YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 3 9002 06126 3969 J olin son, Arnandus Swedish contributions to American national life. Hew York, 1921. gig; CjiA. _8S5_ "I give thefe Books: ; for. &e founding t>f. a. CoUtgt in this Colony' •YAILE-'VMVIEISSJnnf- Gift of &/vOdn 'V ill CONTRIBUTIONS dMERICdfi PROGRESS THIS BOOKLET HAS BEEN PREPARED AND ISSUED under the authority of the Committee Representing Americans of Swedish Lineage AMERICA'S MAKING EXPOSITION 71st Regiment Armory October 29th— November 12th, 1921 SWEDISH CONTRIBUTIONS TO AMERICAN NATIONAL LIFE 1638-1921 BY AMANDUS JOHNSON, Ph.D. * # » Author of " The Swedes in America,'- etc. To know the struggle and achievement of your fathers is to love your country published by the COMMITTEEJOF THE SWEDISH SECTION OF AMERICA'S MAKING, Inc. NEW YORK OCTOBER, 1921 Copyrighted October 29th, 1921, by the Committee of the Swedish Section of America's Making Ct t-.KZ-t PREFACE. The following sketch has been written under unusual dif ficulties. The large collections, notes, clippings and other sources of the author were destroyed, as the booklet was under prepara tion, and only through the encouragement and aid of friends has it been possible to publish even, this inadequate account of Three Centuries of Swedish Contributions to American Na tional Life. The writer wishes especially to thank Dr. Hoving, Mr. Skarstedt, Mr. Berger, Dr. Freeburg and the other members of the Book Commtitee, Mr. BjornstromrSteffanson and particu larly Professor Sternberg, of the University of Minnesota; Mr. Swendsen, of Minneapolis, as well as many others too numerous to mention. The Committee and the author wish to express their sincere thanks to the American Scandinavian Foundation for the loan of the cuts of the portraits of Washington and Hesselius ; to Prof. David Nyvall for the loan of the cut of North Park College; to Augustana Book Concern, Rock Island, 111., for the loan of the other cuts ; and especially to Mrs. Ingeborg Hansell, of New York, who has designed the cover. Those who are interested in the history of Swedish achieve ments in America will find more detailed information in the author's "Swedes in America," Volume I. This work will be complete in four volumes. THE AUTHOR. Philadelphia, October, 1921. Portrait of Washington, Painted by Wertmuller. See page 42. INTRODUCTION History and Colonization — Characteristics of the Swedes HISTORY AND COLONIZATION. An account of the background of events is generally desir able. If of sufficient detail and scope it will give us a clearer view of the subject in question and make it easier to understand certain peculiar traits of the actors in new or unfamiliar environ ment and their reaction to new stimuli, lt will often explain the rise and origin of movements and indicate the source of influ ences and the forces behind them. With this in view the reader may perhaps find an interest in the following brief sketch of Swedish history and Swedish- American colonization from the earliest time to the present day. Scholars have located the original home of the Germanic peoples in southern Sweden, where Ayrian clans from the East, according to these views, settled perhaps ten thousand years before our era. From there various tribes spread over Europe, gradually developing into the great nations of today. This may be fancy (although as probable as any other theories on the subject), but it is certain that the ancestors of the present popu lation of Sweden occupied the southern portion of what is now the Scandinavian Peninsula a very long period before the Chris tian era. Due to their isolated position and relative seclusion they retained, during the following ages, their purity of race to a greater extent than any other Germanic people, and maintained to a higher degree than other nations the special characteristics of what Grant calls "the Great Race." Through these qualities the people rose above material disadvantages and achieved results relatively far beyond their means. They developed a high civilization before the days of Moses, and at the time of Caesar they possessed a culture superior to any on the con tinent, outside of Greece and Rome. In the early centuries of our era they produced a literature of large and varied proportions, which unfortunately has been lost. They stood in the front rank of material development. They possessed navigators and warriors who had few equals and no superiors in the known world. The victory of the Vikings in virtually every battle and the success of their expeditions in general (often misunderstood and misinterpreted) were not primarily due to the strength, personal prowess or ferocity of the Northmen, but rather to their hlgn<~r culture, their more scientific methods of warfare and supeno organization as compared to their enemies. _ The forefathers of the modern Swedes had their full snare in the stirring history of the Viking period. They took part in most of the important expeditions of the Northmen to tne west. They supplied many Norse colonists in Normandy ana the British Isles and the largest expedition to America (1W6) was led by a chieftain of Swedish descent, Thorfin Karlselni. But the Viking inhabitants of what is now Sweden, mainly directed their efforts eastward, and early proved their success, not only as warriors, but also as colonists and settlers. They founded Russia and established themselves in many places of this vast territory. They conquered and Christianized Finland and colonized the coastal districts from Tornea to Bjorko. They dotted the Baltic Provinces with their settle ments, and established trade, commercial and other relations with the various tribes. In the later Middle Ages Sweden fell behind other parts of Europe, more favored by nature. The tremendous energies exerted in many directions in the previous centuries, continued wars and frequent and destructive pestilences, dulled the spirit of the people. The nation was tired ; it needed a rest. For certain brief periods the country was united with the other two Scandinavian nations, often to its detriment, and foreigners ob tained a firm foothold there. At the time of the Reformation, trade, commerce and industrial arts were almost entirely in the hands of Germans or Hollanders. At the beginning of the sixteenth century, however, great leaders arose who, in less than three generations, placed the nation among the first-class powers of Europe, raised the stand ard of living, extended the boundaries of the country, improved the system of the government, making it a model for the rest of Europe, reformed education and founded universities and preparatory schools, established cities, extended trade and fost ered commerce. Gustavus Adolphus, Queen Christina, Axel Oxenstierna, Klas Fleming, Charles XII and dozens of others are names that grow dim by no comparison and, by virtue of their colonial interests, are bound up closely with the history of America. It was particularly the beginning of the seventeenth century, that witnessed the ascendency of Sweden. The Thirty Years' War made her the leading power of northern Europe, and brought her in touch with world forces to a larger extent than ever before since the Viking period. The result was an awaken ing along many lines and a quickening of the national life. The feeling of nationality grew strong (nationalism and chauvinism are not, as many scholars maintain, an eighteenth century prod uct) and there was a veritable propaganda for national great ness. Swedish warriors had placed the country "on the map" politically, Swedish armies had marched over half of Europe, humbled several nations and pressed the course of history into new channels. With this in view Swedish statesmen and other leaders tried to give the nation a "place in the sun" of commer cial, industrial and colonial success. Spain, Portugal, England and Holland had large colonial possessions, great commercial fleets and extensive industrial establishments. On a hundred battlefields Swedish soldiers had found no superiors, why should not Swedish genius, applied to peaceful pursuits, acquire equal success in competition with other nations? Why should not Sweden have a share in the colonial empires across the sea, where, according to reports, fabulous fortunes were slumbering, ready to be won by the strong and the enterprising? Thus argued the educated Swede of the seventeenth century. The argument was correct, but Swedish resources in wealth and man power were hardly equal to such a task. The gigantic wars required unbelievable sacrifice and called for nearly the last ounce of the nation's strength. It was, however, in the very midst of these wars that Swed- its colonies were planted in America and Africa, and that the nation took a long leap forward in material development, but the above facts explain why the colonial ventures lacked the es sential elements of success. Many foreigners who were seeking preferment and better opportunities for the exercise of their power, offered their serv ices to the progressive nation of the north, whose King and Chan cellor were eager to make use of talents wherever they could be found. Holland especially, which by virtue of a long develop ment had a surplus of trained men in many fields, furnished Sweden with some of her best leaders. Thus availing themselves of foreign experts, as well as training native powers with the utmost intensity, the King and his assistants executed extensive plans and accomplished far-reaching reforms in many fields. As a result Swedish shipping began to compete for the trade of the Baltic. Weaving mills, ropewalks, glass works and other factories were established. Native talent was available in abund ance which simply needed training, as the Swede has always been mechanically inclined. From times immemorial he made his im plements for farming and other purposes, as well as household goods. He built his house and constructed his primitive mills; while every house-wife could spin her yarns, weave her cloth and sew her clothes. The spiritual and cultural forces were not neglected by the great leaders of the seventeenth century, and the blessings of civilization were also given to the inhabitants of conquered ter ritory, for the Swedish chariot of war did not primarily leave fefPtlll ': WW: w ¦ 4 i&fkm desolate cities and waste country in its wake. In its track sprouted commerce and trade, schools and universities arose, l orderly government was established and happy and contented citizens were left to enjoy the blessings of a higher culture. Education and Christianity were always the first thoughts of the Swedish statesmen and warriors. When they conquered Finland they did not exterminate the race or compel them to adopt a new language, but they translated the Bible into their tongue and thus taught them the truths of Christianity in the speech they understood and appreciated. When governors were sent to America and Africa they were strictly enjoined to treat the aborigines kindly, and large fines were imposed for any in jury done to the natives, while the instructions were minute about their conversion to Christianity. Much was done for the education of the masses and the school system of the country was greatly improved. Commenius (Komminsky), far ahead of his contemporaries as an educator, was called to Sweden for the purpose of reorganizing the school system according to his educational theories, and, at the expense of the government, he wrote a series of pedagogical works. The result was the school ordinance of 1648 "with a system of in structions equal to which no other country could show a parallel, whether we refer to the completeness and thoroughness of the formal and pedagogical principles or the extent or content of the material studied." Improvements were made from time to time and in 1693 compulsory education became a law, long before similar meas ures were adopted in other countries. As a consequence of such efforts, the illiteracy of the population was greatly reduced, and the Swedes who came to America during the colonial period and later showed a smaller percentage of illiteracy than any other nation. * * * The first impulse for Swedish Trans-Atlantic trade, com merce and colonization came from Holland. When English set tlements were being made in New England and Virginia and when the Dutch were establishing themselves in New Amster dam, William Usselinx drew up extensive plans for a Swedish company which was to conduct trade and found colonies in America and Africa. These plans miscarried, but the idea was realized on a smaller scale, and out of it grew one of the set tlements on the North American coast. The first expedition, conceived in 1636, prepared in 1637, ar rived on the American shores in March, 1638, and landed at what is now Wilmington, Delaware. The west bank of the Delaware as far as present Philadelphia was bought from the Indians. Forts and other dwellings were erected and arrange- 1 The universities of Abo and Dorpat, etc. Q iiaci j# %tStrond Sim 6 ff- ;g &&,'+*'¦ j . ^_pp- . .. */ . *~ — - -~ —— ~gfr- — r~-~-~~ -g^JSg^ uuimi.i ' - ..miiiiiii ______nnn r,i,n,inu I,... mm, -— - ,.. ,z. z_. /2o Fort Christina on the Delaware, New Sweden (Present Wilmington, Delaware). ments made for the tilling of the soil and establishing trade with the aborigines. Eleven other expeditions followed at certain in tervals. More land was bought from the Indians, and the set tlement finally extended to four of the original States — Pennsyl vania, Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey. New Sweden on the Delaware, as the colony was called, surrendered to the Dutch in 1655, after a short and practically bloodless warfare and the district was captured by the English nine years later. The colony, however, continued to grow in prosperity. New farms were cleared, new mills for grinding corn were erected, new brick-yards were established and new roads were laid out. Im migrants arrived from Sweden from time to time. New settlers came from other parts of Europe and from the neighboring col onies on the coast. The banks of the Delaware and the Schuyl kill for some distance were thus settled and the country was by no means a wilderness when William Penn arrived in 1682. The Swedes dominated the situation for some time, but they gradually lost their ascendency, through the influx of set tlers from Great Britain and elsewhere. They retained their characteristics for many generations and left a decided imprint on the three States where they were located. This was, to a large extent, due to the interest of the mother country. The Swedish government maintained pastors among its colonies and houses of worship were built at the expense of the public treasury. When New Sweden passed on to the Dutch only one pastor remained who, according to the articles of sur render, was allowed to instruct the Swedes freely in their relig ion and language. For several years the colony was entirely left to itself, but the Swedes here were deeply religious and when their only pastor became old and unfit for service the colonists entreated the government at Stockholm to supply them with "ministers of the gospel, so that their children would not grow up to be heathens." This was in 1693. Charles XI, "a good and wise monarch" who "was religious to excess," occupied the throne, and he issued orders that the requests of the Swedes in America should be granted. Accord ingly three ministers of the Gospel were dispatched with Bibles and books. They arrived here in May, 1697, after a long and perilous journey, and at once began collecting "the scattered flocks." Two churches were erected soon after — one at Wilming ton in 1699 and one in Philadelphia in 1700. These interesting little churches are still standing, as monuments to the piety and religious fervor of the early Swedes. * * * Literature, science and general culture were ardently fost ered during the eighteenth century and in this period we find some of the most famous names in Swedish history, Linne, Swed- enborg, Fries, Scheele are but a few. The intense scientific ac- tivity reacted on America. The Swedish pastors that came to /Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania were nearly all vo taries of botany, or other forms of learning," and greatly stimu lated interest in science and education during their stay in America. But conditions in the mother country were unfavor able for emigration and the churches on the Delaware were adversely affected. Almost incessant wars, some ot them disas trous, misrule and internal strife, made the nation helpless. Nevertheless the authorities at Stockholm did not forget the lit tle colony in America. Even Charles XII, during his exile in Turkey, issued orders about "the Swedish-Lutheran Mission on the Delaware." The government, although at all times