Page:The National Geographic Magazine Vol 16 1905.djvu/33

I have spoken to high-school gatherings and teachers, and have been utterly amazed at the lack of knowledge of geography, and especially of racial geography, which is manifested throughout the United States.

If it is true that each incoming racial element leaves its indelible imprint on the character of the people of the United States, and that our national character has been built up from the diverse races that have come here, it would seem to be unquestioned that our educational methods should include the study of racial geography to equip students who are being turned out of our colleges with a knowledge of the races that are annually coming into the American life, and especially with their economic, moral, and social effect on the community. The National Geographic Society can well initiate this work by agitating for a more comprehensive and scientific study of racial geography in our various institutions of learning in the United States.

The Romans and the Greeks regarded all strangers as barbarians. Most savage tribes have no word to differentiate between these two terms.

This feeling, inherited through the ages, is at the bottom responsible for unthinking opposition to immigration, and unfortunately comes often from those who were themselves aliens but a short time before. As the proselyte becomes the most rabid opponent of his former religion, so the recently naturalzed foreigner is often the loudest in his demands to close the doors to others.

Migration and the tendency of races to move from one place to another have been the strongest instincts in human nature. The counter-instinct, equally strong, of self-preservation has made the opposition of the resident races always to be considered. As the Greeks and Romans considered a stranger a barbarian and an enemy, so did the first colonial settlers of the United States regard later comers as a danger to them. As early as 1765, as told by Edward Eggleston, William Penn expressed himself as being apprehensive of the coming of the Pennsylvania Dutch to his colony. In 1819 and 1820, although the migration of that period was very small, the municipal authorities of New York expressed apprehension as to the effect on the public institutions of the 10,000 or 12,000 immigrants, the total number of the arrivals at that period.

In 1850 the Know-nothing movement was the direct result of the exodus of the Irish and Germans to the United States, which had begun in the 40's.

The discussion of the Kansas and other border states land acts in the 40's and 50's, concerning the question as to whether the aliens should have the privilege of occupying these lands on the same terms as the natives, brought forth expressions of opinion from Clay, Calhoun, and Seward, which were generally expressions of fear as to the economic effect on the United States of the introduction of these aliens.

Washington, Madison, and Jefferson, in the early life of the Republic, gave the question some attention, and were in turn either openly opposed to or doubtful as to the effect of the introduction of alien races.

The Civil War and the immediate response of the alien residents of the United States in enlisting to enter the armies of the North stopped emigration discussion for twenty years.

During all the years that immigration inspection has been in progress no steps have been taken to scientifically ascertain the real danger or value to the United States of the immigrant forces coming to this country. The investigations of the Bureau of Labor have shown that the economic dangers that were feared in the early 50's have not