The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1874-10-22
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
The Foreign Element-Where It Lo-
Gates Itself, and what it is
Composed Of
THE FOREIGN ELEMENT.


The population of the city of New
| York is probably one-third foreign-born.
| The American population comes from
all the States and Territories, for bus
mess interests drive just so many from
every locality to this common center.
The south is fully represented here. The
war ruined hundreds of thousands of
southerners, who were compelled to do
some business that they might live, and
they drifted into New York, because,
being a cosmopolitan city, they would
stand better show ofgetting something
to do that they could live at. There are
thousands of ex-Captains, Colonels and
Generals of the ex-Confederacy in New
| York; in fact the number is SO great
that, in the event of another conflict be-
tween the sections, it would be Ques-
ton as to where New York would stand.
Take the strong Democratic majority,
and add to it the enormous Southern
element that has settled here since the
war, and the great city might be fairly
counted on the side of the South.
But it was not OF native foreigners
that started to write.
The foreign element proper has al
ways been immense, and of late years it
| b, rs swelled beyond any ones idea. It
| has >rrown to that extent that each ra-
tionah y has made is own settlements,
and has own communities. The
FRENCH
occ,1oy the ta,r,,> >Hry bounded by Canal,
ANTI. Broadway and South Fifth
avenue. Within the territory you never
hear q word Of German and very lit
tie English. You might as well be in
Paris. The occ11pat IONS followed are
peculiarly French. There are French
laundries, French boaro ing-honses, glove
cleaners, boot-makers, confectloners,
artificial flower makers, f 9ather cleaners,
and occupations Of these natures. Ihe
French are by themselves :, have then
own associations and amuse ments, and
fraternize with 10 other peo, ole. They
do not expect to stay in Amel lca-they
are here TIL they can accumulate enough
to go back to France. This is fl eli am
biton. They are, however, a sob 9r, n
dustrio1ls and useful people. Crn ne is
almost unknown among them, and
though they may be very poor they Il1a n
age somehow to support themselves
They are terribly divided, for the
political animosibies that rend the French |
ge..r.sa ;.t home are brought with them
Their politics are all French. and they |
take very little interest in the affairs of |
this country. They seldom are naturaliz-
ed, and very seldom are seen at the polls. |
What they want is to get money enough |
to give them O. competency in their own |
country. The
JEWS
are scattered I'll over the city, but they
have their centre. The district bound |
ed by Canal, Houston and the Bowery is
exclusively Jewish. The butcher-shops |
have every one Of them the mysterious
Hebraic character that indicate the xii
ling Of animals after the orthodox fash |
ion. They follow all sorts of occupa-
ton. They set glass, there are whole |
streets Of them dealing in birds, they !
rake the cutters for rags and scraps of
pqpers-they Go anything that will turn
an honest penny. They all start poor,
but very few of them stay SO. When a |
few hundred dollars is accumulated, q |
little shop takes the place OF the ped
dler's basket, OF q small warehouse takes
the place Of the bag and hook. Unlike
the French, they come to stay, for in no
country in the world are they given SO
many privileges. They rise in life rapid |
y. and adapt themselves to circum-
stances. as water seeks it's level. When
the peddler's basket has grown TO ashop,
and the shop has swelled to Broadway
store, the Jew, whose industry has made
ii, leaves his dingy quarters IN the To-
cality [ have named and blooms out in q
fashionable house up town. He does
not quit being q jew, nor does he go
back upon his race or their cJlstoms-he
simply reaches out for better, broader
6
tiOn in society. For the Jew, oppressed
is lie has been In all the countries Of the
| world, wants nothing SO much in this,
as an acknowledgement that he is a
man and a good and useful enc. The |
Iigion and customs, but the second gen
Grafton do not. You viii see In the clubs |
young Jews who are living on the wealth |
their fathers have accumulated, who |
have abandoned entirely the faith and |
the customs Of the race. 4 fast young
Jew is the fastest man IN the world.
Young Wash Nathan, whose father was
murdered some years ago, is a type of |
the class. The Jewish element is very
large, and is one Of the most useful in
the city. There is a prejudice against |
it, but despite that prejudice, they are |
good, useful, orderly, quiet, prosperous
citizens. While they are in a state of |
poverty, they are industrious and law
abiding. When they become rich, they |
are pushing and progressive. The have
built the best buildings in the city, and |
there is no great work in the city in
which Jewish names viii not be found
profussly sprinkled.
THE NEGROES
are not to be classed as foreigners, but
they are distinctive race. They have
selected the Eighth Ward as their grand
centre, though there are large colonies
of them in other parts OF the city. There
is 10 class of people in the city more
divided than the colored. They feel the
most intense anxiety to get on In the
| world, for since emancipation and en-
franchisement have given them show
in the world, they want all there is of it.