pressed for funds, not only supplied relatively large sums of money to the missionaries, but also sent psalm-books, Bibles and other religious literature to the churches in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Forty-one pastors were sent to America between 1642 and '- 1779, many of whom were among the most learned and able preachers in the country — men like Rev. Dylander, Dr. Wrangel, Dr. Collin and others. In their wake followed, not only a certain number of immigrants who sought their fortunes here, settled in the country and became "good citizens," but also travellers, artists and scientists, such as Johan Printz, Peter Kalm, Gustav Hesselius, Ulric Wertmiiller, Ulric Dahlgren, etc. Thus there has been almost an uninterrupted migration to these shores from Sweden from the year 1638 to the present day. In fact, after the Revolution, there was a considerable influx of immigrants, to such an extent that it was necessary for Rev. Collin about 1820 to warn his countrymen from coming here, "as there were too many Swedes in the land already." The nineteenth century was a period of great changes in Sweden as elsewhere. Liberal thought gradually permeated every walk of life. Many reforms were set in motion and educa tion was made even more general than ever before, placing Sweden in the front rank of civilized nations and reducing the illiteracy of her population to less than one-hundredth of one per cent., the lowest in the world. Migration to America during the first forty years of the cen tury was small. So long a journey presented innumerable difficul ties. Transportation was troublesome and expensive and the trip took weeks and often months. The poor classes, who were willing to migrate had no money to do so and people of means had no am bition to leave their homes for uncertain fortunes in a new world. Besides it was not always possible to quit the country as a special permit was required from the King. This restriction was removed in 1843 and other circumstances tended to set in mo- tion "that procession of fortune-seekers from Sweden" which has increased our population by nearly two millions and made in valuable contributions to our national life, by clearing the mighty forests of the western States and transforming the wide prairies to fertile fields, by building 2000 churches and almost as many school houses, by establishing nearly twenty higher institutions of learning, and a large number of charitable organizations, by forming over one thousand societies for public welfare and mu tual benefit, by publishing hundreds of newspapers and thou sands of books, in fine by enriching our spiritual life in a hun dred different ways. These, and the earlier contributions of the colonial Swedes, will form the subject for the following pages, but before we proceed it will perhaps be profitable to examine the characteristics of the people, which have played so eminent a part in the upbuilding of the nation. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SWEDES. The Swede is an individualist and has an intensely developed sense of personal rights. Hence his feeling of individual owner ship is strong. He has a high respect for property rights and an - innate feeling of the difference between "mine and thine." The result is a proverbial honesty which is always mentioned as his . distinctive attribute. At bottom he is an idealist, and the most noteworthy at tempts at realism in Swedish literature are tinged with a certain idealism, a part of the nature of every Swedish poet, which can never be fully repressed. The Swede is often as serious-minded as the Finn, although he seldom becomes morose. He is generally of an even tempera ment and fatalistic. disposition. Religion, based on deep conviction, is an inborn characteris tic, and often gives a key to his career. About the first thing a company of Swedes will do, after they have provided. shelter for themselves, is to erect a place of worship, whether their home be, in the city or on the plains or in the deep forests. Another trait in the Swede is his vitality and ability to work. His longevity, according to statistics,, is ten per cent, higher than that of any other nationality in Europe. Thus his endur ance is great and he possesses those qualities in a special de gree that go to make the successful pioneer. — > Work is a necessary prerogative to his happiness. "He revels in his labors and is proud of his job." Every detail is of interest to him, and here lies the secret of his success in the various trades. "To make money" generally is not his main desire, nor is mere wealth his ultimate aim. To establish a business of which he can be proud and to live in a home which gives him delight and comfort is worth more to him than a bank account or a large fortune. i.3 He is more industrious than the majority, but not always saving. You never find him in the slum districts of our cities, and seldom do you encounter him in charitable homes, l" Swedes congregate in colonies, like most other nationalities, but they are less clannish than some. . , As a race they are mechanically inclined. It is as easy ana natural for them to be good mechanics and handy with tools, as it is for the Russians to be good dancers. Modern conditions have somewhat tended to stunt the growth of this _ talent— tac- tory-made objects have displaced hand-wrought articles— but it has taken expression in sloyd or manual training. They have special aptitude for natural sciences, and as a race, have, perhaps, furnished more than their share of prominent scien tists in many fields. Love of music is their most pronounced artistic trait._ A large number of Swedes are skilful carvers in wood, an ancient and once common art ; some are great painters, and a few are promi nent sculptors, but the whole nation can sing and is fond of music-. It is the one art that the most puritanical will not banish. _ While some denominations have rejected every vestige of painting and^- sculpture, song and music have been cultivated ardently. Another pronounced characteristic of the Swede is his adap tability to new surroundings and ready accommodation to new and strange conditions. After a few years in a foreign country he acquires its language and feels himself part of the community. His inborn loyalty to his immediate surroundings and close associations and his strong love of home quickly develop into a deep loyalty to his adopted country, where he enjoys his com forts and privileges. Sweden becomes a beautiful dream, a series of sweet childish recollections, but always dominated by the more real and present fact of the everyday reality of his new life. He may long to visit "the little red cottage" where his youth passed in "tranquil innocence," but he is never satisfied there, and he will generally return to the "home of his choice." His interests are here, his home henceforth in America, the land where his children will live and die. He feels he is one with the country which he has helped in a small measure to make. There are no more patriotic and loyal citizens within the confines of the forty-eight States than the citizens of Swedish descent. M CONTRIBUTIONS GENERAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE EARLY PERIOD. It is rather difficult to appraise accurately . the share of the colonial Swedes and their descendents in the progress and growth of America. If Bancroft's estimate is correct, about six per cent, of the population in the United States are descendants of the early Swedes on the Delaware. In material development these colonists possibly did not contribute more than their pro portionate quota, but in culture and religious matters, they ac complished results far beyond their numbers. They laid the basis for the civilization and religious struc ture of three of the original states (Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania), and made early settlements in a fourth (Mary land). In this region they built the first flour mills, constructed the first saw mills, built the first ships on the Delaware (today one of the foremost shipbuilding centres of the world), estab lished the first brick yards, laid out the first cities, made the first roads, introduced horticulture and scientific forestry two ceni- turies before these ideas became general in the nation. They erected the first temples of worship, they established the first schools, translated Luther's catechism into the Indian language for the first time, and were the first to begin missionary work among the Lenapes. They built the first organs south of Bos ton, drew the first detailed maps of the country, wrote the first geography of the middle eastern States. They made the first astronomical and weather observations; they wrote the first philological treaties of the Lenape dialect, and they made the first botanical study of the region. They established the first law courts and the first trials by jury. They laid the foundation for a fair and humane treatment of the Indians,2 ahd saved Penn' sylvania, New Jersey and Delaware from the bloody history of New England, New Amsterdam and Virginia. They were the first to oppose slavery (even before the Germans), they fur nished the first revivalist in the history of America, and they pro duced the first American painter of note. Three prominent American poets trace their ancestors to the Delaware Swedes;" the famous author of the Leather Stocking Tales was a descend ant of the New Sweden settlers, and from their ranks have come some of the greatest scholars and scientists of America. Some of the details will appear in the following sections.3 ' The Indians referred to the Swedes as their brothers, and on various occasions state that they were unlike the white people of Virginia, "who always shoot the Red man dead when they find him in the woods." " See below, page 17 ff. IS AGRICULTURE. Among the foremost achievements of the Swedes in Amer ica are the vast number of farms which they have brought under cultivation, and the dairies and other agricultural establishments which they have spread over the nation. In the colonial period they were principally farmers, and be fore 1700 they had dotted the shores of the Delaware from its mouth almost as far up as Trenton for several miles inland with their farms and plantations, and they had spread to Maryland and even to Virginia. The first thirty years of the migrations of the nineteenth cen tury brought an overwhelming majority of farmers and settlers who by choice or necessity selected lands in the west and else where for their homes. Land was plentiful and could be obtained from the government for almost nothing, and from the railway companies for a trifle. It was thus possible to become a farmer without any other capital than a power and will to work. These qualities the Swedes possessed in an eminent degree and hence became particularly successful pioneer farmers. Many of the earlier settlers of other nationalities selected homesteads near rivers and lakes that offered easy means of communication. Not so the Swedes. They plunged straight into the wilderness or wandered into the deep prairies in small groups, where they chose the most inaccessible places, built their log cabins or dug their earth houses. However, in ten years the Swede had transformed the forest into a fertile farm and the desolate prairie into a field of waving grain. His earth house had grown to a two-story dwelling, and the dingy hut had been re placed by a large, convenient farmhouse. In twenty years he lived in a cottage with all modern improvements. His barn had become an imposing structure with machinery, windmill, gaso line pumps, separators, grinding devices, wood-cutting apparatus and a dozen other special contrivances for every conceivable pur pose, besides his regular farming machinery. This is a picture of a typical instance, and is based on a real case. Citizens of Swedish extraction have cleared and cultivated in all over ten million acres in the United States.4 Of foreign people only the Germans have surpassed them in the extent &of their farms and the magnitude of their agricultural achievements. There are large Swedish-American agricultural communities in almost every part of the Union, except in a few of the south ern States. In Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, the Dakotas Kansas and Ohio, whole counties are exclusively Swedish and some settlements are dozens of miles in extent. If we compare the wealth and prosperity of some of these counties with counties of other nationalities we shall find that the Swedish farmers are among the leaders in wealth and advancement. They are pro- 4 In Minnesota alone they have over 2,000,000 acres under cultivation. 16 gressive and quick to adopt new ideas and are always on the alert for new machinery and the latest inventions which will aid them to keep abreast with the best.5 In horticulture, landscape-gardening, fruit raising and nurs ery establishments they have attained remarkable success. In Cromwell, Massachusetts, are located what is claimed to be the most extensive hot-houses in America. The business was founded fifty years ago by a citizen of Swedish birth and is still owned by him. It is said that "more roses are produced there for the retail market than at any other hot-houses in the country." In Chicago is another nursery, founded by S. S. Peterson in 1856, which has grown to be one of the largest and most impor tant establishments of its kind in the West. This concern has supplied Chicago with millions of plants. It has imported hun dreds of thousands of bushes, seeds and plants from Europe, and exported equally immense numbers to the Old World. Swedish-Americans have also entered the fruit-raising busi ness and demonstrated their versatility and ability to specialize, showing a shrewd business sense by succeeding where others have failed. The victory over rough and rugged nature in the northern woods and on the western prairies is a worthy monument to the settlers who, in many cases, came here with nothing but two strong hands and a will to work. There would be a great void in the Northwest today, could a million citizens of Swedish descent be removed from this ter ritory ; and, but for them, large tracts would be primeval forests and what is now the most fertile fields of this great region would still be waste land. INVENTIONS. It has been asserted that the Swedes, according to their numbers, have added more practical inventions to American industrial life than any other nationality. Whether this is true or not admits of no authoritative opinion, for the simple reason that statistics on the subject are unobtainable. That the Swedes are of a mechanical turn of mind is an acknowledged fact, and their inventive faculties have enriched every nation, where they have come as settlers or mere sojourners for awhile. In the Colonial days the Swedes added several important "mechanical discoveries arid improvements" to the United States. It is especially noteworthy that Dr. Nils Collin, one of the Swedish pastors in Philadelphia, constructed an elaborate elevator, exceptionally useful in the case of fire, and received a gold medal for some of his other mechanical contrivances. The early immigrants of the last century, as we have seen, 6 Electric plants for power and light are common on Swedish- American farms in the West. T7 were mostly farmers and had little inclination for inventions or industrial pursuits, and it was not until a decade after the Civil War, with two or three notable exceptions, that men of Swedish lineage gained important success in the field of inventions and discoveries. One of the exceptions among the early pioneers w-as John Ericsson, who stands supreme and rather isolated. He must always be mentioned among those four or five men whose genius made modern civilization possible. Ericsson's contributions to American progress are too num erous to be mentioned in a chapter of this- character, but his major inventions and achievements must be sketched briefly. His first important addition to the world's material progress, which became intimately interwoven with American industrial life and of special significance to the nation, was the propeller. This invention indeed antedated his coming to America, but the United States enjoyed the first fruits of its success. No historian worthy of the name has ever maintained that Ericsson was the first to hit upon the idea of the propeller — in fact, several nations have claimed the honor — but he was the first to make it a success. Shortly after his arrival in New York Ericsson found an opportunity to execute some of his new ideas. In 1842-43 he superintended the building of a sloop of war named "Princeton," fitted with his patented propeller and machinery of his own design. This ship, famous in American naval history, was re markable in many ways and opened a new chapter in naval construction. She was the first screw steam vessel of war ever built. She was the first war-ship in which all the machinery was below the water line. She was the first man-of-war to be supplied with fans for forcing the furnace fires. , She was the first battle-ship to carry cannon of modern cali bre, twelve-inch guns. Ericsson had invented a gun of this calibre before his com ing to America, but it was first put to the test here and rightly belongs to his American achievements. The importance of the idea, however, was hardly realized by the naval experts of the day. The fire-engine is one of his most useful and valuable rifts to humanity. His first engine was made in England (1828) and became the starting point for the engineers of Europe • but the ?ol n0t crossJthe ocean befOTe Ericsson's arrival here and m 1840 a new and improved fire apparatus was constructed by him, for which he received a gold medal from the American In stitute. The "Monitor," however, is the most famous of his creations. 