The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1915-05-31
THE MELTING POT
JOHN BATTs)

Since the discovery OF America the
people OF the world have looked 10
cur shores as the haven OF refuge.
Almost a continuous and ever-increas-
ing stream of humanity has been
pouring into our country for the past
three hundred years. Like the great
ovens or melting pots OF our iron and
steel industries. America has been re-
ceiving and appropriating to her com
monwealths the incoming millions
from other nations. One person in
every seven in the United States was
born outside of its borders. We have
today thirteen and one-half million
foreign-born, which is approximately
equal to the total population of Bel
gium and Holland combined We have
one-sixth as many Canadians as there
are in Canada; one-half million more
Germans than the city of Berlin:
enough Irish to make four Dublins,
and enough Italians to make three
Romes. Five million two hundred
and fifty thousand persons came to
the United States during the decade
from 1900 to 1910. History contains
no similar movement of population
which in rapidity or volume equals
this. The great hordes that invaded
Europe from Asia; the vast swa arms
that from the forests of Germany de-
luged the Roman empire, enormous as
they were, were Insignificant compar-
ed with the stream of immigration
that is pouring from Europe into
America. While the total foreign
born population OF the United States
in 1910 amounted to over thirteen mil
lions, it is interesting that the people
born in this country, one or both of
whose parents were of foreign birth
reached a total of ove- 5000. O0n.
Thus 100000, or about one-third OF
the people of the United States are
foreign-born, or have one or both pa
rents who were foreign-born.
America owes to the immigrant rot
only the opportunities for life liberty
and the pursuit of happiness that she
promises to every man, bnt a s-mpa-
thetic appreciation of his humanity,
and an intelligent assistance in derel-
oping it. Assimilation is made easy
when the wheels OF contact are oiled
with kindness and sympathy
American patriotism must steadily
and resoutly resist every attack upon
our institutions. especially our public
schools. This is vital to the preserva-
ton of our civil and religious liberty
Tor the immigrant children. the pub
lie. schools are sluiceways III Ameri-
canism. While the stream OF alien
childhood flows through them II viii
issue into the reservoirs of national
life with the old world taIats filtered
out and the qualities retained and de-
veloped that make for Loyalty and
good citizenship. We shall have to
look to our school boards, elevate
them above party politics and graft.
and elect to them men and women in
stinct with the true spirit of Ameri-
canism. This mightiest agency of
modern civilization might otherwise
be diverted from its high mission to
produce for the republic an erlIgl ten
ed and noble manhood and woman
hood.
The children lead the way to the
OF the immigrant.
Out of chaos energies third genera
ton OF credible character from which
much must be expected. Our Aus
trian, Hungarian and Russian new
corners are still in the first and sec
ond stages in the process of becom-
ing Americanized and there seems no
good reason why the third genera
lions should not become true citizens.
In that development we can either
help or materially hinder in our rela-
tions to them as employer, as pro-
ducers and as fellow citizens.
What is to be the outcome of this
movement of the nations upon Amer
ican political and Industrial life, is
the question which confronts us with
a problem never before presented in
the worlds history. Freedom of suf-
frage, educational advantages. i'm
proved industrial conditions. the dig
nifty of citizenship. equal laws. protec-
ton of property. All these nourish in
the foreigner an increasing respect
for the American system. We have
a reason to believe that unnder proper
legislation, the combined influence Of
all these will in the long run fully
neutralize the distinctly unfavorable
results OF future immigration The
solution of this problem demands the
combined forces of our educational,
social, political and evangelical life.
The melting pot must continue to re-
ceive all classes and creeds. AS each
reaches what is known as the melting
zone, he becomes a part OF the whole
or is assimilated by the great Amer