The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-04-01
OUR roRE1eH-BoRN POPULATION

|
| There is one fact that the Federal census
does not show-one most important fact
greatly affecting the destiny and future OF
this country; this Is, the effect and influence
that the foreign population Of this country
will have upon America and the Americans
of the future. Full as the apparently dry
rows Of figures Of the census are Of interest
ing facts and glorious prophecies, they fail
to tell what the future OF the Irish and Ger
man races in the United States will be; fail
to tell what results the immense foreign
immigration OF the past has accomplished
and what 1t will bring about in the fu-
ture. But, while the census Is mute on these
points, other figures and statistics enable us
to solve many Of these problems and conun-
drums that seemed at one time inexplicable
and incapable Of solution.
The two races, German and Irish, are about
equal in numbers In this country; both are
increasing rapidIy-much more rapidly than
In their fatherland; but which Of the two Is
growing the faster. and which will in time
most affect the population of this country,
has, until very lately, been an unsolved ques-
ton. Would the Americans Of the future be
an Anglo German race with strong infusion
OF Irish blood, or an Anglo-Irish race with
a Teutonic admixture On this point the
census was sphinx-mute, silent and unin-
telligible. A writer In the Atlantic Monthly
some time ago took the matter UP, discussed
it automatically and thoroughly, and
showed, beyond doubt, that the Teutonic
element was developing and increasing far
fHur, 4knr. ~, d.
country, and that 1t would, in consequence
produce the greatest effect ON the popula-
ton of this country.
The returns Of births, death and marriages
In New York showed also another ,lnsuspect-
ed fact that the Germans and Americans were
fusing much more rapidly than the Americans
and Irish. In view of the fact that the Irish
speak the same language as we do, that they
have been with US a longer time, 1t appeared
surprising that there should be only one mar
riage between Irish and Americans to three
between Germans and Americans.
1t appears strange, also, in view Of the pa
triotism Of the Germans, ard their intense
love of fatherland. to see them losing many
of their peculiar ideas and customs to wit
ness the rapidity with which their language
is disappearing. In some portions Of Penn
sylvania, where the Germans settled years
ago, little German communities sprang I'D
where derman-American dialect was
spoken; where the ideas of the old country
were preserved from generation to generation
in all their pristine simplicity. They were,
in fact, so many Germanys in the heart of
America. 1t was prophesied by many that
al nh
country, and the United States would eventu-
ally be composed Of several hundred commu-
mites, differing In ideas and languages The
system Of settling in colonies, which Is fast
becoming popular here, would seem favorable
to the development of these very results In
stead Of this, however, coming to pass, those
foreign languages that have been transported
to this country are disappearing so rapidly
from 1t, that If foreign immigration to the
United States ceased. within one generation
this country would be homogeneous, certainly
as far as language Is concerned.
Chicago has comparatively as large Ger
man element as any city in the Union. In the
north side Of that city the population Is al
most wholly Of Teutonic descent. Here, If
anywhere, is to be seen the fruit of German
ideas and sentiment in America. German is
taught free In the public schools Of Chicago,
the German population being SO large that
the politicians eagerly sought this means
OF placating It, But although the schools
are we'll conducted, the number Of scholars
studying German in them has steadily de-
creased each year. Last year it was 1sos this
year falling Of S73 is already chronicled. Nor
does this result spring from any lack Of fos-
tering care. The school board OF. Chicago has
q special committee on German, although it
has none on the other branches OF study. All
that Is necessary to have German taught In
any school is to present to this committee
petition to that effect with one hundred sigma
lures attached, and the request is at once
granted, books are furnished free to the
scholars and assistance Of every kind given
them In their study of the language of their
Notwithstanding all these aids German is
rapidly disappearing in Chicago, not only in
The public schools but in other places.
In most Of the Protestant German churches
Of that city there is now service in English
every other Sunday. Even in the German
private schools English is more spoken than
German, while on the playground the first |
language is universally used. The German
newspapers are losing their circulation, and,
last of all, a sure proof of the rapid extinc-
lion Of the German language in Chicago
The politicians have given 1t up, no longer
address their constituents in German, and |
10 longer appeal to German sentiments and |
IDEAS. In fine, German is yielding to English
much mora ranidIv than did tho Fronob Ion
yuage in Louisiana.
Chicago in this matter may be taken as a /
air example Of the rest of this country.
While the mighty influx of foreign citizens
nto the United States has undoubtedly
produced great results and changed to a
considerable extent the character and ideas