Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1892-09-30
Voting Population Of the Country.

the voting age" of the population of
the United States. In the school age
are included all persons from to 90
years inclusive; i'll the militia age, all
males from Is to 45 years, and in the
voting age all male persons OF u years
and over, with separate statements of
the numbers of foreign-born adult
males who have been naturalized, who
have taken out first naturalization pa
pers, or who are aliens. These persons
might be classified as voters, as proba-
bic voters and as potential voters.
How many of them exercise the right
OF suffrage in a given year, and how
many more are likely to qualify them
selves for the suffrage are questions
beyond the range OF statistical knowl-
edge.
But the census shows that q little
more than 25 per cent. of the male
persons of voting age in the United
States are of foreign birth. 1t further
appears that of the adult male immi-
grants 4,34S ,459 in number, $50 per
cent. have been naturalized. 26 per
cent. are returned as aliens, and SIS
per cent. have taken out their first
naturalization papers, while in regard
to the remaining 10 per cent. no in
formation has been obtained. This
element of population is very differ.
emily distributed. In the group Of
States beyond the Rocky Mountains
Al per cent. of the males of voting age
are of foreign birth; in the North At
lantic group from Maine to Pennsyl-
vania, 33 per cent. and in the North
Central division 81 per cent. while in
the South Atlantic division but per
cent. are foreign born.
These census tables also pretend to
give the number of male aliens OF
voting age in the United States who
do not speak the English language.
Why the number OF naturalized i'm
migrants who do speak English is not
also given does not appear. The total
number of aliens who cannot speak
the English language is 31.7 per cent.
according to these tables. Thus, in
Arizona, in a total of foreign-born
males OF 81 years and over numbering
1901, there are 1882 aliens, and Of
these aliens, 1862, or 65.8 per cent. do
not speak English. Texas has 75,24S
adult males OF foreign birth, of whom
1888 are aliens, and of the aliens
only S,53S speak English. But while
ascertaining how many aliens do not
speak English, why was not the in
vestigation in regard to lingual at
tainments extended also to natural
immigrants? Is it assumed that every
naturalized citizen speaks the English
language? Wisconsin has an adult
male population of foreign birth mum.
bering pa ,34S, and of this population
1884 are aliens, of whom Il, 800 speak
other languages than English. OF
the naturalized foreigners in Wiscon-
sin who do not speak English, the
census has no account.
In Pennsylvania the total number
OF foreign-born males of voting age is
397 ,44O, of whom 1892 are aliens.
OF this foreign.born element oil 1896
are naturalized and 15,0S7 have taken
out their first papers, while there are
81 ,335 concerning whom no iniorma.
ton has been obtained by the census
gatherers. OF the aliens in Pennsyl.
vania 81 sos do not speak the English
language. This large number OF
aliens who cannot speak English is
easily accounted for in State in which
the importation OF cheap foreign labor
has been SO greatly stimulated during
recent years.
Most of this element, who are
strangers alike to the English lam
guage and to American institutions,
have been congested in the coal, coke
and iron regions of the State, whence
they have banished an older and an
English-speaking population by un-
derbidding it in the field OF labor.
While by reason of their recent i'm.
portation very many of these aliens
are not naturalized, they are being
converted into American citizens as
rapidly as circumstances will permit
and they are thus swelling the Re-
publican majority in Pennsylvania.
Their importers get their cheap labor,
and as rule their cheaper votes into
the bargain. Some difficulty may be
experienced next November in in.
structing this element in the exercise
of the suffrage under the new ballot
law OF Pennsylvania. The upshot OF
the matter is that an educational
qualification for the suffrage is needed
in Pennsylvania quite as much as in
Massachusetts, or in Mississinni
ACCORDING TO the British Medical
Monthly the year of greatest growth
in boys is the 18th; in girls, the 14th.
While girls usually reach their full
height in their 10Th year, they do not
acquire full weight until 20. Boys are
stronger than girls from birth to the
11th year; then the girls become SUI
perior physically to the l7th year,