The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-06-13
A NEW MORSE SAGA
New York Times)

Americans OF Morse origin meet
today in Minneapolis to begin the
celebration of the one hundredth
anniversary of the first exodus of
Norwegians to the United States.
A million OF these people. more or
less, came to this country during
the century, most Of them to set
tie in the regions about the Great
Lakes and in the Northwestern
grain States. Some, unable to re-
sist the lure Of the sea which for
so many generations haL called
their ancestors, stopped at the At
lantic ports or pushed through to
the Pacific Northwest. Minnesota,
the Dakotas. Wisconsin and I'LL
nois. however, have claimed the
majority OF the children Of Nor
way. who took up the tanning of a
continent by the side OF Americans
of New England, German and other
origins. 1t has never been the ma
ture Of Norsemen to hang back or
to look to others to play their part.
Cannot the Norwegians boast Of
Amundsen as we'll as Left Ericsson?
Pioneering is in their blood. In
opening up the older Northwest
they had a congenial 1ifework.
1t is only natural that those
gathered together in Minneapolis
should dwell fondly on the glories
Of the Norsemen OF old. They are
Justly proud of the deeds of their
forefathers. But there should be
some modern skald to recite the
saga Of the winning of the North
west, and to celebrate the manner
in which these sons OF Norway
fused themselves into the life OF
the United States. giving to their
new homes in the woods and
plains the same loyal affection
that their fathers had for the hills
ana fjords of the Scandinavian
peninsula. The Northern peoples.
a. Professor Larson OF the Univer-
sity of illinois has APPLY reminded
us, have gone into many countries,
never with empty hands. In par
ticular is this true of those who
came to America. for they gave
not only their unremitting labor.
but also their sanity, their persist
ence and their strength. Nor have
they been backward in directing
the affairs of the Northwest. The
names of Knute Nelson and J. a.
O. Preus are still fresh in the pub
lie mind. representing the best that
this stock has contributed to Amer
lean politics. To be sure there is
Volstead .also. whose popularity
has been more dubious than that
OF the other two. but he was not
alone responsible for the prohibit
ton law.
Yankee. Norwegian. German and
Swede united to build this OLD
Northwest. There. under the i'm
pact OF common experiences. diving
the same life in forest or farm,
building roads and railroads to-
gether, and creating towns, these
kindred stocks have fused into a
new element of the American pop
ulation. The old people naturally
cling fond4y to the memories Of the
fatherland. Haruheaded Yankees
beyond three score years and ten
recall fondly the good old days in
New England. and dream Of the
little white farmhouse under the
tail eFms where they were born.
So also the Norwegfans look back
to Norway with an occasional
twinge Of inconsistencies. But
their children too often know nei-
ther New England nor. the "old
country" and are altogether an
sorbed in the life of today and to-
morrow. They are conscious that
to them has fallen one OF the best
sections of the great Mississippi
empire. and that they will be called
upon to share in the responsibility
Of crystallizing its development
Those who can boast of Morse
heritage will take comfort in the
thought that their forebears never
shrank from hard work or danger.
and that having once put the hand
to the pillow they never turned
back.