“Stay on the land, and it will nourish you honestly” is still a good expression. Emigration is not an easy matter, one forsakes his dear father land, his beloved home, separated from all he love and values, moving to a distant clime, to people who’s language he does not understand and who have customs and practices he does not share.
In addition, returning is only very seldom possible. From France, Belgium, and Germany, one can speedily go back to the homeland, but from America one cannot run home. The journey to the new world is long, expensive, cumbersome, and not without danger. One thinks this through thoroughly, not letting himself be led by recklessness. not by adventurous ideas, nor in anticipation of a new thrill.
The Luxembourger has by nature a wanderlust; the driving spirit to see foreign lands is not wanting in him. But rashness is followed by regret and how many were already in New York when homesickness struck, who would have returned if they could — but they could not. And in the first years, nearly all immigrants pine for their dear homes.
Whoever contemplates emigration must consider well the matter. To think over the nature of the move, and think it over well, whether he should make this once-in-a-life-time venture.
No one should emigrate who has enough to eat in the old country.
The aim of this essay is absolutely not to recommend an emigration trip or to induce such a thing, we council no one to do so and have already dissuaded many. Whoever contemplates emigration must consider well the matter. To think over the nature of the move, and think it over well, whether he should make this once-in-a-life-time venture.
However, once the decision for emigration has been taken, then the tips which we supply here can be of service, if one will heed them well. We go to work methodically.
Who should not emigrate? No one should emigrate who has enough to eat in the old country. You should not turn your back on your Fatherland without compelling reasons. The desire for richer and larger landholdings is no valid excuse to forsake the homeland. One should not lightly sacrifice a secure, albeit mediocre, existence for an insecure future one.
America is a land of work. He who is not prepared, if need be, to embrace hand labor, should stay without hesitation on the other side of the ocean. He does not belong here.
From this it follows that those people who have the benefit of a fixed income, and who rely on this income for their advancement should not emigrate to America. Lawyers, officials, private scholars, engineers, teachers, architects etc. would do better to direct their steps to Belgium or France, rather than America.
The same is true of artists: painters and photographers, although they are in somewhat in the minority among emigrants from the Grand Duchy.
An exception would be stonecutters and cabinet makers. Likewise, women of educated station such as governesses, teachers, practitioners of the feminine handicrafts should not expect to find such employment here easily.
This is no field for foresters or agricultural managers either. Then there are examples of people who have, through their own efforts risen to the highest career levels without first having mastered the basic fundamental of their craft.
Let us give a particular warning to stay home to trade apprentices and young shopkeepers. Business firms here draw their employees from below, and because of the total difference in commerce here, such young people, even though often very good are, for the most part conceited and are useless. Vouchers and letters of recommendation have here little or no value; performance is the best recommendation.
America is a land of work. He who is not prepared, if need be, to embrace hand labor, should stay without hesitation on the other side of the ocean. He does not belong here.
Now we ask: who should emigrate? Or, more precisely, for whom is emigration beneficial? Before all else should be mentioned the farmer, with the condition that he have no expectations save thrift, diligence and temperance, to pay his debts. If this be so, then he may consider emigration–the sooner the better, because he has more means left to make a good start here. If he has many children, they will be a true blessing for him.
The “Kreuzerbauer” should further consider emigration, especially one with a large family. He has no future for his children to contemplate; either they must go abroad, or be added to the number of day-laborers. Is it not better for such a landsman to seek to establish for himself and his children a home in the New World?
It’s hard to make it in America, as it is in Europe, the difference is: in America you can build up capital, in Europe not. One must here consider the nature of the real day-laborer. Many a day-laborer in the Grand Duchy today earns more and lives better than a small landholder. As he ages, the situation changes. If he is diligent and thrifty, he can easily obtain a parcel of land here. After working the farm a few years as a day-laborer, at first renting, he can become self supporting. He should not stay in the big city; he is lost there. Only on the land is it healthy for him; there he can become and independent an prosperous farmer, although it is not as easy today as it once was.
The craftsman should not consider emigration so long as his business goes well over there, although the production of hand work has collapsed in the old country somewhat, especially in the last decade, which acts often as an incentive to take up the wanderer’s staff. If they understand their trade, the following handworkers should easily find work after undergoing a sort of new apprenticeship: tailors, saddlers, carpenters, housepainters, stone cutters, masons, paperhangers, plumbers(sheet metal workers) cigar makers, furniture makers, wainrights, machinists, weavers, and some smiths who, however, must seek for themselves occupations in manufacturing. A shoemaker here serves only the most discriminating patron, but he may make a good wage as a shoe repair man. But one mustn’t believe that a craftsman will become a baron. He must work very intensively, as in Europe. but handwork as carried on here, still has the golden, if not diamond, touch. The craftsman will find work more easily in the cities than in the country.
We have so far considered only families who are contemplating emigration. Young people, who are knowledgeable about farming and with no decent future to anticipate over there, and are of a will to secure their future and later establish a home, should not perhaps be goaded into emigrating, but they should not be dissuaded either. They will find, with diligence, perserverance, temperance and thrift, their livelihood here, and can save up their pennies, and later, as a tenant, and finally as a proprietor, run their own farms. When the young folks have learned a craft, and possess the necessary attributes for success as mentioned above, then there exists for them a lucrative field here, too.
Emigration is more dangerous for single girls. They face greater perils than young men, but they more easily find work in service, and have good prospects of marrying soon. But they should not go to America alone. The should, if possible make the trip with acquaintances or relatives, and remain for a time under the supervision of responsible persons who will see them get settled. The danger for girls is the greater because they seldom get jobs in service in the country, but most come as housemaids to the cities.
Old people, whether married or single, we would counsel not to come to the United States, if it be to spend their last years with their children — no good can come of that. The most suitable age for settling here would extend to 30. From 30 to 40 it is already doubtful whether one could cope with the land and people; after 40 one should give up the notion of starting life anew in the New World. One does not plant old trees.
The best time of the year to travel is unquestionable late winter and early spring; the months of March and April. Then it is easiest to find work in the city and in the country. The swelter of the hot summer months of July and August argues against trying to adjust the body to it at that time. In fall and winter the sea is rough, work rare, and a livelihood not so available.