In Alabama 571 per cent are native whites and onehalf of 1 per cent are foreignborn whites. I do not know- that the farms of Minnesota are more productive than the farms of Alabama. Assuming that they are equal in natural resources. it must be admitted that the differenee in results is attributable to the superior qualities of husbandry demonstrated by our immigrants. Not only have the immigrants and their children demonstrated great capacity to produce for the benefit of the whole Nation. but likewise a wonderful capacity to assimilate and learn. On page 239 of the Census Abstract the following significant statement is made: The lowest percentage of illiteracy. 1.1 per cent. was among the native whites of foreign or mixed parentage. while among the native whites of native parentage the percentage was 3.7 per cent. Those are the figures for the whole country. and they show beyond question that foreign immigrants from Europe are more solicitous for the education of their children than the native whites of this countrythree times as solicitous and earnest in the matter of education and good citizenship. Not only are these children of immigrants diligent in acquiring education. but extremely proficient as well. The Italian children bring to the public schools very superior qualities of artistic perception which not only enable them to distinguish themselves in literary expression and all kinds of creative work requiring for its development a high order of imagination. but serve as a stimulus and incentive to the orderly minds of more deliberative nationalitles. The world. of course. recognizes the scientific accuracy of the German mind and the brilliant capacity of the Greek and French. bnt it may not be generally known that the children of Scandinavian immigrants to this country have in consequence of their splendid capacity for hard work and great power of continued application won and maintained in our higher institutions of learning an unequaled general average of scholarship and attainment. The press reports of the Northwest during the past week have told the significant story of little Anna Nerli. who won first place in arithmetic for the whole city of Minneapolis. She is but 12 years old. but has completed the eight granmmar grades in six years. and is spoken of by the educators of Minneapolis as being one of the best allround pupils that the city has produced. She is the daughter of Norwegian immigrants whom radical restrictionists would have excluded from our shores if they could have done so. Over onethird of a million of the thrifty and substantial German stock are scattered all over our State. and wherever they are are contributing every day to the happiness and wealth and the general good of the whole State. Over half a million of the enterprising and tireless Scandinavian race. who. with the same spirit of daring and adventure which made vikings of them in the olden days. did not hesitate to attack the difficulties of the boundless prairies of our far Northwest when many thought it was folly to do so. have not only subjugated a splendid empire of raw land. but have createdall over it homes of prosperity and culture. And all the time this great people. while accomplishing this arduous work of subjugation. have steadily absorbed our best principles of government and our most progressive and enlightened ideas of political economy. so that now every reform and every movement for the uplift of humanity has their sure and uncompromising support. Our immigrants from Italy and Greece. as well as from Holland. Belgium. England.
Identified stereotypes
Generalizations about the artistic perception of Italian children, the scientific accuracy of the German mind, the brilliance of the Greek and French, and the capacity for hard work of Scandinavian immigrants.