The daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 190?-1908, 1908-10-17
OF YANKEES
RECENT CENSUS SHOWS FEW OF
REAL STOCK LEFT.
Total DIsappearanes Seems Not Far
Distant-capc Cod, Mass, Center
OF Yankeedom, Where They
Still May Be Found.

otll way DC Touno'
Providence, Mass.--Recent census
investigations, together with the result
of genealogical researches, have
brought TO light the surprising fact
that the real Yankee is fast disappear.
ing. Like his predecessor. the Ameri-
can Indian. this original stock OF the
first white settlers in New England is
passing, with this difference, that
while the Indian has been eliminated
the Yankee is being absorbed.
Abroad, particularly in England. the
custom still holds of referring to all
Americans as Yankees, and this ac-
counts for the survival OF a term
which will soon have no real applica-
tion. The day is not far distant, It
would seem, which will mark the last
Of the real Yankees, when a chronicler
may tell OF their passing as Cooper
told OF the last of the Mohicans.
Indeed, the disappearance Of the
real Yankee from New England is in
many ways similar to the disappear
ance of the Indian. Each race In turn,
after dominating very large terri
tory, centered more and more in one
small district. With the red men OF
New England this was the territory
on which King Philip made his last
stand: with the Yankee It is Cape Cod.
On Cape Cod, indeed. the Yankee is
still to be found. II was there that he
first settled. and IL seems likely II is
there that he will last survive. For
more than 200 years this sandy spit
of land has been the center Of Yankee
dom, generation following generation
with less change in all that time than
has occurred in the last two decades.
1t was at Provincetown that the Pill
grlms landed nearly three centuries
| ago, so that the cape comes naturally
by its Yankee stock. Indeed, 1t Is only
OF recent years that Cape Cod has felt
the encroachiug effect OF modernity.
From this sea.washed stretch of land
the early Yankees sailed forth to cover
the world OF trade with their feet OF
clipper ships, Just as their forefathers
! did from the tight little island" on
the opposite side OF the Atlantic.
These original Yankees took TO the
sea like young ducks, almost as soon
as they we're able to leave their moth
er's wing. They manned and officered
the little home-built merchantmen.
which sailed from Boston and the New
England ports In the colonial days.
The infant navy OF the colonies In the
revolution was alive with them in
every sense OF the word. During the
war OF 1919 scarcely an able-bodied
man remained in a cape village; young
and old they were afioat, either in the
regular service or on privateers, 10
harass the British flag on the high
seas.
Thereafter, from the close OF that
conflict through the civil war and until
the late seventies, wherever an Amer
lean ship was cruising-and that was
in almost every sea-her skipper,
mates and crewmen were likely to be
Cape Coolers. born and bred.
Later in life, II they escaped the
perils Of storm and wreck, and mutiny
and hostile natives, they became ship,
| OWutlS. lhcA thNy hoAhNnihOub oOhS
OF them, Offices In Boston or New
York or New Bedford. and their fleets
sailed forth and came home laden. The
foundations OF some Of Americas &
greatest fortunes we're made In this
way.
But whether feet owners or mere
sea captains. they one and all cher
ished love for the sturdy sand spit
which had been their home and in
tended some day to return to 1t and
settle down. That they did this the
hundreds of handsome. substantial
dwellings on the cape now testify. Il
is curious fact that in the old days
there was scarcely house ON the
main street OF a Cape Cod village
which was not the home Of captain
somebody or other.
That was Yankeedom as 1t used t
be. But Cape Cod has changed great
ly in the last quarter of a century. 1T
sons no longer go to sea. There are
few steamship captains in active ser
vice and a few-a very few-skipper:
of fishing schooners. But even the
fishing industry has left the cape t
: find new quarters at Gloucester o.
Boston. Cranberry growing and thu
taking of summer boarders are thu
chief occupations In the cape villages
noWadayg