dutch colon.
les between, which had already alb.
sorhed the Swedish, were In their
turn absorbed by the English. Penn
)sylvania was founded and, later still.
Georgia. There were many wars with
tho Indians and with the dauntless
captains whose banners bore the lilies
OF France. AT last the British flag
iieW without n rival in all eastern
North America. Then came the sue.
cessful struggle for national indepen-
dence.
A Halt In Immigration.
For half n century after we became
separate nation there was compar,
aitvely little immigration to this
country. Then the tide once again
set hither. and has flowed in ever-in.
creasing size until I'm each of the last
three years n greater number OF PEG.
pie came to these shores than had
landed on them during the entire co.
lonial period Generation by genera.
tion these people have been absorbed
INTO the national life. Generally
their sons, almost always their grand
sons. are indistinguishable from one
another and from their feilow.Ameri.
cans descended from the colonial
STOCK. For all alike the problems of
our existence are fundamentally the
same. and for all alike tfresa prob
lens change from generation to gen.
Grafton.
In the colonial period, AMI for at