The Portland daily press., 1893-06-29

1LS representatives among our cos
mopolitan inhabitants. Let us be-
gin with the Irish-American element,
for 1t certainly predominates. New
York is, and always has been, the mec-
ca of Erin's exiles. Here Patrick has a
fair chance in the race for wealth and
fame, and he achieves it in politics, at
the bar, on the stage, in the ranks Of
journalism, and in fact in every occu-
patton where quick wit and shrewdness
are essential. Here, too, he discovers
large quantities of that home rule
which is so scarce in the old country.
The intelligent composition on a great
daily journal who inadvertently set up
ttNew Corlks' for New York was not SO
far out of the way, after al. From the
mayor of the city down to the humblest
employee, the great majority of the pub
lie servants were either born in Ireland
or are of Irish descent. This is not alto
gether as much due to the number of
voters of Hibernian extraction as It is
to the fact that thew are all born poll
ticians, They are never Indifferent
during political campaign. There are
a greater number of Irish political as
sociations than of all the other nation
alities put together. When the Office
undertakes to seek the man there is al.
WAYS an Irish gentleman standing
around for it to run M against. In
New York, as IN most large American
cities, the police force, in particular, is
largely composed of Irish. An officer
Of fighting blood in him, and in no 9th
er race is the bump OF compativeness SO
largely developed as in the Celtic.
Another occupation for which the
Irish seem particularly fitted is the sa-
loon business. For years I have rid
den on the cars from Harlem to CITY
ball via Third avenue and the Bowery.
and have utilized the opportunity of
making the business signs a study. At
every cross street there are usually.
two, and often more. corner saloons.
There are good many German names,
but the unmistakable Irish names are
much more numerous. For instance.
starting on the upper end of Third av-
enue recall such names as Michael
O'Rafferty, Denis McCaferty, Patrick
O"Toole, Barney McGinnis, Patrick
O'Dougherty, Daniel O'Shea, Con
O'Keefe, August schmultz, Patrick
Roche, Hugo HildeDrandt. Murphy &
Mulligan, and so on, for the other seven
or eight miles; and so it is more or less
all over the city, there being upwards
Of 5000 barrooms.
The Hebrew element is very infiuen-
tial in New York, although they do not
number more than $4,000. They flour
ish like green bay tree planted by the
river of water. 1t has been stated that
there are more than forty Jewish mil
1ionaires in New York. Broadway
from Union Square TO City Hall park is
almost entirely monopolized by whole.
sale Jewish firms. To read the signs
is very much like reading a chapter in
the old Testament, or page from
Hebrew directory.
They read something like this: Isaacs,
Moses, Solomon & Co.: BENJAMIN &
Levi; Rosenthal & Blumenthal; Blu
menburg & Silverstein; Lillienthal &
Goldberg; Rothschild & Co. But the
American Hebrew no longer confines
himself to mercantile pursuits. At the
bar there are numerous prominent Jew
ish LAWYERS, and Jewish actors and
actresses are to be found in almost
every theatrical company. In politics
the Hebrew is active and aggressive,
and in the distribution Of the loaves
and fishes be knocks many ripe per
summon, to use somewhat mixed met
sphor. America in general, but New
York In particular, Is really the prom
ised land" and any serious suggestion
to return to Jerusalem would be re-
cefved with unrestrained merriment by
the New York Israelite.
There is a class of Hebrews who do
business ON Chatham street, at the low
er end OF the Bowery, and who offer
astonishing bargains in clothing to the
passers. Some OF them, in their anxi-
ETY. to see people elegantly dressed at