Evening star., 1925-05-05
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
/. G.. M.
THE BELGIANS. First Settlers in
New York and I'm the Middle States.
Henry c. Bayer. The Devfn-

THE BELGIANS. First Settlers i'm
New York and In the Middle States.
/ Henry c. Bayer. The Devfn-
Adair Co.
In this very month Of May, 300
years ago, the New Netherland sailed
into the harbor OF Manhattan. On
board were 80 families-fathers,
mothers and children-come to make a
home In the New World. These, the
first settlers, that, in Manhattan itself,
| on Staten Island, at Albany and all
along the Hudson, gave to this locality
those qualities of frugality and thrift
from which sprang much of the subse-
quent industry and wealth and power
of the Empire State.
The governor OF the State has by re-
cent official announcement set off the
present month of May for celebrations
throughout the Commonwealth com
memorative Of the landing of the New
Netherland and the settlement of
New York 300 years ago. Under the
inspiration and direction of the State
Historic Society, in schools and
churches and among other organized
bodies all over the State the old story
Will be told over and over again this
May month, the old scenes will be re.
acted in play and pageant and song,
that these sturdy and stanch forbears
| may live again in the hearts of an ap-
preciative people who will now re-
fresh themselves for a worthy future
from the source of their own present
| well-being.
The governors proclamation carries
with 1t formal invitation to the King
OF Belgium to partake in this festival
| OF remembrance. Why to the King of
Belgium rather than to the Queen Of
Holland? For the very good reason
that the Belgians were the first set
| tiers OF New York and the Middle
States-not the Dutch, as certain
minor historians have led us to be.
lieye.
Mr.. Bayer's study, designed as a
part OF this memorable May day in the
| State of New York, stands also as a
souvenir in pure metal Of the historic
celeoration. In substance, here is a
Dody OF evidence bearing down from
every relevant point of view, from
every relevant angle of research. upon
the vital fact that Belgian homeseekers
and not Dutch traders-were the
hrst settlers both of New York and
the other Middle States as well These
settlers were Walloons from Southern
belgium. That they sailed from Am.
sterdam Is the fact, no doubt. that
| gave 10 less exacting students than
tnose OF the present an impression
that these were Dutch colonists. and
SO they set them down. Walloon
refugees, instead, in quest of religious
liberty just as SO many French
Huguenots were, and English Puri
tans. Holland was hospitable 70 tbe
Protestant, and here many of them
gathered often for further flight as
uld tnese Belgian Walloons.
r.
Inc story drawn from this supert
oody OF evidence is one of keen in
terest and deep import. A true knowl
edge or origins is vital to self-knowl
cage, whether II be the individual on
ene group that seeks to understand a
| thousand aspects of it's present and
TO gather fair promise of it's future
80 one reads new and inportan,
story mere, story that ilIurninate,
more truly and clearly old ways NJ
| liIe, old customs and habits nj
thought. old prepossessions rightJ1
rooted and giving way to change or
tne basis of that native rootage. place
names are Walloon home songs. Fam
ny names To-Day, persist in their Bel
slan HaVors. An element of fresh ro
nance stands in this story of old New
York and the Middle States. Now 70,
the student the book is of rare ytal,,f
as method-exhaustiye, coraprehen
SVe, conclusive A method. this. that
includes much more than the hare
question involved, important as thi,
IS. For it goes back to gather the
great period Of exploration and dis
covery that narrowed. finally. to on1
or another of the special aspects ot
TINS tremendous enterprise. In thi,
case. TO the single point of the set
llement OF New York and the ada
cent region.