The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-02-19
WILSON'S LAME REPLY.

Governor Wilson of New Jersey, in
the course Of his campaign for the
Democratic nomination to be President,
has stopped TO explain what he meant
when he wrote in his History of the
American People the following criti-
cism Of certain forms Of immigration
into this country:
But now there came multitudes of men
OF the lowest class from the south OF
Italy and men OF the mcaner sort out of
Hungary and Poland. men out OF the
ranks where there was neither skill nor
energy nor any initiative or quick in
tellieence; and they came in numbers
which increased from year to year, as
If the countries OF the south of Europe
we're disburdcning themselves of the
more sordid and hapless elements OF
their population, the men whose stand
American workmen had never dreamed
OF hitherto. .. The unlikely fellows
who came in at the Eastern ports were
tolerated because they usurped no place
but the very lowest In the scale Of
labor
His reply does not seem TO he much
else than plea Of confession and
avoidance, He undertakes 10 divide
his opinion as between the national
characteristics of the southern nations
Of Europe, placing his opinion very
high upon those who stay at home, and
taking back nothing as to those who
come to this country. His reply on
this point is as follows
7 was not speaking of a nation but OF
certain clements which had recently dis
closed Themselves among our Immigrants
am perfectly willing TO abide by any
fair reading OF the passage I'm my his
tory, 10 which YOU probably alludc.
If 7 have at any time deplored
certain elements that have come 10 us
very unfortunate II have been so awk
ward in my way of expressing what /
had TO say as TO bring injustice TO a
people whom | admire and respect
From this il appears that Governor
Wilson admires and respects the peo-
pies of southern Europe, bat only when
thev stay at home He "deplorcs Ger.
tain elements that have come 10 us in
our later immigration, but does not
think that this ought to count against
his admiration and respect for the bulk
of those nationalities in their home
surroundings. IL may we'll he doubted
whether an explanation and plea like
this will help him very much. because
the votes Of those foreigners in their
native country could not be valuable
TO him in his Presidential race, while
ii is the very elements which he de-
plores the coming OF to this country
which Will cast votes in the Presi-
Dental election so far as these immi-
grants have been naturaized; and un-
questionable those votes would 20 with
zeal and vim against Governor Wilson
as Presidential candidate.
1t is always mistake for Presi-
dental candidate TO stop and bother
himself about matters of this kind.
But. inasmuch As Wilson had com
pletely reversed himself in his life
long teachings against the initiative
and referendum, perhaps the Poland
ers the Hungsriaus, and the southern
Europeans whom he aSssiled in his
history. hoped that he could be driven
10 retract his criticisms against them
as immigrants and his denunciation OF
them as moro undesirable than China.
men. But thcy could not drive Wilson
quite that far. though they drove him
into q corner in which he iespairingly