social conditions of Europe, with
its aristocracy and other inherited privileges, are not founded on just
principles, but that the way to success ought to be equally open for
all, and determined, not by privileges of birth, but by the inherent
worth of man. And here in America is found a civilization which is, to a
large extent, built on equality and the recognition of personal merit.
This and the great natural resources of the country, the prospects for
good wages which a new continent affords, and in many cases greater
religious liberty, draws the people of Europe, at any rate from Sweden,
to this country.

Sweden is a very good country, but more especially so for those who are
fortunate enough to be born to title, honor or riches. To be sure, even
there instances are known of men from the ordinary walks of life making
their way to wealth and prominence; but those are exceptions, possible
only in cases of unusually great personal merit. Here, on the other
hand, the reverse is the rule; the self-made man accomplishes most, as
instanced by the history of our presidents, governors, financiers and
other distinguished men. And this is quite natural, for the prospects
and possibilities which a man sees before him in this country stimulate
his ambition, and arouse his energies to surmount the greatest
difficulties.

The new ideas now permeating society in Europe, and which will gradually
transform it, have, to a great extent, originated in America, more
particularly the idea of brotherhood, the sympathy with equals, the
conviction that it is our duty to better the condition of our
fellow-men, and not despise them, even if they are unfortunate. In this
respect, as well as in many others, America exerts a great influence
over Europe. To me the better situated classes of Sweden seem
short-sighted in their hostility to emigration, for a man of broad views
must admit that emigration has been beneficial even to Sweden herself.
It may not have benefited the higher classes directly, as they cannot
hire servants and laborers as cheaply as formerly; but the people have
benefited by it as a whole, their condition being now better than
formerly, when competition between the laborers was greater.

America also exerts a great influence on the mental and moral
development of the people of Sweden, although this may not be so
apparent on the surface. The thousands and hundreds of thousands of
letters written every year by Swedish-America