18 Its value to the country is described in another chapter,8 but it may be in place here to present his specific claims to ownership, since these have often been disputed. Certain writers with abund ant ardor and zeal, but somewhat deficient in historical knowledge and scientific methods and not wholly free from bias, have gone to great lengths in their endeavor to rob John Ericsson of his rightful honors. As in the case of the propeller Ericsson was not the first to think of a revolving turret. In fact one or two patents were registered years before which contained some of the principles of the "Monitor." The best known of these are a plan "for a revolving iron battery," submitted by Theodore R. Timby to the War Department in 1841, and a patent, filed in 1843, for "a metallic revolving fort to be used on land or water, and to be revolved by propelling engines located within the same, and acting upon suitable machinery." 7 But these contrivances were impractical and never reached a workable stage. Ericsson was the first to put the propeller and the revolving turret into practical use, in the same sense that Marconi made the wireless an efficient agent for sending long-distance messages and Fulton made the steamboat a public means of conveyance, which finally developed into one of the most essential posses sion of the modern world. Space does not permit a full presentation of the case, but if Marconi is to be credited with the invention of the wireless, Fulton with the steamboat, Stevenson with the locomotive and Morse with the telegraph, then surely John Ericsson, and for" similar reasons and in some cases with more propriety, must be credited with the invention of the propeller and the "Monitor." To do otherwise would be to deny credit and honor to some of the greatest benefactors of mankind. In the world of progress it is not the air-castles that count, however wonderfully conceived, but the solid structures of wood, iron and stone. A builder of palaces in the air may be an in teresting member of the community and a worthy object of historical discussion, but even the most biased will admit that the builder of palaces on the ground is a slightly more useful citizen and deserves a somewhat greater recognition. John Adolph Dahlgren, the famous admiral of the United States Navy, must also be mentioned here. His best known in vention was the gun that bore his name. It was the result of elaborate experiments and based on accurate and scientific prin ciples. "The experts" shook their heads and predicted failure, but it finally won the day and opened a new era in naval arma- 6 See below, page 57 ff. ' As early as 1812 Colonel John Stevens proposed heavily armored circu lar vessels which could be revolved at will. Vessels of a somewhat similar type were actually built in Russia about 1872, but they proved to be failures. 19 ment.8 Besides he invented a cannon-rifle and boat-howitzer with iron carriages, unsurpassed for combined lightness and accuracy. Inventions of lesser men are too numerous and too varied to be mentioned in the space allotted for this purpose. Among the earlier of these contributions perhaps the Nelson knitting ma chine is the most important and useful. Since then there is not a field of industry, a branch of science or a section of mechanics that has not been enriched by the inventive genius of Swedish- Americans. New processes of steel hardening (the most ef ficient armor plate for battleships in the world is said to be made in Philadelphia according to a formula of a Swedish-American engineer), new methods of mining, improved ways of iron and steel manufacturing, new systems of tunneling and a variety of other processes, farming machinery of every description, auto matic devices, labor-saving machines of a hundred different designs in the carpenter trade, book-binding and other industries ; hook and eye machinery, wire-bending machinery, baking ma chinery, locks and firearms, shells and explosives, die-cutting1 devices, metal working machines, generators and dynamos, alter nators, new system of wireless telegraphy and telephony, the locomotive, internal combustion engines, automatic weighing scales, rotary pumps, the motorcycle, lubricating systems and various devices connected with automobiles, signal systems, storage batteries, musical instruments and a thousand other devices have either been improved, invented or discovered by citizens of Swedish lineage in this country. The mere names of these inventions, improvements and discoveries would fill many large pages, and the benefit they have been to the nation, and the part they have played in its industrial development is commensurate only with what the Swedish-Americans have ac complished in agriculture, lumbering and other pursuits. 8 CONTRACTING, BUILDING, ENGINEERING, BUSINESS BANKING, MANUFACTURING, LUMBERING AND MECHANICAL PURSUITS. Even in the colonial period there were builders, contractors and skilled laborers of Swedish origin, but few of them rose to distinction. The Swedish immigrants before 1870 were mostly untrained and except in isolated cases possessed no desire for business or the larger affairs of the country. However, forty years ago or more, citizens of Swedish origin began to invade practicallv every line of business, every branch of industry and commerce and every vocation and profession, and they have forged to the front m all these fields. 8 For its value to the Union cause in the Civil War, see below page S3 ff Amerifd*IV.CS ^ * ' "" aCC°Unt Wkh * biblioSraPhy will appear in Swedes in 20 "It is hardly an exaggeration to say that there is not a single business community of any importance" in the country today, except in the South, where they have "not established themselves." The business man of Swedish origin has retained much of the conservatism of his ancestors. "He avoids great risks and builds on a solid foundation," hence "his achievements are seldom spectacular or sensational," and his success is mod erate but sure. He has thus exerted an influence on his com munity for sound and honest business principles and for high ideals in trade. The Swedish-Americans are also well represented in banking and other pursuits connected with business. In tailoring likewise they stand very high and their shops cater mostly to the finest trade, many of the fashionable tailor ing establishments in the country being owned and operated by Swedish-Americans. "In proportion to their numbers," says the Report of the Immigrant Commission, "the Swedes of the first generation are engaged in building trades to a greater extent than . . . any other nationality" except two. The foremost building contractor in Chicago, 111., is of Swedish birth. The Pugh Terminal Warehouse (the largest building in the city) and about forty of the public schools there have been erected by him. The largest contracting firms in Kansas City and several other building centres of the West are operated by .Swedish-Americans. Many of the largest structures in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Seattle, Omaha, Cleveland and other cities have been built by architects or contractors of Swedish lineage. 10 Some of the most extensive water systems in the country (Chicago, Seattle, etc.) have been either planned or partly planned and constructed by citizens of Swedish extraction. Some of the longest and most important bridges of the nation have been built by Swedes, and they have constructed dry-docks and ship-building plants for the Government and private in dividuals. Portions of western railroads and other large engin eering works have also been constructed by Swedes. In manufacturing and mechanical pursuits along many lines they occupy an even more important position, and in proportion to their numbers employed, in their skill, as evidenced by the product they turn out, the confidence placed in them by the owners of industrial plants and the positions they occupy, they surpass all other nationalities without exception. " The man agers, superintendents, presidents and other executive officers in many of our industrial establishments, such as steel mills, auto mobile factories, machine works, etc., are citizens of Swedish origin (the manager of the Corbin Screw Corporation, General' "The steel plant and rolling mill of John A. Roebling's Sons, at Tren ton, N. J., were designed and the erection superintended by a Swede, etc. *- See report of Im. Com., 1911 ; private reports from factories in the New England States ; Illinois ; Michigan, etc. 21 Manager of the Reed-Prentice Company, the Superintendent the American Glass Factory, *e Chief Engineer of the Cad Motor Car Co., the President of the Compo Board Company e; Swedish carpenters are recognized as among the best a they generally command the highest wages. They have tu nished about five times their proportionate share of this class SkillltSerfWandTabS- m^ers they also occupy a unique placeAmZeerricaan1ndustry. I believe that it is no • «g£on to sav that there is not a furniture factory or cabinet plant oi any Tonsequence'in the country in which they are not employed as mechanics or foremen. , r A In such important furniture centres as Rockford and Grand Rapids, they hold a dominant and leading place^ Some of the largest factories are not only managed but owned by citizens of Swedish birth or descent. The same is true in Janiestown, Phil adelphia,12 Minneapolis and many other places (where there are such establishments turning out doors, sash, office partitions, and other mill work and specialties). The output of all these plants is not only immense, but the product is in most cases of the very best workmanship. Many factories specialize in the highest grade of furniture; copies of antiques, period designs, etc. In lumber manufacturing and the lumber business generally they have been leaders and innovators (the first band gang saw constructed in the United States was in one of the C. A. Smith Mills ; the manufacture of by-products on a large scale, thus in creasing the productivity and profit of the plants, was first be gun by Swedes ; the first private employment of trained foresters and the establishment of nurseries, for the purpose of making lumbering perpetual in adaptable territories, were inaugurated by Swedes, etc.) The C. A. Smith lumber interests, which the American Lum berman for November n, 191 1, calls "the world's most advanced example of a lumber manufacturing and distributing organiza tion," was founded and has been headed since its origin by C. A. Smith (born in Sweden in 1852). This vast corporation, which owns and controls enough logs and lumber "to build houses for a nation," and whose weekly output runs into millions of feet, is probably the largest lumber and timber concern not only in the United States but anywhere. Several other important plants 13 are and have been owned and operated by Swedes in the lumber centres of America.14 "In Philadelphia there are three important factories operated and owned by Swedes from the Aland Islands. 13 The Western Lumber Manufacturing Company, Mansfield, Oregon, to mention one of the many, is specializing in veneer, and separators for stor age batteries. "The late Lewis Sands, of Michigan, was in his day one of the fore most lumbermen of the West. The Swedish-Americans are also numerous as skilled and unskilled laborers and foremen in the saw mills, as well as lum bermen and raftsmen in the logging operations, supplying a lit tle more than twice their proportionate share. RELIGIOUS AND EDUCATIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS. The religious activities of the Swedish-Americans conform to one of their most characteristic traits. There are, of course, irre ligious Swedes, and Swedes indifferent to all forms of organized creeds, but the majority are deeply religious, although not al ways affiliated with any particular denomination. "Whether church members or not, parents send their children to the Sun day schools, convinced that the church is one of the bulwarks of citizenship and an indispensable pillar of society." Typical Swedish Lutheran Church. In Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey there are six Swedish churches from the Colonial period that bear eloquent testimony to the religious instinct of the early Swedish settlers, and no other immigrant group in the nation can show a richer or more varied religious life in all its forms than the Swedish- Americans. 23 Ever since 1842, when the first services were held among the Swedes in the far West, churches have grown apace with the settlements, and congregations have sprung up, wherever a score or more of Swedes congregated in a community. Of Swedish religious organizations the Luthern Church has, T. N. Hasselquist, Founder of Augustana Synod. by far, the oldest history and has had a contin,,n„0 «_ • * this country since 163s" Dr. Nils Colin indeed died" Tim severing the last direct link with the consistory at UpsalaaS 24 the Swedish government, and in 1845 all the original Swedish Lutheran churches in America but one affiliated themselves with the Episcopal Church. The Christ's congregation at Upper Mer ion, Pennsylvania, -has remained independent and is to this day nominally a member of the Church of Sweden, and under the jurisdiction of the Archbishop at Upsala.15 These churches have always been a source of inspiration to Lutherans of later days and are looked upon as Mother churches of Lutheranism in this country. At the time when the migration from Sweden began to as sume force Lutheran pastors arrived to take care of the spiritual wants of the settlers. The most important of these pioneers were L. P Esbjorn and T. N. Hasselquist.16 Esbjorn was a man Orphans' Home, Andover. (Lutheran.) of exceptional ability and possibly the most learned theologian in America at the time. His knowledge of astronomy, mathe matics, physics, chemistry, medicine and many other subjects was astonishing, and he was an unusual linguist. He often u In 1876, Prince Oscar of Sweden visited the church with his staff. ~* They were not the first Lutheran pastors in America of the nineteenth . century. 