The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-09-18
WELCOME TO ETRURIA

a just pride in the presence in these waters of the Italian cruiser Etruria, and in the fact that her commander, Count Leonardo di Casolina, his officers and men, are their guests and the guests of the people of Bridgeport. It is to be. hoped that the distinguished visit ors will find their stay in this lead ing manufacturing city of Con- necticut at once pleasant and prof itable, and that the ties which hold the United States and Italy in bonds of mutual friendship will be strengthened by the intercourse. There are in the city of Bridgeport
 some 5000 men, women and chil- dren who were either born in Italy, or who are the offspring, in the first generation here, of those born in Italy.
 The Latin element, as any may perceive, is destined to be largely
 infused into the earlier population, and it is to. be the fate of the old est empire-republic of historical record to contribute to the republic which Columbus made possible some millions of her posterity be- fore the balance of the nations is adjusted. Italy has already made large contributions to the United States which are embodied in the laws, the institutions, the art and tke literature of this country. The Senate was a Roman institution. It has been adopted by that dis tinguishing name by the nation and the several States. Possibly the franchise itself, the vote through which the citizen exercises his gov erning power, is borrowed directly from the Roman system. No man in the United States can be deemed to know the law of the land unless he is familiar with the Roman law. The Corpus Juris Civilis is the foundation of the private law among English speaking peoples. There is scarcely a school of higher learning in which students are not required to be familiar with ''The Divina Comedia'' of Dante, and the writings of that group of men of genius who, with Dante, gave form and permanence to the Italian tongue. Neither is the story of art complete without a recital of the accomplishments of the Latin race, nor the tale of science well told.
 o1,o ter of this people will be injur- iously affected by the thrush Of European peoples, which has taken place in the last 20 years and is still continuing, have only to scrutinize the past of the Latin race to put such thoughts behind them, at least so far as the Italian graft upon the stock is concerned. Twenty centuries ago the pressure of population upon the soil made Rome seek an outlet for her chil-> dren. Her legions brought oppor- tunity to Roman citizens and civil ization to other peoples and made the City of Seven Hills mistress of the world. The new westward march of the Latins is peaceful, but it proceeds from the same cause. In Italy the population as elsewhere in Europe is so nunaer- ous that it outruns, under pres ent political and economic systems, the sustaining power of the land. It is not strange that America. in which the pressure of population upon the soil will not be felt for many years to come, should be the goal of all those Europeans who hope, in a new land, to better their conditions. Let none fear that in jury to the nation and it's ideals will in any considerable period of time result from this great west ward movement of the inhabitants of Europe, especially from that part of the movement which is repre- weakest, but the strongest of the men and women of alien popula- tions arrive on the immigrant ship. Let he who believes other wise reflect upon the amount of initiative and fortitude involved in a decision to leave the city or the town of ones birth to seek oppor- tunity in strange place, among people who speak the same Ian guage Think, then, how strong must be the souls and brave the hearts of those who leave their own country to cross the seas into a country in which the institutions are moi the same and in which