, 1884-11-22
WHERE WILL IT ENDs
A Chicago workingman's Discourse
on Foreign-Born Labor.
Americans Going 20 the wall and
Thrifty Poles. Bohsmians and
Italians Coming 90
the Front.


THOUSANDS OF tui-. bonfmlnuas ltAumu1.
and other Foreigners are getting rich in this
city m wages which would not be sufficient
TO keep Americans, Irishmen, and Germans
from going hungry. Il Will only BE- q few
years baforo the wage-Workers who really
care for the comfort aud happiness OF their
families viii and no place TO hold them in
this whole big city. Tho Americans are 20
fng 10 the wall, and the thrifty Poles. Bo-
hemians, and others arr coming 10 the
front How do they do w Let me tell
you
Il nave lived In this city since 1896 When
first came hero / could almost count on my
fingers all the Poles living north OF Chicago
avenue. Now that part OF the city lying b.
tween Chicago and Milwaukee avenues and
the river Is almost given up 10 the Poles.
More Are coming - he city all the time.
The Young FOLKS marry at very sariy age
and generally raise large families The
Polish laborer lives with his wife and family
Ia one or two little rooms He works at any
thing he can get and for any wages he can
get When be goes to ask for work he asks
Tor nothing lsc-th wages may be anything.
refhaps be gets 70 cents a day, perhaps he
gets s. a dAy-at least DO gets something,
ami isn't idle. Then his wife, ip all
probability, is working, barefoot In .
gHrien at the northern border OF tho city.
sbo gets 60 or IS cent a day. Largs mum
b r. Of Polish women are employed IN the
grcat market gardens between here and
Ravcnswood. &mect them going and com
ing. walking with bare feet and perhaps
carrying heavy load Of fircwood or OF uB
salhble vegetables They find employment
IN the gardens from April until November.
Many Polish women nlen wbeoi brick Ia The
yards at Lake View Others sew In tailor.
ing establishments. aud make about 81 0
day. Othern ssw or knit At home Mean.
while the children are busy picking up wood
FROM the river, or bark from the taunorios o.
~elSswhnre, or ccal from tho railway tracks
OF WORKOUT paving blocks from the streets,
Go 10 the little homes Of the Poles and you
will find great piles OF fuel stored away fot
winter which did not cost them a cent
Hundreds Of Irish and German laborers have
no fuel laid up for the winter and no money
to buy any. The Polish people have the
money but do not need TO uss IL When the
man and his wife come home from their
days work they generally bring fuel or food
with them. I think they seldom buy meat.
other than a link OF ,ausage or something oil
that sort have watched them make their
purchases OF food. a family will generally
buy a loaf Of bread, a pint Of
milk, a pint OF beer or soma
schuapps That win do for supper.
1 LuNo seen Iolua Nu hLuoub tne ntlCuhnU
on South Water street gathering up decaycd
tuit and vegetables, tainted meat AndfowlA,
to take hons for food. They are over,
crowded In their houses, aud no matter how
much they deslre 70 be cioanly th6y find II
nnxt 10 impossible to be 50. But they save
money and put II into building associations
Pretty soon they draw out money enough 10
build large brick house. One OF those houses
Will be rented to n dozen tenants. Every
penny earned Is saved. Tho Polish laborors
grow rich and the Irish, Americans and Ger
mans Of the same class grow poorer and
poorer. How can these compete with people
like the Polesl
Look at the Polish weddings. A boy and
n girl get married without owning & penny.
An they have earned up 70 hat time has
CONS to their parents But all the guests
when they dance with tho bride arc expected
- contrlpute something 70 start them In life.
The 80 or $50 thus gathered up will buy
them a cook-stovs and a little furniture. It
Is strictly u business wedding. and the couple
go steadily 10 work to get rich. The man
will never stay In the houre and be ida. II
10 can't fnd any thing oil . 10 do hs takes d
big bag and goes out 70 See what he can fnd.
he viii come home In the evening with the
bag full Of wood, or coal, or bones, or papsr,
or rage, or old clothes, or anything else
Which no can use or sell That Il the kind
Of people that got along In thls world.
Now. look a. ma ] hAve a wifs aud
three children. must have bread. meat,
and potatoes for them and myself. We can
do without butter and coffeo and tea We
must have clothes Thso Is scarcely a month
In the year that l do not have 10 buy each Of
the little fellows 9 new pair Of shoes How
can I save money! My wife cannot and
shall not work In a garden or a hrick-yard.
She shall not take 10 washing or saw In a
taior's shop lam ont OF work sometimes,
but l viii not carry bag on my back and
gather up bonss 70 sell / buy my fuel and
lot my ohildren 90 TO school Ny wages are
lower than they wero before the Polish la
borers came hero and choapensd work. along
with the Italians and others. But my ak
psnsss are no lighter. Where Is II going 10
endi I've as chsaply aa l can II wages
drop egain and living gets M lower ] will
have to move TO somewharo else, l reckon