The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-06-08


Norwegians and produces more iron
ore than any other State. Again
Norway is land of wonderful fresh.
water lakes, and it is closely match
ed by Minnesota
There is one phase in the story of
immigration which seems always to
characterize it. Once the tide had
set in from particular European
country, the movement thereafter
has invariably been encouraged by
the early corners. Not only did they
urge relatives and friends in the old
home to come, but they devoted their
new-found prosperity to help them
On this subject there is an oppor-
tunity for some useful historical le-
search. In the pre- Revolutionary
days immigration to America seems
to have been encouraged from the
other side, partly from political and
partly from business motives. The
colonizing countries of Europe com
peted to control the best parts of the
New World by occupying it with
their colonies. immigration was en-
couraged both by the Governments
and by companies of merchant adj
venturers. At that stage of the
movement, of course, the colonies
possessed no wealth to help their
friends to come. But after the Rev
olution the situation greatly chan
ged. New political conditions made
this country more attractive than
ever before, and developing wealth
and opportunity emphasized its in
vitation. So we find the people of
our Republic deliberately and con-
sciously encouraging the movement
in this direction. There is oppor-
tunity for a much more detailed eX-
animation of these factors in the
European migration than has yet
been undertaken. 1t would be a
profoundly interesting contribution
to the story of this greatest of all
migrations that humanity has ever
accomplished if we could know more
of the precise motives which have
animated it.
Their Contribution
The contribution of this country
to financing immigration of the last
century and third has certainly run
into hundreds of millions of dollars,
perhaps into billions. 1t has had ::
profound social influence, both here
and in Europe. Its economic con-
sequences could hardly be overesti-
mated. A detailed inquiry into these
facts should include close consid-
Grafton Of all the great mgrations
which have marked the distri button
of men throughout the world Man
seems to have been from his Begin
nings the most migratory Of ami
mails. His. earlier movements appear
to have had their chief motive in
adventure and the desire to find the
regions where existence was most
comfortable. There could hardly
have been a very serious pressure
of population, for it is only in recent
historic times that this factor has
existed. Some very early migrations
were doubtless due to climatic or
other physical conditions. Later on
political, social religious. and eco
nomic reasons caused the move
ments. Some went forth to make
conquests, others were driven out
by conquest. The children of Israel
migrated into Egypt to escape from
famine. They left Egypt to escape
from bondage and to\recover their
religious liberty. The old Romans
and Phoenicians were great colon
izers. the Romans from imperalis-
tie motives and the Phoenicians
from desire to extend their trade.
The European migration to the Am
erican Continent represented in it's
various phases ak the causes that
have operated through the ages to
bring about such shifts of popula-
ton. In the beginning there was
chiefly the motive of exploration
and adventure. Later came the de-
sire to be freed from onerous cleri-
cal or political restrictions. Then,
with, the realization of Americas
wish to share in it's developing rich
es. Only in the later stages of the
movement did the people of this
country reach their hand of welcome
to the friends across the Atlantic,
both urging and assisting them to
come.
Though l make no pretense to deep
studies in the subject, yet l have
been impressed that in this last re-
gard the shift of Old-World peoples
to this side of the Atlantic was per-
haps unique. From the time when
their fast-developing institutions of
popular government, religious free
dom, and intellectual liberality had
begun to take definite and attractive
forms, the people Of the Colonies
took a new interest in inducing
their European relatives to follow
them thither. They engaged in an
inverted crusade. a conquest with