Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-01-18

The House OF Representatives YVES
nied. both foor and balcony. Wednes-
day evening. q large crowd gathering
10 hear the former u. S. minister to
Sweden. the Honorable W. W. Thomas,
IN his address upon The Story Of New
Sweden and the Colonization in
Maine" AS Mr. Thomas. man OF
striking appearance. walked TO his seat
accompanied by Speaker Bonney the
presiding officer OF the meeting,
burst OF clsppiag greeted them In in
PRODUCING the speaker OF the evening
Speaker Bonney mentioned the fact that
a. least two other members Of the
House and Senate are residents Of New
Sweden, and he told Of his personal
connection with the subject on which
Mr.. Thomas was 10 speak. lie spoke
Of the original settlers who carved New
Sweden on. 81 the wilderness, and told
Of tho part played by Mr.. Thomas, re-
ferring 10 an article liz the Journal
short tine ago concerning the life ana
works Of tho former minister. In the
closing words Of his introduction he re-
ferred 20 Mr.. Thomas as scholar au-
thor. politician. statesman. diplomat ana
adviser Of kings. and as an adviser OF
Linx. he has represented the very finest
type of democratic diplomat Mr.
Thomas then took the platform and was
erected with a burst Of cheering. He
smoke In n slow and impressive man
ncr. with just trace Of Swedish ac-
cent
GENTLEMEN or THE LEGISLA-
TTRE OF MAINE.
II ~ 20 me a great pleasure and
hiEh honor AZ well, 10 meet ana ad-
dress you here In this Hall Of the
House Of RepresentatiNes.
II recalls cherished memories OF more
than two score years ago when | had
the privilege OF taking part in the legis-
lation OF our State. and when was
striving. as know you legislators of
today are now striving, to do some
thing for the good of our grand State
Of Maine.
one Of the subjects, which is now in
teresting our people, is the colonization
dustrtous. thrifty farmers. thus add
Ing Z, our agricultural and rural pop
ulat!cn upon whom rest so largely the
welfare and prosperity OF our beloved
commonwealth
The subject is not new.
Nearly half q century ago 4 little
COMPANY Of resolute Swedes. with their
wives and children left their homes i'm
the high north Of Europe, sailed over
she ocean, cut their way into the back
woods OF Maine. and there, in the for
est prlmeval founded the prosperous
colony Of New Sweden
r. the discussion ~ any future col
onizatlou ~ Maine il seems woll TO
rlnrce at the causes that made New
Sweden possible and that have con-
tributed 70 its success.
To begin At tho beginning We must
go back 70 the outbreak Of our great
CtvH War Early IN the strife Pres
ident Lincoln appointed me one Of the
thirty war consuls" Of the United
States and sent me TO Gothenburg,
Sweden
During n three years residence there
] acquired the Swedish language; be-
came familiar with tho history. man
rers and customs Of the people, and
learned % know. respect and admire
the manner Of mon and women they
were. had heheld also the thousands
az sturdy Swedish cmigrarts that ev-
cry year sailed away from Swedish
ports for America 10 help suhdue the
forests ana open up the pyairies Of our
own broad land
But there was one fact connected
with this emigration that 10 rno-a son
90 the Firr Tree State-was ANYTHING
tut satisfactory. None of ali these
emigrants settled iu Maine: all passed
by our state and went to build up and
make strong and great the states of
the West ard Northwest. Yet no state
or territory in the Union is better
adapted hv nature to become the home
Of Swedes than the northern. wooded
state Of Maine. Here and in Sweden
the Same mountains rear their alters 10
heaven. the same woodland lakes re-
feet the twinklinE stars; the same for
ests clothe the hillsides: the same crvs-
tai clear rivers rush leaping TO the sea;
the same deep harhOrs notch the coast.
ana the same Islands by the thousand
guard the shores
Maine Needed immigration.
And no better emigrants than the
Swedes ever landed on American soil.
Honest and Industrious. law-abiding
and God-fearing. polite and brave. hos
pitable and generous, of the same old
northern stock as ourselves. no foreign
speaking immigrants learn our lam
guage moro quickly. and none become
more speedily Americanized or make
better citizens OF our great Republic.
Did Maine need immigration? Yes;
surely
Maine 81 n state Of great. NJ; largely
Gndc' eioped resources. Oar seacoast,
fndented all over with harhorS, invites
the commerce % the globe; our rivers
of1er sufficient power TO run the factor
ies Of the nation. while or uuarries
can supply the world With building ma
te-tcl n the northwestern portion Of
or stnte also. there was and still is
wilderness domain. whcreon is scarce a
settler larger IN area than the state Of
Massachusetts. covered with a stately
forest. possessing n soil OF unusual
depth and fertility. and wate~e1 by
plentiful streams.
Yet notwithstanding oil trese eSvan