The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-11-22
GERMAN EMIGRANTS.
DISTRACTIONS PLACED ~ THEiP
WAY 81 THE GOVERNMENT.
Not Always an Easy Matter Ia Get Away
from the Observation-Disclosures for Oiiiciai
Control A Return Home Sometimes
Unsafe.

Control - Return homo SOMETIMES
Unsafe.
The constitution Of Germany adopted in
1871 sounds like liberal one. IL promises
tina. all men shall be equal in the eyes Of the
law: that all shall have a vote for their par
iamentary representatives; that they shall
be at liberty TO print newspapers and hold
political meetings and in nearly all respects
be regarded ms responsible citizens Of con-
stitutional country. All these promises are,
however, Of no avail If the administration is
not favorable 60 carrying them ont y. "a hb-
eral spirit. The right to change ones place
OF abode, 10 seek work, 70 travel. TO
emgrate is one which we look upon as
natural to all free men The German
constitution appears TO permit free cmlgra-
ton. As a matter Of fact, the government
is able to make it exceedingly unpleasant for
any one trying TO leave the country between
the ages Of IL and D, unless be gets GER
tiiicate to the effect that he is not leaving in
order to escape military service. A man
cannot emigrate while he is with the colors
nor while he is liable as reserve Conse-
quently, though the constitution says that
tue government shall place no distractions
in the way of emigrants. practically some Of
the best years Of Germans life are so
hcnmed IN 10y the law TINT ne may find 1t
impossible to leave the country. except 10y
stealth. And this often happens For in
stance, in 1872, Of A., l07 who LETT Prussia
only p, 40i had legal right To do SO granted
by the authorities. The rest made themselves
liable, if caught, TO years Imprisonment n
fine Of $3.50.
A HARSH LAW
In 1884 the police Of West Prussia forbade
the posting up Of printed matter likely TO
encourage emigration and all railway sta
tons were guarded by special policemen 10
intercept any that might be- suspected Of
leaving the country before having fulfilled |
all their obligations under the law This law |
operates very harshly in many cases Sup |
pose, for instance, family wishes 10 break |
mp its home IN Germany. ami begin anew IN |
the western country in America. They can |
all get permission, perhaps, except one lad Of |
Is, who is liable for the army The family !
feels that 10 stay is to meet with more agri- |
cultural loss, perhaps ruin To 60 without |
the assistance Of the strong arms Of this lad |
would be dangerous The authorities claim |
him for at least three years Of barracl life, |
perhaps for several wears after that In such |
a case need we bo surprised II many an am
bilious youngster escapes in disguised
And now We are told that there are many |
like him who take 10 the new world a hatred |
Of official control Of all kind, such a feeling |
as lies at the bottom Of much that passes for |
Communism and Socialism The German |
emigrants rule merge into the people |
among whom they settle they soon learn |
the new language and speak It IN preference !
to their own. In America the children Of
Germans feel nggrieyed il you take them for
anything but Americans mevery way they
seem bent upon forgetting their Fatherland,
Its laws and, above all, its ofiicialisni Shouli
a German return TO visit his people within
five years of his emigration, even though in
that time had become naturaiized as a citizen
OF the United States, he would Immediately !
be pounced upon by the military authorities. |
punished and sent TO complete 10 years q |
barrack life.
A GOVERNMENTAL REASON.
The governmental reason Tor this harshness |
is that the state claims right to the military |
service OF It's whole population in return for |
the education II has provided mp 90 the time /
Of reaching military age This reasoning Is
logical hut one sided. II man wishes % /
cmigrate it is because he can better himself |
somewhere else For the state 10 proven, /
such man from leaving IS therefore % make /
a DISCONTINUED subject who is not adding 70
the national wealth but, on the contrary, |
likely 10 become a public burden. In Eng /
land the government does not discourage |
emigration Consequently we see every
year shiploads Of men returning with their
families, who have been 20 seek their for
tunes in other countries and come back peri
odlcaliy 10 pay visits, spend money aud
strengthen the trade and social relations be-
tween the mother country and her oiishoots.
Germany FORCES the beat OF her emigrauts
10 sneak away like thieves, aud makes 10 q
crime for them 20 come back In 1881 the
number OF Germans punished for attempting
to omgrate without the permission Of the
government was lj4ll. At the close ~ the
year lSS2 POS people were reported as be-
ing held on this charge alone is 10 strange, /
then, that Germans the world over think /
little Of their fathcrland-or when they DO, /
think OF 10 as of parent whose harshmess has /
led them to run away, and whose unforgiy-
mg nature makes return home dangerols' /
mere ART III AAi' y liA'fA t'ANiAfo AA'Al ID kyN'
900 people VI German birth. Yet one may
travel from the Atlantic 10 the Pacific and
hardly suspect IT., 50 completely have they
incorporated with the Anglo-Saxon life
which they find there They do not herd ia
colonies in the desire 10 perpetuate their GUS
toms, religion or language. On the con
trary, with the characteristics Of a self re
l.ut, hardy race, they strike out for them
selves, acquire land, cultivate the habits most /
likely to make them successful IN trade, ana, /
a. Il rule. soon rise to positions OF relative
importance in the community.
In 1881 more than 10000 Germans left /
their country 10 find new homes in America
Of the l69,C.a Germans who emigrated in |
1882 by way OF Hamburg, Bremen and Stet-
tin, lGj iS3 went 10 the United States The |
present rate Of emigration, though about |
half this number, Is still large enough to de-
mand very earnest attention on the part Of /
the government Poultney Bigelow ia New
York Times.
The Original Cantileyer Bridge.
1 i