The Irish standard., 1907-03-02

birth; most of them, in fact, were of
different races. Steuben was a. Pr,ls-
sian; Hamilton was born in tho West
India Islands Of Scotch parents: Hoff-
man was a Swede; Herkimer a Ger
man; Jay q Dutchman; Clinton an
Irishman; Schuyler a Holl2nder, and
Morris Welclman. These men and
their compatriots made the amalgum
of blood that resulted in what VIC call
the American character. In the fu-
sion Of their ideas was the basis of the
institutions which we now enjoy.
1t is important for us to realize at
this time that the character of immi-
grafton to this country from 1850 to
1870 has entirely changed. At any
time after the beginning Of the Civil
War, up to 1870, q circle drawn on
the map of Europe, with it's center at
Paris and the end oL the radius
touching the extreme point IN ireland,
would include the localities from which
| came all the emigraltS from Europe
| to the United States. 4 similar circle
at the present moment would be some
what larger, but its center would have
moved eastward to Consrantinople.
! This means that instead of the Irish,
English, Scotch, Germans and Swedes
of thirty years ago, We are now get
ting IL mixed population OF Italians,
Austro- -Hungarians, the races of Rus
sa not in harmony With Russian re-
ligion, Jews, Poles, I.ithuanians and
Germans who were induced to so to
Russia by the Empress Catnarine, and
the Syrians and ArmenIan,
/, The Catholic emigrants of fifty
years ago did not come from Catholic
countries. They came to Il country that
WAS not Catholic. They came here
with training OF industry, frugality,
solf-rcliance, moderation and restraint
| which is, and has been, inherent in the
cold blood of the north. These aliens
demanded less of life, and usually, for
this reason, got a great deal more
They went To work and accomplished
miracles for their church and thcm-
selves. The emigrants today are
coming mostly from Catholic coun-
tries. IL We could lay bare the pur.
poses of those who are opposing inn
sufficient reason for this opposition.
fsisotry is a fungus. white real faith
means the growth or ages When We
remember that it takes an oak O. hun
drcd years to come to maturity, while
Il squash is planted, grown and eaten
in three months. we must not despair.
The problem of today rs whether
these enigrants coming from these
Catholic countries will tlo as much,
prorortionately for the church AS those
OF fifty years ago. and that our duty
is towards them, both as regards their
economic, political and spiritual flu
lures.
Our fathers generation ana our own
have done their full duty to their
faith and To their country, but the
work is but just begun. The future of
the church in the United States will
depend on whether this standard of
devotion is made permanent. We know
that 40 matter how strong We grow
in finance, business and the profess
si"ns, unless this is accompanied by
an equal progress IN religion, it is
not built on solid ground. No national
progress can be permanent that is not
associated with race pride and religious
devotion. Tie history Of the world
shows that races survive only by UNI
swerving adherence to religious belief
and racial characteristics. Once these
are abandoned. peoples melt away like
mists before the morning sun.
The first in Importance in the pres
cnt movement arc the Italians. wl,c
are coming in numbers from 100000
to 100000 Il year, and whom many OF
our people are prone to regard as All
inferior class Of menial laborers. The
Italians have had q tremendous in.
1uence on the worlds history. O.,
this continent in the last fifty years
!, they have changed South America
commercially. In twenty years more
their influence in this country will bt
enormous. For a thousand years thu
Italians have been leaders in com.
merce and in art. The very signs fol
money which We use today are relic:
of the time when the I4onbards ruled
through England the money market O
the world. Their artistic and construc,
tive skill will make them during til,
next generation the leading factor i,
business in the United States. The,
arc coming in here now in larger mum
bers than the Irish ever came, and un
like Ireland, that reduced It's popula