Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-07-26
Opposed to Foreigner.

Mt. Rodenberg then paid attention TO
the much discussed phrases in Woodrow
Wilson's writings which have been de-
scribed as prejudicial to the foreign born
element in America:
Il did not believe" he said. that the
time ever would come when a great
political party would nominate as its
candidate for the presidency a man i'll
whom there seems still to linger a trace
OF the intolerance, the prejudice and the
narrow resentment that gave birth 10 the
un-American. anti-foreign agitation OF
some fifty years ago on page IL. vol
une five. of Woodrow Wilson's History
OF the American People i find this re-
markable statement:
Now there came multftudeS OF men of
the lowest class from the south of Italy
and men of the meaner sort out of Hun
gary and Poland. men out of the ranks
where there was neither skill nor energy
nor any initiative of quick intelligence;
and they came in numbers which increas-
ed from year to year. as if the countries
Of the south of Europe were disburdening
themselves of the more Sordid and hap
less elements of their population, the men
whose standards of life and of work were
such as American workmen had never
dreamed of hitherto.
The people of the Pacific coast had
clamored these many years against the
admission of immigrants out of China
and in May. 1892. got at last what they
wanted. federal statute which practi-
caliy excluded from the United States all
Chinese who had not already acquired the
right Of residence: and yet the Chinese
were more TO be desired, as worknerl if
not as citizens. than most of the coarse
crew that came crowding in every year
at the eastern ports.
No Nationality in Genius.
II would not discriminate against the
1foI.o
have not forgotten that Columbus was
the son of an Italian laborer / have
not forgotten that among the sculptors
and artists who have given Italy her
proud position in the world of art are
the sons of men who earned their bread
in the sweat of their brows Genius
knows no nationality and is not the re-
suit OF birth or location. No nation has
a monopoly on intellect. corner
brains Italy has her Garibaldi: Po-
land, her kosciuszko; Hungary. her Kos
suth. and even the learned Princeton pro-
lessor may profit by reading the inspiring
story of their heroic lives
In this land OF equal opportunity the
son OF the immigrant of today may be-
come the American statesman of tornor-
row. As ! read the pathetic story of the
patriotic struggle of the people Of the
south of Europe for larger opportunities
and greater freedom. and as | recall al
that they have contributed 10 the genius
of our national life l must take issue
with Woodrow Wilson. / believe That
they are superior in every way to me
Chinese and that il is an insult 10 the
Caucasian race 10 say that they are not
Prof Wilson seems to be especially
fond of the Chinese. Continuing the
quotation which 1 have just read. on
page 213. volume V, Prof Wilson proceeds
as follows.
They che Chinese) had. no doubt,
many an unsavory habit, bred unwhoIe-
some sGualor in the crowded quarters
where they most abounded in the western
seaports, and seemed separated by their
very nature from the people among whom
they had come to live; bur il was their
skill. their intelligence, their hardy power
OF labor, their knack at succeeding and
driving duller rivals out. rather than
their alien habits that made them fear
cd and hated and led 10 their exclusion
at the prayer OF the men they We're likely
70 displace should they multiply The
unlikely fellows who came in at the. east
ern ports We're tolerated because they
usurped no place but the very lowest in
the scale of labor =