The Washington herald., 1913-10-19

therl were men Of the highest intellectual
type.
since 1850 over 100000 Germans have
landed in the United States.
The German IN America retains an ar
dent love for his native land and pride
In her achievements and strength, but he
loves his adopted country better. He
may cross the ocean to visit the scenes
of his childhood whenever the oppor-
tunity offers itself, but not to stay there
When he has satisfied his longing for the
old home he again turns his eyes 70 the
land of the setting sun. the land that
received him when he was a stranger or
an exile, the land of his children The
German language and customs are dear
to him, but he does not regard them as
religion. He appreciates American
ideals and quickly adopts the language
and customs of the country. He dis
charges all the duties OF citizenship, but
maintains the independence Of his views
Politicians have long since discovered
that they must take the German vote
into consideration IL they would win, but
also that the German vote is a negligible
quantity, because the German is an in
dependent thinker and seldom obeys the
party lash.
OF late years the character OF the
immigrants coming to this country has
undergone great changes. The arrival
of Germans, Irish, Scandinavians, and
other peoples of north Europe has
gradually diminished, and their places
are now taken by immigrants from the
south of Europe. The number of Ital-
fans coming to the United States has
increased in recent years with amaz-
ing rapidlty. In 1890 not more than
thirty Italians landed in this country.
II, -. Aa~ - "A NE 70 mn
In 1890 II was over 100000. and seven
years later this figure was trebled.
As long as the great mass of inn
migrants came from north Europe no
voice was raised against the new
comers. but since the tide comes main
ly from Italy, Austria Hungary, Rus
STA, and the smaller countries in the
south of Europe, we begin to realize
the danger threatening our institu-
tions and our society from anarchists
and criminals of the Black Hand type.
the vicious and the depraved, the pau
pers, and the illiterates. How to ex-
clude these undesirable elements is. in
dee. a problem which takes our best
legislative wisdom
Difference in Immigrants.
For, clearly, a distinction should be
made between the worthy and the un-
worthy immigrant Only prejudice can
indulge in race hatred. Every race has
produced worthy and noble characters.
The races of Southern Europe have
produced some of the highest types of
intellectual and moral worth Italy
produced Raphael, the painter: Dante.
the poet. and Savanarola, the~reformer.
The Slav race gave to the world Cop
ernicus, before England produced
Newton, and a Huss. before Germany
gave to the world a Martin Luther. To
be sure, there Is a vast difference be-
tween the immigrants and those great
names, but so long as personal dis
qualifications do not debar them they
should not be excluded on account OF
national or racial origin. Americanized.
and IL the parents are not, certainly
their children will be, with our system
of free secular education in our public
schools We must educate or perish. The
Jewish writer, Zangwill, speaks very
of America as great melting
pot" Gods crucible." wherein all the
races of Europe are to be fused and re-
formed to produce ''the American"
1t may become necessary to forbid
the immigration or illiterates as well
as paupers. As to criminals, there can
be but one opinion. They are already
prevented from landing, and IL they
have slipped in can be expelled whenever
discovered. But let America continue to
be the refuge of the oppressed in all
the earth, provided they are intelligent.
moral, and able-bodied and viii aid in
our resources and contribute
to our welfare. America and especially
Louisiana. still needs many thousands
OF strong arms to cultivate the soil and
build the railroads and levees and active
brains to develop her national treasures
in soil and mine and forest.