The Scandinavian Element in the United States / University of Illinois Studies in the Social Sciences, Vol. 111, No. 3, September, 1914

by Kendric Charles Babcock

Exhaustive and scholarly discussions of the history and character of the Scandinavian newspapers and periodicals published in the United States are: Juul Dieserud, “Den norske presse i Amerika. En historisk oversigt”, Normands-Forbundet, V (April 1912); Carl Hansen, “Et Stykke Norsk-Amerikanske Pressens-historie”, Kvartalskrift, III (Jan. 1907), “Den norsk-amerikanske presse før borgerkrigen”, Symra: en Aarbog for Norske paa begge Sider af Havet, IV (1908); and “Den norsk-amerikanske presse: Pressen til borgerkrigens slutning”, Norsk-Amerikanernes Festskrift, 1914; Johs. B. Wist, “Den norsk-amerikanske press: Pressen efter borgerkrigen”, Norsk-Amerikanernes Festskrift, 1914—remarkably full and complete in its details; E. W. Olson (editor), “Press and Literature”, History of the Swedes in Illinois (1908), ch. 13. Less important is Eric Johnson, “The Swedish American Press”, The Viking, I (July and Aug. 1906).

For statistics and ratings of newspapers, G. P. Rowell & Co., American Newspaper Directories (1869 to 1906); N. W. Ayer, American Newspaper Annual (1881-1914) (Philadelphia).

ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND POLITICAL QUESTIONS

Florence E. Baker, A Brief History of the Elective Franchises in Wisconsin (1894); Fremont O. Bennett, Politics and Politicians of Chicago, Cook County, and Illinois (1886); Eugene Brown and F. Fred Rowe (compilers), Industrial and Picturesque Rockford, Illinois (1891); Carlo De’Negri, Appunti di Statistica Comparata dell’ Emigrazione dell’ Europa e della Immigrazione in America e in Australia (in Bulletin de l’Institute International de Statistique, 1888); John G. Gregory, Foreign Immigration to Wisconsin (1902); C. H. Gronvald, The Effects of the Immigration on the Norwegian Immigrants (in Sixth Annual Report to the State Board of Health of Minnesota, 1878); Hans Mattson (editor), Two Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of the First Swedish Settlement in America, September 14, 1888 (1889); Robert P. Porter (and others), The West: from the Census of 1880 (1882); Julian Ralph, Our Great West: a Study of the Present Conditions and Future Possibilities of the New Commonwealths and Capitals of the United States (1893); Gustav Sundbärg, Bidrag till Utvandringsfrågen från Befolkningsstatistisk Synpunkt (in Upsala Universitets Årsskrift, 1884 o. 1885); Carl Sundbeck, Svensk-Amerikanerna, deras Materialla och Andliga Sträfvanden (1904)—a good up-to-date summary of conditions in America; William W. Thomas, Sweden and the Swedes (1893); James D. Whelpley, The Problem of the Immigrant (1905); Edward Young, Labor in Europe and America, a Special Report on the Rate of Wages, etc. (1875),—a particularly valuable book, dealing with conditions in Europe on the eve of the great movement to America.

Two groups of Federal reports are very useful: Emigration from Europe, (Reports from the Consuls of the United States, No. 76, 1887), dealing with European conditions; and Emigration to the United States (Special Consular Reports, vol. XXX, 1904). Another exhaustive and scholarly investigation is embodied in Reports of the Industrial Commission on Immigration, including testimony, with Review and Digest, and Special Reports, being vol. XV of the Commission’s Reports (1901).

The Civil War as related to immigration from Northern Europe is treated in: Ole A. Buslett, Det Femtende Regiment Wisconsin Frivillige (1895); P. G. Dietrichson, En Kortfattet Skildring af det femtende Wisconsins Regiments Historie og Virksomhed under Borgerkrigen (1884); J. A. Enander, Borgerkrigen i de Forenede Stater i Nord Amerika (1881); John A. Johnson, Det Skandinaviske Regiments Historie (1869).

Important articles in periodicals: F. W. Hewes, “Where our Immigrants Settle” (with excellent statistical maps), World’s Work, VI (1903); G. G. Huebner, “The Americanization of the Immigrant,” Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, XXVII (1906); Richmond Mayo-Smith, “Control of Immigration”, Political Science Quarterly, III, 46, 197, 404 (1888); G. H. Schwab, “A Practical Remedy for the Evils of Immigration,” Forum, XVI (1893); Nicolay A. Grevstad, “Courts of Conciliation,” and “Courts of Conciliation in America,” Atlantic, LXVIII (1891), LXXII (1893).

Various numbers of Normands-Forbundet, published in Christiania, have contained noteworthy articles, besides those mentioned elsewhere in this bibliography, dealing with American conditions: S. Sondresen, “Den norsk-amerikanske farmer” (1908); J. Dieserud, “Nordmændenes deltagelse i de Forenede Staters politiske liv” (1908); M. Alger, “Re-immigrationen” (1913); Av. Kand. Gottenborg, “Hjemvandte norsk-amerikanere, deres livsforhold i Amerika og i Norge efter hjemkomste” (1913); O. K. Winberg, “Degenererer Nordmænd i Amerika” (1910).

Three small novels contain particularly graphic accounts of the life and social conditions among the Norwegian settlers: P. O. Strömme, Hvorledes Halvor blev Prest (1893), one of the very best pictures of pioneer immigrant family life; H. A. Foss (translated by J. J. Skordalsvold), Tobias, a Story of the Northwest, an exaggerated account of intemperance; and Sigurd H. Severson, Dei möttes ve Utica. En paa personlig Iagttagelse grundet Skildring af Livet i ældre Norsk-Amerikanske Settlementer (1882).