25 preached in four languages in succession on the same day. He was an able organizer and deserves a large chapter in the history of American religious life. He has often been called the founder of the Augustana Synod, but others are inclined to name his co-worker, T. N. Hasselquist, "the real founder and father of the Swedish Lutheran church as it exists in America today Hasselquist arrived here in 1852 and at once became the lead ing and dominant character of the Augustana Synod for a gen eration. He was less of a scholar than Esbjorn, but possibly even a greater organizer, and possessed those qualities in a rare degree that were especially useful in the early period ot the church. i i _. j Other pastors from Sweden followed and when schools had Augustana Hospital. (Lutheran.) been established here workers were trained in the country who could carry on the labors and further extend the limits. of the church organization, until today it stretches from coast to coast and penetrates every community where Swedes have settled. The Augustana Synod has been the greatest cultural and re ligious force among the Swedes of the country. It has had an immense influence on every branch of their activity and has tinged and colored every form of their spiritual and cultural life. It has raised their standard of living ; it has given them a broader outlook on life; it has imbued them with a nobler spirit and a finer conception of citizenship. The effect of its labors reach far beyond the limits of its own members, and has reacted on the whole body of the Swedish-American population. Its aim, al though mainly religious, has been to preserve the best in' the 26 Swedish character and infuse it in an ennobled form into our American life and thus leave a worthy heritage of Swedish origin as a gift to American civilization. Without the Augustana Synod, with its twelve hundred churches, its seminary and ten colleges, its many charitable institutions and its hundreds of parochial schools, the religious and cultural life of the Swedish- Americans, as a group, would be meagre indeed. The various other denominations have also done a noble work, but on a much smaller scale, due, not to less able leaders 0. G. Hedstrom, One of the Founders of the Swedish Methodist Church. or less worthy aims, but to conditions over which they have had no control. Sweden is Lutheran, and perhaps over 90 per cent. of its inhabitants are reared in the Lutheran faith. The citizens. of Swedish lineage, therefore naturally drifted into the Augus tana Synod, which to the Swedes of this country "is the daugh ter of the Church of Sweden." The Methodists began missionary work among the Swedish- Americans of the nineteenth century even before the Lutherans. The founder of their organization, Jonas Hedstrom, was a man 27 of great gifts, a born organizer and a speaker of irresistible force. He was fired with an enthusiasm for his cause, which bordered on fanaticism, and he soon succumbed to his labors. The church he founded, however, has grown until today it has a membership of over 25,000, with about 250 churches and more than 200 pastors, "ten charitable establishments and two institu tions of learning." It has produced several men of recognized power and leadership, and its influence for good can hardly be over-estimated. The Swedish Baptists have also done a wonderful work. Their first congregation was founded in 1852 by Rev. Gustaf Palmquist. Today, after an existence of less than seventy years, their church embraces over 350 denominations divided into twenty-two conferences, with about 225 pastors, over 33,000: members, nearly 300 churches, two schools and more than a dozen charitable institutions. Among its pastors and leaders are some of the ablest and most learned men of Swedish origin in America. The so-called Mission Covenant and the ' Free Church are rather loosely joined bodies of Christian churches, united by com mon interests. Swedish Presbyterian churches have joined either one or the other of these organizations, and hence they have hardly had a separate existence. The Free Church has a school for training pastors and a number of philanthropic establish ments, but the membership of the organization is not large. In the early history of the Mission Covenant many of the pastors and most of the laymen disparaged, if not despised, "edu cation and worldly learning," but a new and more liberal spirit has gradually gained the ascendency and its organizers and lead ers have finally been able to impress on the people the value of higher education. The Covenant has a brilliant history, and can point to many proud achievements. It operates a successful school at Chicago, (North Park College) with an able teaching force, and has established a number of charitable institutions. The Swedish Episcopalians began work here before the mid dle of the nineteenth century, and although they have over 25,000 members, their influence has been small, as the organization 'has not had a separate life of its own, but has been an appendix to the English Episcopal Church, and their pastors number less than forty. Hand in hand with the religious and social work have gone the educational endeavors of the Swedish-Americans Even in the Colonial period the Swedes paid much attention to the educa tion of their youth, and established schools in connection with their churches. Several school masters were obtained from Sweden, among them the brother of the famous Swedenborg- and others were trained here. In many instances the pastors them selves were the teachers, when school masters could not be found, and some of these churchmen were pedagogues of high 28 ' ."¦' North Park College, Founded 1891. rank. Perhaps the best school ordinance in the Colonies, during the middle of the eighteenth century, was that drawn up for the Swedish churches on the Delaware by Carl Magnus Wran- gel. Wrangel and Hultgren labored incessantly "for the ad vancement of learning," and many of the charitable schools in Pennsylvania were inspired by them and other Swedish pastors. They helped to found the University of Pennsylvania and Dr. Collin was for a time one of its directors. Bethany College, Lindsborg, Kansas. At the middle of the nineteenth century when the Swedes began to dot the country with their churches, they formulated plans for the establishment of schools and colleges. The basis was entirely religious, and ever since then, with two or three exceptions, all Swedish-American higher institutions of learning have been founded for religious purposes. It was to supply the want of pastors that led the pioneers to establish schools and the early courses were mainly of a religious nature. Gradually, how ever, full college courses were added, while some strictly' relig ious courses were retained. The "mother institution" developed into a seminary proper, the Augustana Theological Seminary, with a full-fledged college. The character of the student body has greatly changed, since the early days. While forty years ago the majority of the stu dents at these institutions were preparing for the ministry to- «t?H- V^ Pr°P°rti°n of the graduates continue their studies at the Seminary This is particularly true of the col leges connected with the AUgUstana Synod. Schools like Augus tana College at Rock Island, Gustavus Adolphus College at St Peter, Minnesota, and Bethany College at Lindsborg,&Kansas not only stand m the front rank of the educational institutions 30 Library and College Hall, Augustana College and Theological Seminary. of their respective States, but are even leaders in some depart ments. These schools have been a source of tr emendous power among citizens of Swedish extraction and have helped ^ large numbers of other nationalities to obtain the advantages of a higher education. . „„u„„ic The educational tendencies of the Swedish-American schools may be briefly defined as follows : They are liberal; though maintained by church denomina tions, they are conducted on a broad basis and are endeavoring to impart "a broad Christian education free from narrow sectar ianism. They are serious, sometimes almost to excess, and the frivol ous spirit, often encountered in many institutions of our day, is generally lacking. They never lose sight of the real reason for their existence,— that they are institutions of learning and not football schools for the training of "gridiron heroes." Sport re ceives its full share of attention and teams from these schools have often held high places in their various States ; but athletics are never allowed to occupy first place in the aspirations of the students. Their tendency is not to specialize narrowly, but to lay a broad liberal foundation either for future study at the Univer sity and the seminary or for active participation in public life. Their courses are strong and the training they give is intensive. Their graduates measure up well with the best students of other institutions of the country, as can be seen by their records in the graduate departments of our large universities. Diplomas from our best Swedish-American colleges are recognized for ad mission of candidates without examination at the universities of Upsala and Lund, whose courses are among the stiffest in Eur ope. The Swedish-Americans at the present time are maintain ing between eighteen and twenty private and denominational institutions of learning, besides a large number of business col leges, conservatories of music, and innumerable parochial schools, where thousands of students and pupils receive instruction yearly. The parochial schools, among citizens of Swedish lineage, have not been established for the purpose of competing with the public institutions, as is the case among some other organiza tions, — no citizens send their children more regularly to the public schools than the Swedes. It is to complement the public schools and to preserve the best traits of the Swedish char acter, the great fund of Swedish literature and some of these other valuable qualities that have added an important element to American national life. As the church is the dominant factor (as far as I know every parochial school is operated by the! church), religion is one of the main subjects taught. From the foregoing it may be inferred that Swedish children 32 are not found in our factories, nor on the street selling news papers, but in the schools where they are moulded into good and patriotic citizens. It is no exaggeration to say that the Swed ish immigrant group, like their forefathers in Sweden, spend more per capita on education than any other nationality. It is not un common to find three or four sons of a Swedish farmer who have in turn attended college, and illiteracy among citizens of Swed ish extraction is an absolutely unknown quantity. A consider able percentage of the American soldiers of the late war from certain districts were illiterate, but every individual service man of Swedish lineage could at least read and write. The higher educational activities of the Swedes have not been confined to their own schools. Thousands of citizens of Swed ish origin have attended colleges and universities that have no official connections with their national group. The graduates from these schools and from the Swedish- American institutions, together with immigrants from Sweden who have come here with an academic training, have made a rich contribution to the scholarship of the nation and occupy a promi nent place in their respective fields. They have extended our knowledge in all branches of chemistry.' They have added to our store of information in history, philology, anthropology, physics, mathematics, astronomy, psychology, in fact every section ot science. They have taken an active and sometimes leading part in our learned societies. Dr. Collin, for instance, was a founder of the American Philosophical Society, for many years its vice- president and one of its most active members. They have al ways been prominent in medicine and law. The dean of Ameri can surgery, W. W. Keen, known and honored in four continents, is of Swedish lineage, and some of the keenest minds of the legal profession are of Swedish extraction. They have furnished presidents for many of our colleges, and several of our universities, and they have professors in most of our large private and State institutions. They have supplied the superintendents of a large number of our public schools 17 and an army of public and high school teachers, while they have provided librarians for some of our most important libraries. From their ranks have come some of our best known commercial chemists and experts in our great industrial plants. In literature proper, citizens of Swedish descent of our day 18 have perhaps made their least enduring contributions.19 They have indeed written admirable novels, poems and short stories and published essays and books and literary criticism of a high " See page 47, below. -* See page 15, above. 19 They have produced an extensive literature in Swedish, remarkable in variety and quality. 33 order (Alberg, Liljecrantz, Olson, Liljengren, Arthur Peterson, Frederick Peterson, Swanston-Howard, Sandburg, Bjorkman, Freeburg, Shogren-Farman, Swensson and many others), but their efforts are insignificant when compared with the small lib raries written by men of Swedish extraction, in every conceivable department of science ; and none of their individual literary pro ductions can even remotely be compared to such monuments of American scholarship as Keen's "System of Surgery" or Hart's "American Nation."20 Although the Swedes have furnished instances of brilliant success in journalism 21 (in Moline, 111., Grand Rapids, Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Paul, New York, etc.), they have been somewhat backward in this profession, falling below the average. * # * Another element of great cultural and educational value is the large . number of societies found everywhere in Swedish- American centres. The underlying principle of most of these organizations is mutual benefit, social intercourse and mental development of its members.22 Many of them regularly arrange literary and musical programs as well as other public entertain ments. Some have built beautiful club houses while others are leasing elaborate quarters (as is the case in Jamestown, Chicago, New York, Minneapolis, San Francisco and other places). There are often splendid libraries of special literature in connection with these clubs. Their number is well over a thousand, but only a few are of national scope and have attained a large member ship. The most important of these are the Svithiod with a mem bership- of over 15,000, the Swedish United Societies of Chicago with about 15,000 members, the Good Templars with a member ship of somewhat above 12,000, and the Order of Vasa, theJ most alert and active of them all, with a membership of more than 50,000. Several societies of a purely literary or historical character. have also been founded by the Swedish immigrant group. Among these may be mentioned the St. Erik, which although only three years old has achieved wonderful results, the Swedish Colon ial Society and the Szvedish American Historical Society. The Swedish Colonial Society, mainly composed of descendants of the early Swedes on the Delaware, has issued several important works connected with American history. It is located in Phila delphia. The Swedish Historical Society, originally located in Chicago, has lately been moved to St. Paul, where it is assem bling an _ invaluable collection of historical material concerning the activities of the Swedish immigrant group in America. ~° Professor Albert Bushnell Hart and W. W. Keen are of Swedfsh descent. olitksG°Vern0r JOh" A' J°hnSOn was a countfy editor before his advent into ~~ For the "Singing Societies," see page 40, below. 34 GYMNASTICS, MECHANO-THERAPY, MANUAL TRAINING. The principles of Swedish gymnastics became known here in the early part of the nineteenth century, but they did not gain a foothold until many years later. Men like Longfellow and a few others who had some knowledge of Sweden and its culture were familiar with the main features and aims ofthe teachings of Per Henrik Ling, but their knowledge was superficial and they failed to appreciate the value of Ling's system. Besides, there were no trained teachers and leaders who could give an impetus to a new movement. A few years before the Civil War the so-called Swedish Movement Cure became well known in medical circles here through German and English sources, and in 1856 Charles Fayette Taylor went to London to study "the Swedish system of movement cure" tinder Dr. Roth,23 a student of Ling. On his return to this country he at once became an enthusiastic exponent "of "The Ling System of Cure." In December, I860, he finished a book on the subject, which was published in Philadelphia the following year. Its title was "Theory and Practice of the Move ment Cure." The frontispiece was a picture of Ling and it had the following dedication: "To Baron William de Wetterstedt, minister resident from Sweden and Norway to the United States, as a token of personal regard and as an expression of gratitude to the country he represents, which has produced, not least among her sons of unpretentious greatness, with a Celsius, a Linnasus, a Berzelius and Retzius, Peter Henry Ling, Poet and Philosopher, to teach us not only to despise effeminacy and to emulate the physical nobleness of the Old Norse Heroes, but to banish disease by the beautiful system he originated, This book is respectfully dedicated By the Author." It was followed by several other publications by the same author and he must be looked upon as the father of the move ment for the furtherance of the Ling gymnastics in America, especially in its application for the cure of disease, and correc tion of deformities. About the same time his brother, Dr. George Herbert Taylor, became interested in Swedish gymnastics. He went direct to Stockholm in 1858 and studied at Dr. Satherbefg's Institute. Shortly after his return to this country he also published a book, 23 The very same year (1856) Dr. Roth published his famous. Handbook of the Movement Cure which did much to spread knowledge of the subject in America. 