Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1921-06-10
Q IMMIGRATION. {
. By s. Dalton Watson, Jr.
Q Q Q Q Q . Q Q Q O Q q q O
o Q o o o o 90 o %

snail attempt to give you an i'm
partial statement Of the facts re-
garding the question Of immigration,
which is causing SO much discussion
in America today. Many who study
this subject reach conclusions which
are diamerrically opposite. There are
clearly two sides to the question of
the restriction Of immigration and
and many things one might write on
either side would find opponents as
well as supporters.
On one point We are all agreed
that is in the early days Of this
country the immigrant was q neces-
sity. He came here in numbers after
American Independence was estab-
liss,ed. These mistreated foreigners
Of the poorer classes realized that
this country was free from kings and
the conditions that are brought about
by a monarchical form Of govern
ment, 20 immigration began.
Our country seemed almost bound
less. The great wilderness spread
from the Allegheny Mountains TO the
Pacific Ocean, but the immigrant did
not even then realize the vast pos
sibilities Of this land for, as late as
the Civil War. only . very small part
of that territory was actually cul-
tivated. Finally, however, they began
to settle in the country around the
Great Lakes, and Minnesota, Iowa,
Nebraska, and Wisconsin, Is well as
the States further west were taken
up and developed by the Immigrant
or his children. They became the best
type Of Americans, and their de-
scendants are today among the fore
most in the land. No one win ques-
ton that this country has been
greatly benefited by this kind of
immigration.
The complaint that the present i'm
mirants do not assimiIate our in
stitotions is an old one. Former
Germans are now referred to as an
English speaking race, and yet as
late as the middle Of the nineteenth
century the rapid growth of German
colonists in our very large cities was
looked upon with the same apprehen-
sion as some now view the influx Of
the immigrant from Southern Europe.
Statistics show that the new immi-
grant races number among them as
large a percentage Of English speak
ing persons as the Germans who have
lived in the United States for the
same length Of time.
The immigrant does most Of the
heavy work in the Northern, just as
the negro does in the Southern States.
He builds railroads, the houses, the
streets, he digs in the mines and
works in the lumber camps, The
children perhaps, and the grand
children undoubtedly, Of these i'm
mirants will refuse to do this class
Of work. The result will be that If we
shut out these people there will be
q greaE deal Of work necessary to the
proper development Of the country,
which will not be done, and the
country a q whole viii suffer by
it.
Many fear that we are building up
lot Of separate races that will
not intermingle, but will continue
to all intents and purposes, separate
nationalities with their race Gus
toms the same as the Father Land.
They fear that they win not imbibe
the American spirit and in case Of
war we would have millions Of ene-
mics within our borders. II you be-
lieve this, just 60 into the schools
that are filled with immigrant child
rem.
There you will find the purest pa
triotism no matter what the nation
atty Of the parents may be. Most
Of these people come to escape what
they feel are unjust cause or the
impossibility Of q poor mans rising
We shall, therefore, grow slowly
but surely into the rose Of perfect
Character, emerging, little by little,