Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-05-28
EDITOR RASTER.
The Chicago Stats Zeitung Man
on immigration.
FOREIGN POPULATION IN CHICAGO.


Remarks Regarding Anarchists and So
cialists.
CHICAGO, May 2s-The congressional
subcommittee on immigration held its
second meeting in this city yesterday, the
most interesting witness being Herman
Raster, of The Stats Zeitung. He said
that the percentage of foreign born citi
zens of Chicago was about % or 30, and
the numbers in detail as near as he could
give them as follows: "Of Germans,
counting children born of German parents,
there must be 235, 900 OF the Irish, it is
more difficult to say, as they are so easily
amalgamated with native Americans but
Poles probably number 90,0o0, as they
have one church which has 30, QUO member
ship. There are, probably, 10000 Swedes
and Norwegians, but this may be too low.
l estimate the Bohemians at 10000 to 50,-
900. The Italians can only be approx
mated at from 1900 to 1900, and there
may be 900 Chinese.
A Point of Importance.
Proceeding, Mr. Raster said that he
thought he was safe in saying that there
are nine marriage licenses issued to foreign
ers for each one issued to Americans. Owen
explained that America was receiving from
400, 900 TO 600 000 immigrants annually and
that the object of the investigation was to
find through reputable sources where these
people go, where they congregate and
what changes in civilization and local life
resulted from it.
Foreigners Become workingmen.
Mr.. Raster was able to give little light
on this subject, but he declared that
there was no other city in the country
where foreigners so rapidly became work
ingmen and so certainly became home
owners as Chicago. I'VE are far more an
industrial city than a commercial city.
Nine-tenths of the Germans in the city are
workingmen and the small remainder
only are speculators.n
As to Education.
"What education have they,"
Common school only, and the per cent.
that cannot read and write varies from
II to 2 per cent"
When asked the attitude of the Germans
| to the common school system he said:
Generally they are friendly to it and
| the only opposition / think is just the OPP
position that comes from people who pre-
fer to pay for thing rather than have it
given them"
Owen Strikes His Hobby.
Owen then struck his hobby Tell US,
Mr. Raster he said, what per cent. of
| foreigners secure a fortune in this country
and carry it home to Europef" He didn't
| make his point.
Germans at least" he said, ARE very
domestic, and think the proportion of
| those who take money back to Europe is
very small indeed. They don't go back
| there to live. When foreigner gets 81 ,OoI
| he wants 5000 Then he wants $1,000.
He may go back to visit his old home, but
he is here to live as a rule"
Two Objectionable Classes.
"During the last five years what elias.
| of immigrants to you fiud objectiona
bles"
1.-TWO only that / think ola class o!
Polish Jews and certain Italian that
| comes from the heel of the peninsula, OF
| Apulia These latter are detestable and
| worth nothing in any community"
The important portion of what Mr.
| Raster had to say was then brought out
| in answer to What means would you sug
| gest to avoid this objectionable element
In answer to which he spoke at length.
| Qualifications for Citizenship.
Each foreigner must be able to read
and write his own language Idont mear
| that they must be literary people, but they
| must be able to undertand more than theil
| own name. To this would have the con
sui in each country issue to each immi
| grant, about to sail, a pamphlet in his
own language, containing an explanation
| of the laws of our country and such Other
! information as may be desirable"
us this the general opinion of the Ger
| mans in Chicagos"
Il think it is, and it certainly is tn,
unanimous opinion of the German press. ;
Expulsion of the Undesirable.
Mr.. Raster's second preventive WAS tn,
| right he thinks the country should insis
| upon to expel an undesirable foreigner
| within five years.
Lehlback took Mr.. Raster in hand OF
the Anarchist and Socialist question ant
| asked him whether he advocated the pro
hibition of their immigration.
| NO, l don't advocate the prohibition o
Socialists and Anarchists, for only wis,
the provision to expel an Objectionable
immigrant within five years after his ar
| rival"
Mr.. Raster then gave his view of wha
constituted an Anarchist and what mad
| a Socialist. These latter are misrepre
sented,n he said, "they are not synony
| nous with Anarchists and they are no
blatant. Some of our best people are So
1 cialists."
Would Raise Hades in Heaven.
Mr.. Lehlbach then wanted to know
/ an Anarchist in Germany would be one il
| America.
Certainly" said Mr.. Raster, "he would
| be one in Heaven, where he would oppos
and fight against the eternal law"
| The investigation then switched on t,
| naturalization. To obviate evils Mr.. Ras
ter suggested system of naturalization
similar to licensing for marriage. :.
| would publish" he said, 'the name of eacl
| would-be naturalization subject in the pa
| pers, just as licenses are published
With them should appear the name O
his witnesses, and any one would theI
have the right to object if there was reason
| for it"
Other Testimony Heard.
Attorney John Ginocchio, an Italian
declared that his countrymen made goo,
citizens, and nearly all of them brough
some little capital to this country, which
statement was evidently taken by the com
mittee cum grano sails He also said tina
nearly all of then could read and write il
their own language. William Voecke wa
next heard. He president of a German
| immigration society and had notisng bu
| good to say of German immigrants
The Supreme Court Better Look Ont.
PITTsBURG, May 2s.-The original pack