3S "An Exposition of the Swedish Movement Cure" (New York, 1861.)24 . . These two brothers were inspired with an almost religious enthusiasm for their master, the great Ling. They had a large following and did a monumental work for the cause of the Swedish Movement Cure," and indirectly for Swedish gymnas tics in general. When finally trained teachers in the various branches of Swedish gymnastics arrived from Sweden they found the field partly prepared. The movement, which thus started about the middle of the nineteenth century, has grown in extent, force and intensity until today every medical school pays some at tention to the subject of Mechano-Therapy and "Swedish Move ments" and many of our larger institutions and hospitals have established special departments for the study and application of its principles. In practically every city in the nation there is at least one (in the large centres there are many) practitioners, who give "massage and Swedish movement." , A great many institutes for the treatment of special cases, have also been founded where Zander apparatus and other Swedish appliances and methods are used. Many highly trained gymnasts and practitioners, women as well as men, have come from Sweden in the last few years, like Nils Posse, C. J. Enebuske, C. Collin, William Skarstrom, T. A. Melander, Jakob Bolin, J. B. Nylin, K. W. Ostrom, Grafstrom and others, too numerous to mention. Some of these have taken full courses in medicine and have done a wonderful work in dif ferent parts of the country, as practitioners, teachers and writ ers on the subject of their special field. As knowledge of Swedish medical gymnastics and . Mechano-Therapy became more general, Swedish educational gymnastics began to win admirers and supporters and about thirty years ago we find it making headway against the estab lished forms. The leaders in the new movement were Swedish- Americans, some of whom are mentioned above. Among the earliest of these were the late "champions in the cause of a sound body for a sound mind," Baron Nils Posse and Professor Jakob Bolin. Baron Posse exerted an immense influence as a teacher and writer and through his institute in Boston. Bolin's services to the country were hardly less valuable. He was for years a teacher of medical and educational gymnastics, notably in Brook lyn, Chautauqua and at the University of Utah. "He was the first teacher of normal school pupils to call attention to the high value of the national dances as gymnastic material and he made them an integral part of his course. Through his wide circle of 24 The Preface is dated i860. 36 pupils and friends the interest in this phase of rhythmic activity soon became widespread." 25 At the present time there are several institutes that specialize to a greater or less degree in Swedish gymnastics, some of which have been founded by Swedish-Americans, as for instance the Posse Gymnasium, in Boston, the Savage School for Physical Education; the Swedish Gymnastic Institute, in New York, and others. All these efforts have produced great and lasting results. Tangible evidence of this. fact is to be found in the army and the navy and in many of our public schools and other institutions, where Swedish gymnastics have been adopted in a modified form. The benefit to the American people of Swedish medical and educational gymnastics in its various applications cannot be stated in terms or figures. Thousands owe their health and hap piness to its curative powers and other thousands have been helped to keep well and strong by its corrective and preventive value. * * * Manual training in our schools has also received inspiration and impetus from Sweden and from Swedish-American teachers, who have come here with new and advanced ideas, acquired in their native land. The manual training movement here is of old standing, having been introduced in the early part of the nine teenth century as a means of promoting the health of the stu dents, especially in theological schools. It had a steady growth during the latter half of the century and spread to all parts of the country. But it was not until sloyd, in other words, educa tional principles (for sloyd implies educational principles) was introduced into its teaching that it became manual training as we know it today. That some American teachers do not under stand or appreciate the Swedish system (sloyd) is evident from such articles as "Manual Training at Naas," by Miss Pratt, but the majority of the leading educators know its value and have freely adopted many of its principles. As teachers in our manual training courses the Swedish-Americans are more numerous than any other immigrant group and they have helped to give va riety, depth, content and efficiency to these courses and make them really vital elements in our public instruction. MUSIC. It is safe to say that no foreign element in America, with the exception of the Germans, has accomplished more for the better ment of music and the growth of musical taste. Swedish music dates from 1638 when the first settlers on Christina River "joined in praises to their Creator and sang their folk songs from their far-off home." For a century later music was mostly religious, and with one or two exceptions, was fos- 85 He published Swedish Song-Plays which has gone through at least two editions. 37 tered principally by the pastors of the churches, some of whom even gave instructions in singing. It was not until the middle of the eighteenth century that the Swedish settlers cultivated secular music as a special art. About this time Hesselius was building organs and other musi cal instruments here, and one or two others gave "instructions in dancing and playing on the fiddle." Church music, however con tinued to be the dominant feature throughout the Colonial per iod and for about three-quarters of a century later, "Psalms, ' as Longfellow says, "were sung by the Swedes in their church at Wicaco." In the nineteenth century Swedish music grew in extent and influence with the increase of the arrivals from "the old country." "Wherever two or three Swedes were gathered together there you would have song and music," wrote a pioneer in 1870. Again as in the Colonial period the church "was the driving force" in the early days, and sacred music absorbed most attention; but secular music was not entirely forgotten and no festive occasion was ever complete without patriotic and popular songs, except Messiah Chorus, Bethany CoUege. among the "ultra pietists." The various churches continued for a long time to be the staunchest supporters of the art. Their views became gradually more liberal, and as time went on secular music received more care, especially from organizations that grew out of the church and became important adjuncts to its work. Thus concerts by the thousands have been arranged through the young people's societies of the various Swedish-American congrega tions. These have been a source of enjoyment to great multi tudes and have left deep and lasting impressions on the people. If possible, the church has had a still greater influence through its schools and colleges, practically all of which have musical departments, and vocal as well as instrumental instruc tion on their curricula. These schools have trained thousands of young men and women, who in turn have become teachers all over the country, thus exerting a profound influence on musical taste. The student organizations (vocal and instrumental) at the colleges have also been a force in spreading musical knowledge It is a well recognized fact that in the neighborhood where these 38 schools are located the musical standard is high and the com munity is farther advanced in musical matters than elsewhere. One of the most notable instances is Lindsborg. Perhaps no city of its size in America can be compared to this little Kansas town in its musical activity. Here has developed a unique or ganization — a chorus founded in 1882 for the purpose of render ing Handel's "Messiah." The first beginnings were small and insignificant, but through unparalleled exertions and incomparable enthusiasm on the part of its leaders the organization achieved marvelous success. By 1900 it attracted nation-wide attention and has since from time to time been the object of articles and editorials in our leading journals.28 Nothing in America can be compared to this achievement except, perhaps, the Bach Festival at Bethlehem, Pa. Bethany College is today perhaps the most important musi cal centre in the great Southwest, and it has a musical influence out of all proportion to its size. Not only the Swedes in Kansas and neighboring States go to Lindsborg and enjoy the greatest presentation of the "Messiah" in America, but Anglo-Americans, and others, in ever increasing num bers go there, and of the student body nearly sixty per cent, in the musical department are of non- Swedish extraction. Side by side with musical bod ies that had their origin in the church other organizations arose with no religious connections. These have also been a strong force among Swedes and indirectly among the Americans. Professional musicians from Sweden came here in the early part of the century and even among the "Gold Diggers of '49" we find a Swedish orchestra. It was not until after the Civil War, however, that secular music outside of the church began to assume importance. The tri umphs of Swedish song in Europe fired the enthusiasm of the Swedes everywhere, even beyond the borders of the fatherland. The enduring fame of Jenny Lind and the world-wide acclaim won by the Upsala Student Chorus at Paris in 1867, reacted on the Swedes in the New World, who were now increasing m numbers and in many cases, on the road to prosperity. "Singing societies" sprang up rapidly in Chicago, New York and other centres of Swedish population, and by 1870 Swedish John A. Enander, Educator, Journalist, Poet. 26 The Outlook, 1907, 1908, etc. 39 secular, music, fostered by non-sectarian forces, was firmly estab lished, and has since then had a steady growth. It is sate to say that today there is not a city or a town in the Union with a Swedish-American population of any size which is without a Swedish "singing society." Practically every club and literary association and every branch of the numerous Swedish benefit societies "in the wide nation" has its quartet or larger musical organization. . . The Danes and Norwegians also formed similar societies, and in order to make their singing more effective the various Scandinavian clubs combined their efforts and organized the United Scandinavian Singers of America in May, 1886. The as sociation held "singing festivals" every two years "in a blaze of glory." But after the third festival, which took place in Min neapolis in 1891, disagreements arose and the society disbanded. On its ruins, however, arose the American Union of Swedish Singers, whose success has been even more remarkable. Its first triumphs were three famous concerts at the World's Colum bian Exposition in Chicago, July 20, 21 and 22, 1893. The chorus, 500 strong, was assisted by a number of artists from Stockholm and the Thomas Orchestra of 140 pieces. The auditorium was filled to capacity and thousands vainly clamored for admission. It was a notable event in the annals of Swedish-American music. Not only the voices, but the compositions as well, were Swedish. The press paid its compliments in superlatives and the impetus given to musical study was immense. Every four years since , then the Union has "held song festivals" with increased en thusiasm and wonderful success. On three occasions a selected chorus from its ranks has visited Sweden, where it was received with boundless enthusiasm and sympathy. The sixty-five or more clubs that make up the Union have individually done notable work for the cause of good music all over the land and some of them have attained singular success. The Svithiod Club of Chicago, in 1896, in a contest with seven nationalities carried off the prize, — a banner proclaiming them "The Champion Singers of Chicago," and their leader, Mr. John L. Swenson, was awarded a gold medal. Another source of musical growth and influence has been the visiting artists and organizations from the mother country. Jenny Lind comes first in time and importance. She has been called the supreme singer of modern times. Caruso delighted tens of thousands and filled our most spacious opera houses to the last standing room. "Whole cities turned out to hear him," but entire nations and continents went wild over Jenny Lind. Never in history has a singer been accorded such receptions as were given to her, and it is safe to say that no artist of our or any other generation has left such an impression on the musical world of their day as she did. Her advent in American music marked the beginning of an era. Her tours of the con- 40 tinent in 1854 did more to stimulate interest in the musical art and arovise the people to efforts along all mvisical lines than any other events in the annals of early American music. Her con certs, and the space given them in the daily press awakened public interest in musical matters among all classes of society and laid the foundation for the success of later artists. For fear of being accused of partiality and exaggeration I will quote the estimates of Fanny Morris Smith (in the Century, August, 1897, page 558) : "Jenny Lind's sojourn in America was fruitful in many ways. Her progress left a chain of charities through the land by which orphans and sick are still nurtured and healed. The rapture of her music created a criterion by which the success of every other artist has been measured from that day to this. The tradition of her pure and noble woman hood has remained to music a bulwark against which the scandal and corruption of the operatic and musical world has broken in vain. In the memory of every human being who heard her, her singing has rung to the hour of death as the one perfect and sublime revelation of the beauty and ecstasy of music itself. This is much. But America owes Jenny Lind one other and greater debt that has never been recognized She brought the musical temperment of Amer ica to consciousness of itself. Her tour was the supreme moment in our national history when young America, ardent, enthusiastic, impressible, heard and knew its own capacity for musical feeling forever. From that hour it has received or denied the world's greatest artists who have made pil grimages hither, supreme in its own consciousness of its ar tistic needs and temperament." Christina Nilsson, who toured this country several times from 1870 to 1884, likewise did much to keep musical interest alive. In the years 1876 to 1878 a ladies' quartet from Stockholm sang in some of the art centres in America, — Boston, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, etc. When the quartet disbanded at the end of 1878 the members remained here and continued their musical activities. Another ladies' quartet from Stockholm gave concerts in this country from 1878 to 1880 with notable success. Eight years later the Swedish Ladies' Octet arrived here and sang to large audiences at hundreds of places until 1891. Some of its members also remained in the country after the completion oi the tour. A third ladies' quartet came here in 1902, but its achievements were less notable. The most important of all these organizations was the splendid student chorus of the University of Lund, which de lighted the musical lovers of America with their song in 1904. Never before had an American audience listened to such a col- 41 lection of male voices, and the spontaneous acclaim given to their renditions was often overwhelming. "The chorus was received like a Roman conqueror with prisoners bound to his chariot wheels." . . Another almost equal triumph was obtained two years later by the Swedish Y. M. C. A. male chorus, which sang to immense audiences in many States. The Swedish-Americans have also furnished a number ot artists for the American operatic stage. In the early period we find Jewett and one or two others and today there are Fremstad, Norelli, Sunderlius and Claussen, whose careers are too well known to need comment. Swedish-American leaders, performers and concert singers of wide fame are too numerous to mention. Gustaf Holmquist, Joel Mossberg, Mrs. Lancaster, J. V. Bergquist, Arvid Aker- lind, A. L. Skoog, Gustaf Stolpe, Emil Larson, Ester Hjelte, Per Olson, Ortengren, Edgren are only a few names taken at random as they occur to the author. Among these are several composers and harmonists, who have made numerous additions to nearly every department of music, notably Stolpe (whose individual pieces number well over one thousand), Bergquist, Larson, Skoog and Edgren. The above mentioned efforts along all lines have been ably supplemented by hundreds of private vocal and instrumental teachers in practically every city and hamlet in the Union. From the days of Wetterman and Wimmerstedt to the present time this army of able workers have spared no efforts, sometimes with slight remuneration, to make the most evanescent of arts a living reality in the American nation. THE FINE ARTS. The earliest forms of painting in America as a fine art were of Swedish origin and from New Sweden on the Delaware came the first and strongest impulses to American art during the Colonial period. Gustav Hesselius and his son, John, were the pioneers of American painting. Gustav Hesselius executed a large number of portraits of rich planters in Maryland and important men of the colony. He gradually gained a wide reputation and was the best-known artist in America in the first half of the eighteenth century. Eleven years after his arrival here he was engaged to paint an altar-piece for the St. Barnabas Church in Maryland, the only instance of a commission and public patronage before the establishment of the Union. This remarkable painting is still preserved and gives the artist a high rank among the painters of his day. During his stay in Philadelphia he exhibited sev eral of his works, among them the "Crucifixion," which attracted widespread attention and much comment. He was not only a versatile artist, but also a teacher and gave instruction in many branches of painting. His son, although not as well-known as his father, deserves a conspicuous place in the history of early American painting, and a large number of canvases from his hand are still extant. He gave the first lessons to Charles Wilson Peale, the father of Rembrandt Peale, and he was probably largely responsible for directing the older Peale to his career as an artist. A still greater name is that of Adolf Ulric Wertmuller, who came to this country in the Autumn of 1794 and settled in Phila delphia. His fame, which had preceded him here and his influen- Gustavus Hesselius, Painted by Himself. tial connections in Paris, Stockholm and other places, made it easy for him to gain an admittance into the best circles of Phila delphia, which at that time was the art centre of America. Shortly after his arrival, he was fortunate enough to obtain the consent of President Washington for a sitting. The result was the famous portrait, which since then has been widely reproduced. It differs from all other delineations of "The Father of His Country," and presents him in "a more aristocratic guise" than he was usually known by his countrymen.263 --"¦ See page 4, above. 