Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-04-26

also came hither as permanent dwell
ers. who left their seed behind them
to help shape and partially to inherit
our national life. The German, the
Irishman and the Scotchman came
later, but still in colonial times. Be-
fore the outbreak of the Revolution the
American people, not only because of
their surroundings, physical and
spiritual but because of the mixture
of blood that had already begun to
take place, represented new and dis
tinct ethnic type. This type has never
been fixed in blood. All through the
colonial days new waves of immigra-
ton from time to time swept hither
across the ocean, now from one
country, now from another. The
same thing has gone on ever since
our birth as a nation; and for the last
so years the tide of immigration has
been at the full. The newcomers are
soon absorbed into our eager national
life. and are radically and profoundly
changed thereby, the rapidity Of their
assimilation being marvellous. But each
group of newcomers, as 1t adds its
blood to the life, also changes it some
what, and this change and growth and
development have gone on steadily,
generation by generation, throughout;
three centuries.
The pioneers of our people who first
landed on these shores on that event
full day three centuries ago, had be-
fore them a task which during the
early years was of heartbreaking dan
ger and difficulty. The conquest Of d
new continent is iron work. People
who dwell in old civilizations and find
that therein so much Of fumanity's lot
Is hard, are apt to complain against
the conditions as being solely due to
man and to speak as If life could be
made easy and simple II there wera
but a virgin continent in which to
work. 1t is true that the pioneer life
was simpler, but 1t was certainly not
easier.
Hardships of Pioneers.
As a matter Of fact, the first work
Of the pioneers in taking possession of
a lonely wilderness IL so rough, SO
hard. SO dangerous that all but the
strongest spirits fail, The early iron
days OF such conquest search out
alike the weak in body and the weak
in soul. In the warfare against the
rugged sternness OF primeval Nature,
only those can conquer who are them
selves unconquerable. IT is not until
the first bitter years have passed that
the life becomes easy enough to invite
a mass Of newcomers. and SO great ara
the risk, hardship. and toll Of the early
years that there always exists a threat
of lapsing back from civilization.
The history of the pioneers Of James,
town. of the founders OF Virginia.
illustrates the truth of all this. Famine
and pestilence and war menaced the
little band Of daring. men who had
planted themselves alone on the edge
Of a frowning continent Moreover. as
men ever find, whether in the tiniest
frontier community or in the vastest
and most highly organized and COM
pick civilized society, their worst foes
were IN their own bosoms. Dissen-
sion. distrust, the inability Of some to
work ana the unwillingness OF others.
jealousy, arrogance and envy, folly ana
laziness--in short all the shortcom-s
ings with which we have to grapple
now, were faced by those pioneers, and
at moments threatened their whole
enterprise with absolute ruin. II was
some time before the ground on which
they had landed supported them, IN
spite Of its potential fertility. and they
looked across the sea for supplies. At
one moment so hopeless did they be-
come that the whole colony embarked,
and was only saved from abandoning
the country by the opportune arrival
OF help from abroad.
Great Influx Of Settlers.
At last they took root in the land,
and were already prospecting when the