The morning call., 1892-08-30
: VOTERS AND .MILITIAMEN.

Recent events impart actuality to the GEN.
sus returns fS.the. population which is
clothed with tie franchise, and which is
liable TO militia duty.
The males of voting age numbered in
1890 16 6940, 2l1, having increased during the
decade 50. 03 per cent. The total vote cast
for President ia 1888 was 1892. .3S2 If we
assume that in November OF that year the
voting population was sixteen millions,
which is not probably far from the truth,
some 100000 voters abstained from the
polls at tie Presidential election. This
year, if all voters cast their ballots, the ag-
gregate vote would be over 1900, 600; if
one-quarter of the voters stay away from
the polls, according to the usual custom, the
aggregate vote will be about 70. 100000
Some three-fourths, or 1881, ,S52, of the
qualified voters in 1890 were native born,
and about one-fourth, or 4,34S, ,459. were
foreign born. The proportion of native
born to foreign born varies widely in the
different States. In New York, Massa-
ehusetts. New Jersey and Illinois over half
the qualified voters are foreign born. Ia
| Pennsylvania Ohio and indiana the foreign
| born voters are about one~thlrd oil the
whole. But in Wisconsin, Minnesota and
| North Dakota the foreigt-born voters out
! Southern States the percentage OF foreign
born voters .s &c small as 10 be hardly worth
rcc6onIng. In this section of the country
the percentage varies. In Oregon, Wash
ington and Colorado about half the voters
are foreign born. while in California and
Nevada the foreign-bern votsrs outnumber
the native born. and in Utah the two classes
are nearly equal. The foreign element is
very strong proportionately in the new
States of Montana, Wyoming and Idaho.
Taking the United States as o whole,
26GS per cent Of the fpreign-born males
have remained aliens, while $3.50 per cent
have been naturaliZed and the remainder
have either taken the preliminary steps to-
ward naturalization or have concealed their
status from the census-taker. The aliens
are found chiefly in the North Atlantic and
the Western division. which comprises New
England. the Middle Atlantic States and the
States west Of the Missouri Valley.
There ara in the UBited States Is, go. .I6S
males Of the militia age; that is to say. be-
tween IS and "A years. Of these, 10 424. .036
Or 1879 Per cent are naI,ye born, and
= S06,0S2, or 21.21 per cent foreign born.
Thus, nearly four-ffths of the militia which
could be called out in case CT war or insur-
rection are natives Of the soil. This pro.
portion varies, however, in the several
States like tie voting population. Ia New
York, Massachusetts, Connecticut. Illinois,
Wisconsin and Minnesota, North Dakota,
California, Montana and Washington, over
one-half the persons liable TO militia duty
are foreign born. In this State. our Of
343,0O1 males of militia age. l5S.647 are
foreign born and 164, ,35i native born. The
former came here in infancy in the days of
the boom. and though they have grown up
Americans to all inients and purposes, they
are still classed in the census as foreign
born.
The school age varies in the different
! States. In six States it begins at years.
| In 25 States it extends to 2I years. In this
| State it runs from to II ysafs inclusive.
! And this is the period which the United
| States census has always considered the
| school age. The proportion Of foreign born
| to natiTe-botn children OF school age varies
widely from the other proportions which
| have been given, the enormous Immigration
| OF the past few years having evidently con-
sisted mainly cf adults. There are in the
! United States Is 543, 201 children of sehool
| age; Of these, 17621, 692 are native born and
| Only 921,5G9 foreign born. The proportion
| is largest In the Atlantic seabcard States,
! bu! even thsre it is small. IL California,
| ont OF 2S6, 81 children Of school age, 25a AT
| are native born and only .1G0 foreign
| born. Among the children OK school age
/ the males preponderate all over the country,
! the nearest approach TO an equality between
/ the sexes being in the Pacific States, where
! the total number Of males OF sshool age is
1873, 80 60 363, ll8 females.