43 In Wertmiiller's diary for November 8, 1794, we find the fol lowing : "Finished the portrait of General Washington. . . . A black velvet coat, bust, half-length canvas. This portrait is for myself." Wertmuller soon returned to his native land. Here he was received with great distinction, and was offered a professorship at the Academy of Art in Stockholm. However, his thoughts were of America and he returned to Philadelphia in 1800, where he continued his activities' as an artist for several years. After his marriage to a wealthy Philadelphia lady of Swedish descent, he settled on a farm near the city, where he died in 1812. Wertmuller was one of the founders of the Society of Artists in Philadelphia and he exhibited "Ceries" at the first annual exhibit in 1811. His most famous picture, and the one which caused most comment and had the greatest influence was the "Danae." This was exhibited in Philadelphia and later in New York and brought the artist a considerable revenue from the admission charge. In New York the painting was exhibited by Jarvis and it is interestng to note that Henry Inman, one of the early American painters, saw it there on several visits to the studio of Jarvis. Wertmiiller's influence on American art was considerable, especially through his emphasis on color and cor rect and exact technique. # # # The fine arts, for obvious reasons, received slight attention among the early Swedish settlers of the nineteenth century. They were nearly all unlettered and uninterested in art and had neither" time nor opportunity for acquiring luxuries that are common today. It was not until the Swedish-American colleges (founded for quite other purposes, however) established courses or depart ments of art, that interest in painting and sculpture became gen eral and received patronage and support in large circles of citizens of Swedish origin. Two of these schools, the Augustana College and Bethany College, have had a profound influence on the artistic tastes.27 A large number of students have attended these courses, many of whom have later become artists or teachers of art. Others not specially interested in the subject, as a means of a livelihood have received a proper conception of art and its place in modern life and have, in turn, become "missionaries of artistic taste " For several years, the departments of art at these colleges have arranged exhibits which have been attended by large num bers and which have been a strong factor in educating the public to the true value of art. According to the Immigrant Commission Report, 191 1, there <= I-u^™9** t0 esJ;abI,ish departments of art at two or three of the other Swedish-American schools proved failures. 44 are about 150 artists or teachers of art of Swedish origin in America. Some of these have an international reputation and are classed among the greatest painters, illustrators and sculp tors in the world.28 It is a curious fact that many of the best-known Swedish- American artists have developed their artistic talents since their arrival in this country and hence are really products of Ameri can civilization, — their works, however, are tinged by their racial traits and by influences from Swedish artists. By fortunate cir cumstances they drifted into art and found their life-work and calling. It is still more remarkable that some of the greatest of them all have at no time had instruction in the field in which they have won world-wide renown, as, for instance, Henry Reuterdahl, the famous illustrator and marine painter; Thure de Thulstrup, the well-known painter and illustrator; Ch. E. Hallberg, painter of international reputation; August Franzen, portrait painter, known in two continents, etc. Besides the annual exhibits at the Swedish-American col leges, there have been several large exhibitions in Chicago, New York, Jamestown and elsewhere, of paintings and sculpture by Swedish-American artists. The first of these was held in Chi cago in 1905. It was well patronized by the public, but it proved a financial failure and was not repeated. However, six years later, another exhibit was arranged in the Swedish Club in Chi cago and so ably managed that it was an entire success and has been repeated every year since then. Last year another impor tant exhibition was held in New York. It was splendidly sup ported by a large number of artists and received considerable at tention not only from the public but from the press of the Me tropolis. It was warmly praised for the high standards it main tained, and the excellence of most of the individual numbers. Direct influence by Swedish-American artists on American art is difficult to estimate, especially as so many of them have ob tained their training and artistic points of view in American in stitutions. They have, however, been largely influenced by the great painters of modern Sweden and have carried some of these peculiar traits into their artistic productions. The main charac teristic is perhaps their love of color, freedom of movement and fondness for prairie and marine scenes. Traces of these quali ties are to be observed in many American productions of the last few years, especially in the colored illustrations in some of our foremost publications. 28 The following are a few of the best known Swedish- American painters, sculptors and illustrators : A. V. Anderson, C. O. Borg, O. Cesare, J. E. Carlson, D. Edstrom, K. J. Forsberg, A. Franzen, Ch. Friberg, O. Grafstrom, C. Hall berg, Hugo von Hofsten, O. Jacobson, G. Larson, C. E. Lundin, G. E. Lund- •berg' G. N. Malm, Arvid Nyholm, C. J. Nilsson, O. E. Olson, Henry Reuter dahl,' H. Ryden, K. F. Skoog, B. Sandzen, Thure de Thulstrup. 45 POLITICS. The political activities and contributions of the Swedes have been under-estimated and often misunderstood. It is unfair to compare them with the Irish or English, who have a decided ad vantage over other foreigners in the matter of language. The language forms the greatest dividing line between them and the native-born and sometimes offers insurmountable obstacles to their political success. The English and Irish come here fully equipped, as far as language is concerned, and can thus from the start take up the contest for office with the native-born. Thus eliminating the English and Irish, the Swedes will compare fav orably with other nationalities in their political history. It is true that politics, as a profession in itself, seldom ap peals to the Swede. His training, education and tradition, as a rule, have been along other lines. His manner is too direct and he generally lacks those qualities which are a necessary adjunct to the successful politician. Deceit, cunning and hypocrisy are weapons he uses clumsily, if at all. With him a promise, whether made on the public platform or in private, is an obligation to be taken seriously and not tossed aside, if convenience should re quire it. Productive labor is more to his liking, and most Swedes would rather be designers of bridges or commercial edifices, than architects of political machines or public organizations. But this does not imply that the Swedish-Americans are in different to politics or that they lack interest in their local, muni cipal, State or national government. The Swedish-Americans rarely fail to make use of their voting privileges, and they fol low, perhaps more closely than other nationalities, the progress of the various campaigns. As they, or their descendants, have become fully imbued with American ideas and ideals of political principles, they have meas ured up favorably with the best, and have sometimes taken a leading part in the political life of their communities. That they are not wanting in the qualities that make for the best public leadership is shown by the fact that in late years they have furnished many prominent men in our political life — governors,29 lieutenant governors and other State officials, as well as mem bers of the upper and lower branches of the State and National Assemblies,30 mayors and other officials of our cities,31 judges in the various courts of Minnesota, Illinois and other States. In the colonial period John Hanson was president of "the United States in Congress Assembled" and John Morton was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. If we take as an example a typical State in which the Swedes ' » Governors in Minnesota, Dakota, Colorado. "Lindbergh, Lundin, Lundquist, Peterson, Lehroot, etc. Minneapolis St. Paul, Duluth, Chicago, Jamestown, N. Y., Philadel-- phia, Worcester, Brooklyn, etc. 46 are numerous, and where they have obtained a large degree of prosperity by virtue of long residence, we find them everywhere in political offices. Thus, in the various executive departments of the State of Minnesota, there are twenty incumbents who were born in Sweden, while there are only nineteen of all other nationalities.32 In the House of Representatives their proportion for the last few years has varied between 18 and 30 per cent, of the total, while in the State Senate the percentage has been between 11 and 22 per cent, of the total. It is a curious fact that their number nearly doubled in the Senate from 1911 to 1921, while in the House of Representatives they lost nearly 12 per cent, in the same period. Taking it from another angle we likewise ar rive at interesting results. Seventy-three out of eighty-six counties (84J4 per cent.) in the State have one or more office holders born in Sweden, a larger number than any other national ity. Again, if we list the various county officials for 1921 we shall find that the Swedes have contributed : 23 Auditors (26% of the total). 13 Treasurers (15% of the total). 20 Registers of Deeds (23% of the total). 16 Sheriffs (18^% of the total). 8 Attorneys (9% of the total). 13 Judges of Probate (15% of the total). 11 Surveyors (12^ % of the total). 17 Coroners (19^ % of the total). 17 Clerks of Court (19^% of the total). 6 Court Commissioners (6J^% of the total). 10 Superintendents of Schools (11^4% of the total). 83 County Commissioners (19% of the total). They have fvirnished the State with four governors who held office eighteen years, or 28^4 per cent, of the period since the first governor was installed in 1858. They have supplied four Sec retaries of State, who served fifteen years, or 23 per cent, of the total, and ten Assistant Secretaries of State, who served twenty- three years, or 36^4 per cent, of the total. Thus we see that while the Swedes or their descendants constitute about 17 per cent, of the population of the State, they have in some cases contributed as high as 36 per cent, of its political officers, while their average is over 19 per cent., a record that is surely worthy of respect, and surpassed by few. In their political capacity they are generally of a construc tive trend of mind. Perhaps no governor in any of the forty- eight States has to his record so large a number of beneficial and important, in some cases almost epochal, measures as Gov- 32 Three or four born in Canada, England and Ireland are not included, for reasons given above. 47 ernor John A. Johnson, of Minnesota. As individuals and a a group they have exerted their influence for good government Lid their record jn public office is untarnished Some of their most influmential men, like Carl Swensson, John Enander and others, although, not politicians by profession have taken an active and leading part in the presidential and State campaigns. Dr. Swensson especially traveled from coast to coast in the in terest of the election of Harrison and McKinley and was uni versally considered one of the ablest and most versatile campaign speakers of the nation. C. A. Swensson, Founder of Bethany College and Messiah Chorus. The Swedes, except in one or two isolated cases, have never been driven from their mother country by religious or political persecutions. The mainspring of their desires to migrate has been economic. To seek new and larger fortunes in the land of "unlimited possibilities," to hunt a better market for their work, or to find more fertile soil for their farms, this has been the cause that impelled the vast majority to leave "the land of the midnight sun." They have been accustomed to free gov- 48 ernment, based on the consent of the governed, and they appre ciate our democratic organization and free institutions. They are conservative by nature ; new and untried theories do not ap peal to them. Hence you rarely find Swedish members in radical organizations or pronounced Bolshevistic societies. People who have been oppressed, persecuted and downtrodden in their na tive land come here to gain liberty, but they are seldom satis fied with the freedom they find. It does not conform to the ideas they have pictured, constructed out of imaginary conditions, and when they find that our Government does not measure up to their fantastic creations, they at once become its enemies and grow more dissatisfied with our political conditions than they were in their old home. Not so the Swedes or Swedish-Americans. They are nearly all Republicans and they generally vote the Republican platform without being influenced by religion, race or nationality. Loyalty to their affiliations is a basic characteristic of their make-up and sometimes they have carried this quality nearly beyond what was conducive to good government. Lately, however, they have shown considerable independ ence. They flocked by the thousands to Roosevelt's banner, and on one occason since then they have voted the Democratic ticket in large numbers. In a few cases the Swedes have also formed very successful political organizations like the "Swedish- American Republican Club of Massachusetts," 33 and the "John Ericsson Republican League." According to official figures fur nished me by Dr. Hugo O. Peterson, of Worcester, President of the Eastern Section of the League, it has a voting strength in the eastern States, and some other, as follows : New York 108,000 Massachusetts 80,000 Pennsylvania 92,000 Connecticut 72,000 New Jersey 42,000 Rhode Island 28,000 Ohio 11,000 Maine 10,000 New Hampshire 8,000 Maryland 5,000 Delaware 1,000 Michigan 60,000 Missouri 15,000 Texas 10,000 88 The object of this organization is thus described in the Preamble to the Constitution and By-Laws: "We, Swedish- American Voters of Massachus etts, in order to further the cause of good Government, Naturalization, Reg istration and Patriotic Citizenship, in a field where we feel we can accom plish the greatest results, organized this club to be