New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-09
THE GERMAN BLCENTENyI1L.

Yesterday in many of the cities of the
Union, notably in Philadelphia and Newark,
there were imposing demonstrations il honor
of the two hundredth anniversary of the first
settlement Of Germans in this country at Ger
mantown, Penn. The celebration is one in
winch native Americans might appropriately
have taken part, for there have been few
episodes in our history more important than
the steady influx OF the thrifty, hardy German
race, which began in earnest about sixty
years ago, and still continues. Nearly one
seventh of the total population of the United
States. rs shown by the last census, was for
eign born, and of this portion nearly one-third
was German by birth-twO millions out of six
and half millions. But these figures do not
represent the extent of the German influence
among our people. German ideas and habits
are transmitted to the children, who are Amer
icau and German at once. In the last two
censuses the effort has been made to discover
the number of persons one or both of whose
parents were foreign-born. A careful esti-
mate based upon the population of four ffths
of the States in 1850 gave the number of per
sons having German fathers at 1,SS3,84 of
those having German mothers, 1857, 500. In
these figures are included, of course, all ma
tives Of Germany one or both OF whose parents
were also Germans. Accepting this estimate
as sufficient for the purpose, it is seen that
probably one tenth of the population of the
United States is either German by birth OF
comes directly from German parentage.
The influence of such an element upon the
National character can hardly be Overesti-
mated. If we take the ratio set by the CENSUS
that for every 1000 persons in this country
who were born III Germany there are from
=, 800 to $500 who had German father OF
mother-then New-York, counting in the chill
dren of German parents, is the fourth German
city in the wOrld-if, lddeed, it has not by this
time outstrppod Hamburg and become the
third. Chicago has nearly many German
born Inhabitants as Bremen Las of all natIon-
aities The German-bOrn populations of Phil
adrlphia Brooklyn md st. Louis each of
which contained in 1880 about $4,000 natives
of Germany, would make together a city con-
sideraby larger than Leipsic. These compari-
sons give some idea Of the size of the German
population which has been traBsplanted to our
SOL, and which is growing so rapidly under the
kindly influences Of republican government.
The Germans who telegraphed to Bismarck
some years ago from celebration in st. Louis,
ave are Gcrmanzing America no doubt
felt that they had some reason to think so,
though the ia was that thsy were being
Americanzed without knowing it.
II is the merest platituae to say that the
Germans are among the most valuable imml-
grants the United States receives. Most of
them bring savings with thsm. One estimate
puts the amount of actual money carried into
the country by them from 1870 to the close of
1851 at $3.50, 100000. With his respect for
the law, and his liberalism aud tolerance, the
German makes a model citizen. Ho Is frugal,
temperate, domestic, industrious and capable
of indefinite self improvement. These quail
tiles seem To he common To ihe most educated
aud Tie least educated classes. Tho great