The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-05-21

DOIbAOu VI LDlb ClhsS Vi
* @%~ citizens. A Plymouth
paper contains an
interesting article on the subject. The
writer of it, Mr., Andzulaitis, finds that
the cause most productive of evil is the
teachings and conduct of the Lithuanian
instances. 1 do not think that the writer
was far wrong in that matter. Indeed it
would be difficult to find anywhere else in
the world as much ignorance and shabbi-
ness, as is found in the ranks of the
Lithuanian clergy. No wonder if the
Lithuanicns try to oppose and resist the
imperlinence of their spiritual ministers.
There are, as 1 said, other things which
act in the same direction on the minds of
the common, uneducated men. Not all
Lithuanians in this country immigrated
recently. There are among them men who
have lived in the United States for at least
a score of years. Many of these "Amer-
icsns"-as they call t~hemselves-are bust
ness men; some run grocery stores, others
are saloon keepers; only a sew of them de-
vote themselves to other occupations. A
saloon or grocery can be run without much
intelligence and gives to the business man q
superiority among the Lithuanian work
ingmen, especially among the green
horns"
How is it about the Lithuanian working
people2 The Lithuanian is a robust man,
of a well built constitution, laborious and
active. If there were better leaders and
instructors of the masses the Lithuanian
population would rise in a short time to q
high standard. If we compare the Lithu-
anians with the Poles and Ruthenians, l
think We find the L%ithuanians better cut
fitted with the gifts Of nature.
The immigration of Lithusnians is quite
proportional with the increase of the Rus
sian tyranny in their native country. In
1884 there were about %, 600 Lithuanians in
this country; in 1883 their number had in
creased to 10000, whereas in 1892 there are
over 100000 in the United States. The
Russian government has interdicted the
Lithuanian print. Books and papers inn
ported from abroad are coniscated; organi-
cations and meetings are mterdicted.
There are no Lithuanian elementary
schools. The Lithuanian learn to read and
write from his parents and from beggars
who are at the same time teachers of the
youth and distributors of news among the
prosecuted Lithuanians. More freely
breathe the Lithuanians under the Ger,
man sway. There they establish societies,
print their prayer books, their almanacs,
their essays on agriculture and science,
their papers, etc. Unfortunately there are
only 500,0 600 of Lithuanians who can make
use of the more tolerable German institu-
tons.
The first Lithuanian paper in this coun-
try was published in 1879 in New
York. another appeared in 1887, under the
name OF Union; in 1886 came out the
Lithuanian Voice; in 1886 was established
the Concord at Plymouth, Pa; in 1889 APP
peared the very dark Sun, at Mahanoy
City, Pal in 1891 in New York City was
the short-liYed Gazette. These
newspapers represented and do represent
parties the clergy has its point
PappNi in the Sun and in the Concord
whereas the organ ii the progressive party
Of the Lithui mans was for a long time the
Voice; the Concord in the meantime
changed its colors seven times: now it was
ultra Catholic paper, now a liberal, now
an atheostic, until at last the priests sue
,eedeC in bringing the publisher of the
paper, Mr.. Pauksztis, of Plymouth, to the
of the Catholic clergy. In con
of such unpromising steps the
progressive party, which is represented by
he Lithuanian Society of Science and
has been compelled to establish an
organ Of their own, which is going TO APP
pear about the first day of July.
When one paper makes any good device
or the benefit Of the people the other
.ienounces it in a most imprudent manner
t one editor or some educated man creates
! society TO carry on commerce, the oppos-
ng paperman blackmails not only the
but the initiation Of il; if one
publisher Issues a story book another
it in a most Objectionable way,
nd 30 II goes on. There is no action with
nut a reaction. Why is 1T you may ask.
Because the publishers themselves do not
few exeeptions-for the interests
4 Lithuanian working classes; because |