known as 'The Swedish- American Club of Massachusetts.' " 49 A rather curious reason has been assigned for the Republi can tendencies of the Swedish-Americans. It has been stated. that their affiliations with the Republican Party is due to the tact that this organization has possessed the most forceful and most heroic leaders, such as Lincoln, Grant, Roosevelt and others, whose deeds and impressive personalities have appealed to the Swedes. "For the Swedes," it has been stated, "are a mon- archial people who admire great leaders." In other words, they are hero worshippers. This undoubtedly is not the true ex planation for their decided "Republican faith." It is due to quite other circumstances. The Swedes settled largely in the Northern States, where the Republican Party was strong, and furthermore their leaders and teachers like Hasselquist, Olson, Enander and others, who left an indelible imprint on the religious and political life of the Swedes in America, were, as a body, opposed to slavery, and thus naturally sided with the party, which in public thought became associated with the freeing of the slaves.34 The early Swedish papers, whose editors were Republicans for the reason stated above, also had a large share in forming the political opinions of the Swedish immigrants. Besides, some of the principles of the Republican Party that have occasioned most debate, and that have recurred in practically every election, such as the tariff question, are "articles of political faith" which the majority of "the agricultural Swedes" take for granted, as they have been the working tenets of the Swedish Government for generations. "A Swedish farmer is by nature and inclination a protectionist," it has been said, and we re member that the early immigrants of the nineteenth century were from the farming communities in the old country.35 These to my mind are the causes that have brought the Swedish-Americans as a body into the Republican fold. SWEDES IN AMERICAN WARS. No nationality can show a more brilliant or more dis tinguished record in the wars of America than the Swedes. Even in the early Indian wars they played a small but illustrious part. It was not until the Revolution, however, that they were sufficiently numerous to play a rather conspicuous role. In no country in Europe did the American Revolution find so great a sympathy as in Sweden, and dozens of officers offered their services. Even the famous General Sandels, whose father had 34 It is to be remembered that the negroes are largely Republican for the same reason. "When later immigrants arrived from Sweden they were confronted with "the solid Republicanism" of the Swedish-American press and of their predecessors, who wera established in the country and hence spoke with authority, and the newcomers thus naturally fell in line with the rest. 50 been a pastor in Philadelphia, prepared to go to America, but was turned back at Paris. King Gustav III wrote as follows to a friend: "If I were not King I would proceed to America ' and offer my sword on behalf of the brave colonists." As a mat- / ter of fact, fourteen Swedish officers fought for American free dom36 in Washington's armies, and in that section of the French fleet which aided the American campaigns. The descendants of the early Swedes were the bravest of the brave in the Continental army, and the settlers along the Delaware were subjected to great hardships and untold suffering by the English troops for their loyalty to the Revolutionary cause. They fought in large numbers in the ranks, and they furnished some of the most brilliant officers and leaders in the struggle. John Hanson, John Morton, Thomas Sinnixon are names that need h6~euTogy ; "tfiey are enrollM_among""the founders of the Republic. But not only as warriors did they contribute to the victory of the Revolution. Rev. Nils Collin did notable service with his pen, and the moral influence of the Swedish Govern ment was great. (Our first Treaty of Commerce and Amity with any nation was concluded with Sweden.) The Swedes who took part in the Mexican War were few; but Captain Malmborg and one or two others distinguished them selves in that struggle. * * * In the Civil War they stood as a man behind Lincoln. The citizens of Swedish birth, in these early days, were to some ex tent influenced by opinions in the mother country. The whole Swedish nation was heart and soul with the Northern States. This naturally strengthened the convictions of the Swedes here. When Lincoln issued his first call for volunteers no foreign- born citizen responded more enthusiastically than the Swedes, who sometimes formed whole companies and offered themselves in a body. The response was so great that about 16^4 per cent. of the total Swedish-American population volunteered for serv ice in the Northern armies, which would have swelled their num ber to the vast sum total of 3,800,000 men if the native popula tion and other nationalities had responded in equal proportion to the Swedes. The majority of the Swedish-Americans were private sol diers, but they had had previous military training, and therefore possessed an advantage over the native-born. From their ranks rose officers of every class, ~inany of whom were recognized as among the foremost tacticians of the American army. The un stinted praise lavished on Captain Malmborg and General Stol- brand deserves to be known by every one interested in Swedish- American history. This is what Colonel Stuart says of Captain Malmborg : 86 Von Fersen, Stedingk, Peterson, etc. 51 "I was under great obligations to Lieutenant Colonel Malmborg whose military education and experience were of every importance to me. v Comprehending at a glance the purpose and object of every movement of the enemy, he was able to advise me promptly and intelligently as to the disposition of my men. He was cool, observant, discreet and brave, and of infinite service to me." The great General Sherman37 knew war and he knew a war rior when he saw one. This is his opinion of the Swedish-Amer ican, General Stolbrand: "A braver man and a better artillery officer than General Stolbrand could not be found in the entire army.!' The story of General Stolbrand's promotion is worthy of re peating. It has been told as follows: "Stolbrand had served in his corps for some time with the rank of major, and performed such services as properly belonged to a colonel or brigadier-general without being promoted according to his merits, because there had been no vacancy in the regiment to which he belonged. Displeased with this, Stolbrand sent in his resignation, which was accepted, but Sherman had made up his mind not to let him leave the army and asked him to go by way of Washington on his return home, pretending that he wished to send im portant dispatches to President Lincoln. In due time Stol brand arrived in the capital and handed a sealed package to the President in person. Having looked the papers through, Lincoln extended his hand, exclaiming, 'How do you do, General,' Stolbrand, correcting him, said, T am no general ; I am only a major.' 'You are mistaken,' said Lincoln ; 'you are a general' — and he was from that moment. In a few hours he received his commission and later returned to the army." It would take us too far afield to relate in detail the serv ices of these or other Swedish-American officers who gave their best energies, and sometimes their lives, that "the government of the people, for the people and by the people should not perish from the earth." But we cannot leave this section without an account of at least two members of the famous Dahlgren family, Admiral John Adolph Dahlgren and his son, Ulric. Before the war Admiral Dahlgren had served several years in the navy, and was assigned to ordnance duty at Washington in 1843, "much against his wish, as his inclination was for active service afloat." His progress and promotion was rapid and he introduced improvements and innovations that "made the U. "General Sherman was in advance of his times in his employment of artillery which foreshadowed the tactics of today. 52 S. Navy the most efficient and formidable in the world." At the outbreak of the war he was the only commissioned officer in the Washington Navy Yard who did not go over to the Confederate side, and through his bravery and decisive action he saved this important military establishment from destruction or capture. In July, 1862, he was made chief of the Bureau of Ordnance and the following year he received "the thanks of Congress" and was given the rank of Rear Admiral. In July, 18.63, he was made commander of the South Atlantic blockading squadron, which comprised over ninety ships. In this capacity he performed sig nal service for his country and materially shortened the war.38 But his aid in the war was not confined to the navy. The army also profited by his gehius. The Dahlgren cannon, were like the "Berthas" of the late war, a new departure and gave the North a decided advantage in several engagements. This is how the "National Cyclopaedia of American Biography" speaks of them: "The Dahlgren guns, for whose recognition he worker vainly for years, are historic, not only the fact that they furnished the model and impetus for model naval arma ments, but also for their wonderful part in saVing the in tegrity of the Federal Union. They were many strides in advance of anything that preceded them, in scientific prin ciple of construction, accuracy, power and endurance; they necessitated ironclad ships and also set a period to the old theories of land fortification. . . ." In "nine important engagements in the Civil War . . . they turned the tide of success. At Port Royal, S. C, No vember 6, 1861, where the frigate 'Wabash' with her forty Dahlgren guns silenced the forts and secured a harbor for the Federal fleet; at the attacks on Forts Jackson and St Philip, April 24, 1862, when the fleet under Farragut and Porter destroyed the Confederate rams and earthworks ; at the battle between the U. S. 'Monitor,' 'Weehawken,' and the Confederate iron-clad, 'Atlanta,' June 17, 1863, when the two Dahlgren guns of the former crushed the sides of the enemy in twenty-six minutes ; at the blockade of Charleston Harbor, when the Dahlgren guns not only silenced the forts, but put an effective stop to blockade running; during the siege of Vicksburg, May to July, 1863, when the heavy Dahl- grens loaned by Admiral Porter, accomplished the silenc ing of the forts in four days; at the battle between the 'Kearsarge' and 'Alabama,' July 19, 1864, when the two eleven-inch Dahlgrens of the Federal ship sunk the enemy in fifty-nine minutes; at Farragut's attack on Mobile, in August, 1864, when the formidable ram 'Tennessee,' a terror 38 The Dahlgren Proving Grounds of the American Navy are named in his honor. 53 to ships of every class, was destroyed by the steady fire of the monitors 'Manhattan' and 'Chickasaw' ; at Fort Fisher, Jan uary 15, 1865, where the roar from the crescent of Dahlgren guns of Admiral Porter's fleet resembled Niagara, and their precision of fire was wonderful, knocking the Confederate guns quickly out of existence, as well as the gunners. The most memorable occasion of their use, however, was at the battle of Hampton Roads, between the 'Monitor' and the 'Merrimac' " Admiral Dahlgren's son, Ulric Dahlgren, was a young law student, only nineteen, when the war broke out. A year later he volunteered for service and advanced rapidly. After brilliant exploits in several engagements, some of which were celebrated in poetry and painting 39 he was wounded in the Gettysburg campaign, and invalided home. From the very inception of the war, reports of southern atrocities of the most horrible character circulated in the north ern papers, of course matched by equally horrible tales in south ern publications, supposed to have been perpetrated by Union soldiers. These stories poisoned the minds and made the strug gle exceptionally bitter. The most widely circulated tales cen tred around "the horrible dungeons of Richmond," where our soldiers "in filth, want and disease were suffering all that neglect and vengeance could inflict." It aroused the deepest indigna tion in all circles of the North, and was something akin to the submarine campaign of the late war in its effect on public opin ion. Appeals were made by the Washington Government and privately but to no avail. Finally an expedition was fitted out to release the Union soldiers confined in the prisons of Richmond. The entire force was to be composed of cavalry, four thousand strong. An in dependent column of five hundred men, picked from all the regi ments, was to perform the most difficult part of the mission by leading the way and reconnoitering. It was placed under the command of young Dahlgren, who had volunteered for service in the enterprise. He was not even fully restored to health when the expedition was prepared (he had lost one leg as a result of his wound), but he was anxious and eager to take part. His let ter to his father on the eve of departure to the South is interest ing: 88 Major General Sigel wrote as follows about one of these exploits: "Dear Sir :— It affords me pleasure to say that your son Ulric Dahlgren, on my staff, has returned from Fredericksburg, after executing one of the most brilliant and daring expeditions since the breaking out of the war, the par ticulars of which you will learn from the newspapers, and from a copy of his report to me which I enclose to you. His modesty is as commendable as his skill and bravery. I esteem his soldierly and good manly qualities very highly, and think you have much to be gratified at in him." 54 "Headquarters, Third Division Cavalry Corps, "Stevensburg, Feb. 26, 1864. "Dear Father, — I have not returned to the fleet, because there is a grand raid to be made, and I am to have a very important command. If successful, it will be the grandest thing on record; and if it fails, many of us will 'go up.' I may be captured, or I may be 'tumbled over'; but it is an undertaking that if I were not in, I should be ashamed to show my face again. With such an important command, I am afraid to mention it, for fear this letter might fall into wrong hands before reaching you. I find that I can stand the service perfectly well without my leg. I think we will be successful, although a desperate undertaking. "Aunt Patty can tell you, when you return. I will write you more fully when we return. If we do not return, there is no better place to 'give up the ghost.' "Your affectionate son, "ULRIC DAHLGREN." But the expedition was not successful. Dahlgren was mis led by a blundering guide. His column was ambushed near its objective, and the young officer met a heroic though horrible death. It was said that his body was stripped, mutilated and buried in an unknown grave. It was this the poet had in mind when he said : "Sentry stand the Southern pines, Tenderly the moonlight shines, Where the mould hath hidden deep Hero-dust where none may weep ; Ever towards that lonely glen Turn the hearts of Northern men ; Voices 'neath a Southern sky Breathe a name that cannot die, — DAHLGREN !" His body was later recovered and carried to a place of safety. The event caused a wave of indignation throughout the Northern States and the treatment to which Colonel Dahlgren's body was supposed to have been submitted was featured by the Union press in issue after issue. The death of no other Union officer caused such widespread comment and aroused the nation to such fiery patriotism and such determined cries for revenge. In its effect on the public mind it can be compared only to the execution of Edith CaveU. It was like a clarion call to the Northern youth. Speeches and articles, recounting his death and calling for a reckoning grew and gathered in force. Poets without number joined in the chorus. Charles Henry 'Brock ex claimed : 55 "Quench the burning indignation, Check the rising tear ; Be his sepulchre the Nation, And the Land his bier ! Hellish vengeance hath consigned h To a grave unknown ; Freedom's angel hath enshrined him By Her altar-stone. Curse and mangle, O ye traitors! What is left of him; Crush and sever, ruthless haters ! Every youthful limb ; Hide him in your dark morasses, That no verdant sod E'er may tell, to him who passes, Where he rests with God. But ye cannot crush the story Of his hero-worth, Nor debase his wealth of glory With ignoble earth. And ye cannot hide the gleaming Of his hero-name, For it kindles with each beaming Of his Country's fame ! Spirit of the son immortal ! Wailings of the sire ! Peace, for in your Nation's portal Hangs the funeral lyre; Breathing there the mighty chorus Of the young and brave, How he died, awhile before us, Liberty to save ! Oh ! be this the consolation, This the mourner's pride, That the story fires the Nation, How he lived