The sun., 1892-08-26

SVHIC COnUVSIS, uIt UHlS year URuin u'p'Ih-
ing for rcGnforcements upon tho British
American" voters OF the Bay state. In
many parts OF the country the support OF
foreign-born voters not speaking the Eng
lsh language. Is looked to as matter of
Importance: and yet no instance is known
in any Presidential election when any such
body of voters turned tho scale; and what
ever influence they may hnvc exercised In
the past. II has been of late so much dimin-
shed that it has ceased to count.
There is reason for everything In poll
tics, and thcrc is n reason for this. Thirty.
twenty, or even ten years ago. when tho
food OF foreign emigration was high. and
naturalized voters. unable to speak English
with any degree OF fluency, were rapidly
added to the population. It became convcn-
lent for them, as a measure OF sclf-protec-
tion. to band themselves together for the
preservation OF their political influence.
In this way u large number OF persons.
otherwise unable to make their political
wants known in English, could obtain
hearing apd give each other mutual sup
port. Thus between 1864 and 1888 there was
always German-Amcrican Democracy and
n German.Amcrican Republican organiza
tion in tho city of Now York. Each had It's
acknowledged political organ, each had
its recognized place Of meeting. each Ind
its accepted leaders. and they were enabled
to speak with authority for those they
claimed to represent. II Tammany Hall
desired. rs it always did. to give
the German American citizens who were
Democrats. representation upon its ticket
for any office. high or low. it was GUS
IN IN sprnprAp c,,ol, n nnp,ip n HIM
to tho Germans and to leave to the Con-
vcntion OF the latter tho selection
Of the candidate. Prominent in all such
movements Of German Democrats in
New York were MAGNUs GROSS. An
THoNY E1cKHoFr, now Fire Commits
sioner: GEEsoN n. HERMAN, Judge NEHR-
BIAS, HENRY WoLTMAS. NICHOLAS +. BU-
TENsCH0N. representing the Plattdcutsch-
ers: MARTIN NACHTMANN, representing
tho Bavarans; with JOHN w. GUNTzLER
and JOHN A. STEMMLER. The representatives
of the German Republican voters were
ANDREAs W1LLMAN. FRANZ SIGEL. Ba-
dcnser: AUGUSTUS WEIssMAN. and Morris
FRtEDsAM. This method OF dealing with
the German-American voters was followed
by both political parties: and rs the leaders
OF the two German organizations were sup
posed to be informed as to popularity. quail
ifcations. fitness. and ambitions among
their members. the matter was in every
case submitted to them.
With the diffusion OF knowledge. the in
crease OF school facilities. the scattering OF
population. tho abandonment OF od-country
notions. prejudices. and political methods,
the German-American vote in New York,
alt
rapidly Americanized. Persons born in
Germany and naturalized here preferred
American instead Of German newspapers.
They found their profit in business trans
actions with persons born and brought up
here. They sent their children to Ameri-
can schools. cultivated American amuse-
ments. listened to the speeches of American
orators on political subjects. and addressed
themselves, when in need Of political aid or
influence. to persons speaking English. AS
soon as this condition Of things became gen.
eral. the occupation OF the professional
German American politician. Democrat or
Republican. was gone. He ceased to have
any following. He ceased to be consulted
about nominations. He and all his former
associates were swallowed up in the cleo
toral mass; and though he admitted it
grudgingly. the reign Of his influence was
over. The Democratic and Republican
leaders. alert to the changed condition Of
things. ceased to maintain reciprocal rela-
tions with such outside organizations.
They drafted their working members into
their regular army OF political workers. and
thus put an end to the reference of munich
pal nominations to conventions. the pro-
t,I,
Other causes. independent OF these. also
contributed to bringing about the same re-
suit. Since 1871 there has beer a large
Hebrew emigration from Russia and Po-
land; and understanding German better
than English. on their arrival here these
emigrants usually took up their domicile in
those quarters where the Germans wero
already numerous. Tho influx Of these
newcomers has had the effect of driving
out the Germans to such an extent that in
nearly every part OF the city where Ger
mans arc now numerous. tho Hebrew vot-
ers are equally SO. II not in tho majority.
German-Amcrican voters and Hebrew
American voters do not dwell upon
terms OF amity: and German can
didate who twenty years ago would by
reason OF his popularity and dis
tlnction among the Germans. have brought
strength to ticket. might nowadays DO q
source of rather more weakness than
strength. Almost simultaneously with the
arrival OF the Russian and Polish cmigrants.
came largo influx OF Italians incident to
the situation which followed the unilication
OF Italy and the establishment OF Rome as
its political capital. The Italians who were.
for the most part. unskillcd laborcrs.
sought at onco the rudcst and simplest
employmcnts. They soon superseded Irish
workmen in many branches OF toll. and
took up their residences in those sections
in which. before that. Irish worllmcn had
found it convenient to live. This was cs-
pccially true OF the Fourth. Sixth. and
Fourteenth wards. which used to DO over
whelmingly Irish. but havo now. all OF
them. big Italian population. Many Of
the most intelligent and progressive Ital-
ians became Republicans on national issues.
but on local matters all were soon put in
annnr1 with IN 1nr