Putnam patriot., 1910-05-27
A Visit to EIlis island.
nY REV. LAMBERT F. ItspuolA.

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 The season of i'm mmis ration k upon us. Strangers from foreign lands are coming to our country by the tens oi thensaf,ds annuatly. Tin large sen ports are receiving them, tat New York k the nsa.n landing place. Daring the month If March more than lW,ooo of these heterogeneous strangers land ed at Elis Island, but the figures will grow larger as the season passes.
 What will become of these countless multitudes, who arc forever coming to our shores from all quarters of the globe, speaking nii the different Ian enages. under the sun9 How Will we be able to care for thenls find room for theinfa and to train them into good eitisenss The situation seems hopeful lo some. pefple king to others, yes, even pefiious. Legislation has constantly been agitated to make the channels of ,he eutfanoes into ont hatbors as nar- row as possible, thnt as many as pos sible of the immigrants may be eSeud- ed and only the dcsltable ones allowed Ia enter.
 As stood on that small island out from W whieh these almost countless mui- titudes have gone forth and scattered to ail points of ihis broad land oi oars, I began io thlnk not so much what the immigrant has received, but what he has given II has for wears been asked. What would have become of those millions tf the United States had not been open ta .hemR Bnt let ns tes verso Inc question, and ask. What would have .eu the effect on the tat- ied states II the-e millions had net come Ia nug shatess Why, We would mol haze had any United states at alt, fet NC aH eaisratea, oniS Il was the good foltaue of small naal'ef to cene over la ;he hrsl hoat
 Nesef, for Il moment, will forget the blessings that have eanue to Inc immigrant on teaclIing these shores Here he has found the land of eppoftu- nities hec his mental and physical powers have been given the adv anta- ees that were tesuioted In his native country.
 Butt II the tm,nlgtant has received much he has also given much, IT se had need of our counay, our country has not had any less need of hlm, He builds the roads oSer which We travel, he builds the homes ia which we dwell, he starts the nii giions of wheels in our factories and keeps them in constant motion. he hsx swelled our popaiA- ton 10 ninety millions strong fl IL. had not hccn iaf him how smaii, would have been our ctties, how insignificant our industries, how narrow our bes. ders. By him our great natural te- sources hsyc been utilized and sfeve- loped. The vast virgin lands have been titled and made fruitful, The great mines have been wotkcd and their enormous ~vAlsh brought to light and practical use. siSty-siye psss cent es the uwn who til their own farms have come from Europe during The las, thirty. years, ol the ssso. .tso men al work in thr mines. more thsu .Sss.aisc were born in foreign lands; and el the asa ,sssp ,nea' werking oa she railroads, ea pes cent ass s.nsalxs rants. s.sa
 Rut the iueratxrmt Is mol toaat .ssN common lsherer snls, working Nasd
 
 and sealoasly nitA shis hau.sisr.t.e Is also found ss | efsin'@ofker, essrr him in sise .isrsi isss.aAs hssIs U~krnz oar laws aad ldlsstihe tle .ssslAy.. <. aaF country ss~ite 1sisss ilf~vtf~~essv'rs phonsess yes, eNea difects taeun, taking sAe mess important parts h tlss eleFssA