and died! Be the sepulchre that holds him Hidden as it may, 'Tis his Country that enfolds him With her native clay." 56 111 After the war the remains were brought North and laid in state in the City Hall of Washington, guarded by officers, and on the following day Henry Ward Beecher delivered the funeral sermon in the presence of the "President, with nearly all his cabinet, the mayor of the city and other distinguished persons." In the course of his oration Rev. Beecher took occasion to say: "Dahlgren ! The name aforetime was strange to English lips, and of sound foreign to English ears. But now it is no longer your land from which it came ! It is ours ; it is Amer ican. Our children shall wear it, and, as long as our history lasts, Dahlgren shall mean truth, honor, bravery, and heroic sacrifice." On the way to its final resting place the body was escourted through Baltimore by Union soldiers, and upon arriving at Phil adelphia it was placed in the Hall of Independence "in the time- honored chamber, whence issued that declaration which ranked this country in the family of recognized nationalities." From there it was taken to the Laurel Hill Cemetery. * * * * One of the decisive, according to some critics, the decisive, factor in the war, was the battle between the "Monitor" and the "Merrimac." There may be differences of opinion as to the priority of the claims for some of the features that made the "Monitor" a new and destructive weapon of the ocean, but there is no doubt that John Ericsson's "Monitor" was the first ship of its kind to ride the waves, that it won a fight which became a turning point in the Civil War, that it revolutionized naval war fare and made all the fleets of the Seven Seas obsolete over night.40 Credit has been given to a Swedish petty officer for the de cision which gave victory to Ericsson's ship.41 Several veterans from the period claimed the honor of belonging to the crew of the ship during the battle in Hampton Roads, and only recently "the last survivor" died in the East. But there seems to be no doubt that Hans Anderson was the last survivor, and accord ing to him the happy outcome of the battle was due to the sug gestion of Carl Peterson, who proposed that the cannon, as the shells did not seem to harm the well-protected "Merrimac," 40 "The 'Monitor' was the crystallization of forty centuries of thought on attack and defense, and exhibited in a singular manner the old Norse ele ment of the American Navy; Ericsson (Swedish son of Eric) built her; Dahteren (Swedish, branch of the valley) armed her; and Worden (Swed ish wording, worthy), fought her. How the ancient skalds would have struck their wild harps on hearing such names in heroic verse! How they would have written them in immortal rimes !" ,_......, „ , „ Admiral Luce in a paper before the Naval Institute, April 20, 1876. See Church, Life of Ericsson, I. a The majority of the crew on Ericsson's "Monitor" were Swedes. 57 should be loaded with a double charge. This was done and the "Merrimac" soon withdrew from the combat. Volumes have been written in dispute as to which of the two ironclads won the day. On the surface the result seems like a draw, but if we look deeper and inquire into the facts of the combat, the result must be decided a complete victory for the "Monitor." In war it is our aim to check the enemy's designs, and eventually to capture or destroy his forces. "The task of the day chosen by the 'Merrimac'," says a naval officer, "was to destroy the 'Minnesota,' to clear Hamp ton Roads of hostile ships, and to open a free seaway for herself for wider operations. The task of the 'Monitor' was to prevent the execution of this design, which she did with complete success by checking the enemy at the very first stage of his program. Baffled in the attack upon the 'Minne sota,' the 'Merrimac' abandoned the field and left her enemy in possession; instead of destroying the Federal ships, she did not destroy anything, and at the end of the day was not even in their presence. The duty assigned to the 'Monitor' was to protect the wooden ships, and she protected them; when night fell, she was still on guard over them, grim, ugly and ready to fight." "The success of the 'Monitor' completely changed the aspect of the opening military campaign, and raised the North from the depths of apprehension to a pinnacle of hope and celebration. No single event of the Civil War, as has been often said, so excited popular enthusiasm, and the 'Monitor' furnished for a long time material for public dis cussion and applause. The officers — Worden, Greene, and Stimers, particularly — found themselves suddenly popular heroes, and in all this adulation it is pleasant to know that the real author of all the success, John Ericsson, was not overlooked. He who had been looked at with suspicion as an 'inventive crank' was now overwhelmed with honors, and recognized as a national benefactor, and the foremost engi neer of his time." No other sea conflict in history ever attracted such wide spread attention and comment, and the revolution in naval archi tecture, that has led to the super-dreadnoughts of today, began at once among all maritime nations. Within a week after the battle the Government at Washing ton ordered the construction of six ships of the "Monitor" type. The contract was given to Ericsson, who rushed the work with such speed that they were all ready in about ten months. Several improvements were introduced and it is worth remembering that all, except one (which was sunk by a Southern torpedo), re mained on the list of naval ships for a generation and were pre- 58 pared for coast defense duty during our war with Spain in 1898. * * * In the Spanish-American war the Swedish-Americans again rushed to the colors. They served in the army and in the navy and were engaged in every battle. Among the men who volun teered to sink the "Merrimac" in Santiago Harbor, were two Swedes. One of these, for "bravery and coolness in action" re ceived a medal and a personal letter from President Roosevelt, couched in his usual vigorous language. Statistics of the number of Swedes who volunteered for service in the various branches of the army and navy are not available, but the total was large, and undoubtedly compared favorably with their records in other wars. * * * The Swede is not easily influenced by propaganda. His na ture is not subject to sudden impulses to the same extent as more nervous temperaments. This trait caused much misunderstand ing during the early stages of the late war. In war, thinking is a crime and independence, a misdemeanor. You are supposed to follow and swallow undigested anything and everything the powers that be or the press gives you. But this is against the* nature of the Swede. He is apt to question the veracity of state ments that appear exaggerated or invented. By this he does not mean to take sides; he is simply trying to get at the truth and arrive at a fair conclusion on the question in dispute. When reports of wholesale atrocities filled our press in the Fall of 1914 and the following years, the Swedes were apt to keep their temper. They were well enough informed to know that in every war on record, since the time of ancient Greece and Rome, enemies have always accused each other of unbelievable and un speakable atrocities, many of them true, but the majority in vented or exaggerated. The Swedes did not lose their heads and fly off at a tangent in a fit of hysterics. Few of them said or did thfngs they need to be ashamed of now, when, as Sir Phillip Gibbs has so well expressed it, "the truth can be told." But their position was misunderstood, and when they did not join in the silly and abject condemnation of the whole Hun nation with the same vociferous screams, as some of their neighbors, they were often accused of being pro-German. When America finally entered the war even the blindest and most unreasonable partisan could find no fault with the citizens of Swedish extrac tion. They offered their services by the tens of thousands. In - fact the largest percentage of volunteers from any one place in the forty-eight States of the Union came from Lindstrom, Min nesota, where every inhabitant but two are Swedes or of Swed ish parentage. It has also been said that Augustana College, the oldest Swedish-American educational institution in the country, furnished the largest number of volunteers, according to its en rollment, of any college or university in the land. The number 59 of boys of Swedish birth or extraction in the army was estimated at 250,000, or about 12J4 per cent, of the total Swedish-American population. On this basis, if all other nationalities, including the native-born, had contributed an equal share, our armies during the war,would have totalled 18,700,000 men. Their bravery was universally acknowledged. Numerous in stances of valor among all nationalities werje recorded in the official dispatches, but I know no greater compliment to an of ficer or service man than that paid to Captain Peterson in a personal cablegram from General Pershing to President Wilson in tiie Spring of 1918. COMMITTEES OF THE SWEDISH SECTION OF AMERICA'S MAKING. Executive and Finance Committee. Dr. Johannes Hoving, President. Dr. Victor O. Freeburg, Vice-President. Gustaf Sundelius, Corresponding Secretary. John H. Johnson, Recording Secretary. Emil F. Johnson, Treasurer. Axel Hedman. Dr. F. Jacobson. Charles K. Johansen. Ernest Ohnell. Study Committee. Dr. Victor O. Freeburg, Chairman. Erik W. Wallin, Secretary. Dr. Amandus Johnson. Emil F. Johnson. Dr. Henry G. Leach. Book Committee. Dr. F. Jacobson, Chairman. Dr. Victor O. Freeburg, Secretary. Dr. Amandus Johnson. Ernst Skarstedt. Vilhelm Berger. Publicity Committee. Charles K. Johansen, Chairman. Dr. Henry G. Leach. Charles Nieckels. Exhibition Committee. Axel Hedman, Chairman. Mrs. Ingeborg Hansell. John Olin. 6b Program Committee. John H. Johnson, Chairman. Eric Hagstrdm. Mrs. Helga Hoving. D. O. Host. Ragnar Ahlin. General Committee. ' Dr. Johannes Hoving, Chairman, Vasa Temple Association of New York. ' Dr. Victor O. Freeburg, Vice-Chairman, Swedish-American ' Trade Journal. Gustaf Sundelius, Corresponding Secretary, Swedish-Amer ican Chamber of Commerce of the S. S. A. John H. Johnson, Recording Secretary, United Swedish So cieties of New York. John Olin, United Swedish Societies of New York. Emil F. Johnson, Treasurer, F. and A. Masonic Lodge "Bre- dablick." Henry Johnson, F. and A. Masonic Lodge "Bredablick." Axel Hedman, American Society of Swedish Engineers. Ernest Ohnell, American Society of Swedish Engineers. Erik W- Tallin, St. Erik, Society for Advancement of Swed ish Music. Mrs. Helga Hoving, St. Erik, Society for Advancement of Swedish Music. Mrs. Alma Berghman, Vasa Temple Association of New York. Dr. Henry G. Leach, American Scandinavian Foundation. Dr. F. Jacobson, Augustana Synod of America. Dr. Mauritz Stolpe, Augustana Synod of America. Eric Hagstrdm. Swedish-American Athletic Club of Brook lyn. D. O. Host, Swedish Club of New York. E. A. Bilgert, Swedish Club of New York. J. Albert Ohman, Swedish Society of New York. Oscar Wijk, Swedish Glee Club of Brooklyn. Axel Wilson, Swedish Glee Club of Brooklyn Charles A Ogren, Kallman Orphanage, Brooklyn. Mrs. Nelly Johnson, Swedish Ladies' Society _ Eric Johnson, Scandinavian Brotherhood of America, Lodge Ivar Carison, Scandinavian Brotherhood of America, Lodge August Johnson, Scandinavian Brotherhood of America, Lodge Kronan. Ragnar Ahlin, Swedish Folkdance Society of New York. Charles du Mar, Hundred Men's Society. Emil Blomquist, Swedish-Norwegian Society. 61 G. A. Bihl, Swedish Singing Society Svea. Gust. A. Wester, Stockholm Club. Adam Lindberg, Stockholm Club. B. A. Lundstedt, Fylgia Society. Edwin Johnson, Society Aland. Albin Rothoff, Society du Nord. Carl J. Swenson, Society du Nord. Charles Paulson, Linnea Association. Mrs. Hilda Molander, Society Freja of Brooklyn. Mrs. Annie Johnson, Society Freja of Brooklyn. Frank Rasmussen, Tegner Club. Axel Swanson, Happy 13 Club. Charles S. Swanson, Happy 13 Club. John Troedson, Singing Society "Lyran." Ewald Thore, Singing Society "Lyran." C. A. Lind, Swedish Chauffeurs Club. Eugene de Brichy, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 33, Sture. E. U. T. Ericsson, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 33, Sture. Sven Johnson, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 34, Thor. E. Kellman, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 34, Thor. Mrs. Jenny Gustafson, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 35, Valkyrian. Evelyn Armstrong, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 35, Valkyrian. Mrs. Augusta Petterson, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 39, Thora. Ellen Johnson, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No, 39, Thora. Mrs. Ida Anderson, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 51, Odin. Robert Olson, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 51, Odin. Axel Bjorkman, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 64, Nobel. Eric Dahlin, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 64, Nobel. John W. Lind, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 75, Kung Gosta. Emil O. Cederholm, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 75, Kung Gosta. Mrs. Alma Anderson, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 78, Saga. Mrs. Erika Ralston, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 78, Saga. Albin O. Ahlgren, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 88, Tryggve. Ellen Youngstrom, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 89, Nordstjarnan. 62 Carl W. Johnson, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 100, Freja. C. Olson, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 100, Freja. Mrs. Gertrude Lundqvist, Vasa Order of America, Lodee 107, Liljan. Mrs. Hilma Staff, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 107, Liljan. August Anderson, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 181, Neptun. Aug. E. Johnson, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 121, Neptun. Oscar Petterson, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 122, Triumf. Oscar Rydstrom, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 194, Hoga Nord. Oscar Eneman, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 194, Hoga Nord. Axel Nelson, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 216, Pioneer. W. R. Turnqvist, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 216, Pioneer. Axel Magnusson, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 235, Olympic. Oscar Svenson, Vasa Order of America Lodge No. 275, Bjorn. Thore Ladine, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 275, Bjorn. Mrs. Hilma Sandstrom, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 235, Olympic. Albert Rylander, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 304, Gustav' II Adolf. Ernst Carlson, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 304, Gustav II Adolf. Eric Gordonville, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 306, Syskonkedjan. Mrs. Eric Gordonville, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 306, Syskonkedjan. Emil Anderson, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 338, St. Erik. Torsten Bruhn, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 338, St. Erik. Charles P. Nelson, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 340, Svea. O. H. Lanquist, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 360, Baltic. Oscar Bard, Vasa Order of America, Lodge No. 360, Baltic. Honorary and Advisory Committee. John Aspegren, New York. H. Bjdrnstrom-Steffanson, New York. 63 Karl von Rydingsvard, New York. Hon. Samuel Carlson, Jamestown, N. Y. Charles L. Eckman, Jamestown, N. Y. J. E. Hillberg, Jamestown, N. Y. A. A. Anderson, Jamestown, N. Y. John Soderstrom, Buffalo, N. Y. Ernst J. Berg, Schenectady, N. Y. Dr. Adolph Burnett Benson, New Haven, Conn. Richard Hogner, M. D., Boston, Mass. Olof Ohlson, Waltham, Mass. Frank Mossberg, Attleboro, Mass. Anton H. Trulson, Worcester, Mass. Anders Schon, Worcester, Mass. Hon. Adolph O. Eberhart, Chicago, 111. C. G. Wallenius, Chicago, 111. Nels Hokanson, Chicago, 111. Othelia Myhrman, Chicago, 111. Andrew Tofft, Chicago, 111. Ernest W. Olson, Rock Island, 111. Col. J. A. Ockerson, St. Louis, Mo. Hon. John Lind, Minneapolis, Minn. Dr. Victor Nilsson, Minneapolis, Minn. Prof. A. A. Stomberg, Minneapolis, Minn. Alfred Soderstrom, Minneapolis, Minn. C. J. Larson, St. Paul, Minn. G. N. Swan, Sioux City, Iowa. Alex. Olsson, San Francisco, Calif. Dr. W. W. Keen, Philadelphia, Pa. Dr. Gregory B. Keen, Swedish Colonial Society, Philadel phia, Pa. Henry D. Paxson, Philadelphia, Pa. Prof. A. D. Yocum, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. 64