The sun., 1891-07-05

stance ts very different man from the
German at homo. He has undergone a trans
formation under tho influences prevailing
here, and especially under the influence oi
the English speech.
II the immigrant himself does not acquire
our language. his children will speak 1t. and
prefer 1t because 1t brings them into SYM
pathy with the great mass OF the people and
marks them as Americans. They do not
want to be separated from the rest. In
some communities there may be exceptions,
but they are few and unimportant. Gen.
orally the old national characteristics have
been wiped ont In the second generation, or
at the latest In the third generation. The
only national sentiment remaining is the
American sentiment.
This tendency Is 80 pronounced that Ger
man immigrants frequently complain that
their Engish-speaklng children fall in
proper filial respect for parents who can
only speak and understand German. The
youngsters look on such inability MS deplora-
bleignorance. As for themselves. they wish to
be known as Americans. not distinguishable
because OF their national extraction. A con-
troversy has recently occurred in German
club OF New York because the younger
members Insist on talking In English only.
The same disposition is displayed by the
Scandinavian Immigrants; and even the
Italians, intending to be In this country
only temporarily, are eager to learn English
as matter of business necessity. They
send their children to English schools and
the second generation are promptly Amer
icanized. The Jews are Of the same mind.
They know that they must understand Eng
lish to get along.
In the seventy years between 1890 and
1890 the number OF immigrants to this coun-
try was nearly sixteen millions, and OF these
the vast majority have soon been able to
make themselves understood In English.
All except IN insignificant minority OF their
descendants speak English habituaily; and
tho children OF the recent immigrants, who
havo not yot acquired that facility, will have
1t In very few years AS the language Of
this country they will learn 1t MS m after Of
course. Speaking our language. the for
eigners and their descendants become in
fused with the American sentiment. and the
sentiment OF their original nationality fades
away. They become American to the back
bono, and our history and politics engage
their Thoughts to the exclusion OF foreign
interests. Even In the first generation the
Old World characteristics are modified, in
the second they usually disappear, and in
the third they are wholly undiscovefable.
This transformation cannot be prevented
by any such measures as are proposed by
this memorial. 1t Ia inevitable. and II 1t did
not occur. the result would be calamitous for
the republic, whose citizens should be OF u
homogeneous national sentiment. and Of the
same language. as contributory to the
growth OF such sentiment. The time was
when there was something approaching
political division on race lines, but it no
longer exists, unless among the negroes.
The Irish party, OF which we used to hear SO
much. has no existence now. Neither Is
there German party.
Any foreign ecclesiastical effort to perpet-
uate race distinctions In this republic would
be grave blunder, and the Roman Catholic
Church has been wise in avoiding any such
offence to the national feeling. The rapid
assimilation OF all nationalities and their
speedy transformation into Americans dis
tinctively are the aim and the glory OF our
political and social system. The loss OF
Roman Catholics computed by Herr Ca
HENsLY Is due to causes operative in Europe
no less than here and in Germany more
especially. The decline OF religious faith
is primarily responsible for 1t; and the Cath
Ollie Church In America suffers less from
this cause than any other communion.