The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-12-22
AN AMERICAN TYPE.

The New York Journal of Commerce
discusses the question of distinct
American types as follows:
The immigration act of 1897 pro-
vided for a commission to make full
| inquiry, examination and investiga-
| ton by SUBJ committee or otherwise in
to the subject of immigration the ex-
| pense to be paid out of the Immigrant
| fund" This left an unlimited latitude
to the inquiry in relation to the gen.
eral subject. The preliminary report
of a sub committee has just been sub
mitted to congress which appears to
| have considerable scientific interest,
whatever its practical value may be.
This sub committee, under the direc-
| ton Of DR.. Franz Boas Of Columbia
| university, has been conducting an in
quiry into the assimilation Of alien
| immigrants with the mass of the
American people, not only in habits
and mental and social characteristics,
| but in physical traits. In the latter re-
| spect 1t is said to have led to surpris-
| ing results, though confined to the
narrow limits of the examination of
certain nationalities in this city. In
fact so far as the present report is
concerned 1t is confined almost ex-
clusively to East European Hebrews
and natives of southern Italy.
The chief surprising result" thus
far attained is that of a rapid assim-
ilation in the new environment OF the
physical conformation to a distinctive
ly American type, reaching even to
nf hn
hardly be perceived in the actual i'm
migrants, even those arriving in
childhood, but In the second genera
ton it Is said to be very noticeable
The round heads of the Hebrews and
the long heads, of the Sicilians are
said to approximate the same inter
mediate form in the second generation.
and other physical characteristics
undergo a similar change toward
common t--pe.
These examinations afford meager
data for generalizing, but interesting
! differences may be drawn from the.
This assimilation toward a common
physical type under the changed con-
ditions of climate. surroundings and
modes of life, Is said to be rapid in
the childhood of the first generation
born here of soreign parentage, and to
proceed more slowly in mature years.
| 1t is presumed that it will continue in
succeeding generations until a certain
| type common to the country is reach
ed. Another presumption is that what
is found to be true of certain nation
alities will hold in similar degree
with others and that there will be a
constant tendency toward a cnar-
acteristic type. This Is assumed In
regard to each distinct race or ma
tionality without regard to blending
by intermarriage, which would pre-
sumably hasten the process.
If this is what is going on now
among those who have come into the
country in such numbers in the last
one or two generations, an interesting
inference may be that the early set
| tiers through successive generations
under the formative influences of the
country nave developed an American
| type Of people physically, mentally and
morally, to which the new corners
gradually become assimilated, and
that this will become established as
/ something distinctive of the country
and different from that OF any of the
countries of the origin of the popula-
ton. Of the, ultimate result upon the
character of the nation, political, So
cial and economical, the. mind is free
| TO speculate with little in the way OF
definite facts to restrain it. But the
| inquiry, which has only just begun, is
at this stage fraught with interesting
suggestion.
"a Senator Raynor is about the only
fire eater left.
~ Bryan is reconciled to his fate as
an outcast from the White House.
ET 1t is urged that life saving sta
lions be established in the mining dis
tricts.
ar If those Florida strawberries are
rushed north at this season they may
get into row as to which reached the
north pole hrsr.
ar The effort of President Taft to
keep the census out of politics and
ldiT Skl0uia receive the
support of every patriotic citizen.
AZ William H. Clelland. the hero of
the Cherry mine disaster. has gone into
vaudeville-to make capital out of his
prayers and heroism. His feet were of
clay.
fJ One of the finest things in the
world is the child's faith in santa
claus--and one of the most pathetic is
the little heart bowed down by the
sight Of an empty stocking.
sI Jimmie Foley has issued book
let on Being Operated. In. which he
tells of some Of his experience at the
hospital last summer. The work is
done In his best style and will be APP
preciated by all fellow sufferers how
ever much the writer leaves his read