The record-union., 1896-03-26
MAJOR RYAN'S LECTURE.
Roman immigration a Foe to American
Institutions.
A Large Audience Listens to His Sta
tistics and Deductions on the
Subject.

Major T. c. Ryan lectured last night
at Pythian Castle to large audience,
many women being present, on the
subject of Roman immigration q Foe
to American Institutions"
He spoke of the early immigration to
this country after the formation of the
United States and said the immigrants
were of a high class and actuated by
high motives. The Congress Of the
United States in 1920 was composed of
powerful and patriotic men, and they
were measured by their patriotism and
other like qualities. The Congress of
1896 is composed of men OF a very diff
ferent class, who mainly get there
through their money. The former Con-
gress was composed of thoughtful men.
We had Webster and Clay and such
men in those and the succeeding years,
and they paid attention to the charac-
ter of immigration and the effect 1t
would have on this country. The pres
ent Congresses care very little for this
subject.
It is not so much the numbers of i'm
migrants that come here, he said, as 1t
is the character of those that come to
us, that affects our country. Germany
has sent us over 100000 immigrants,
but the most of them make excellent
citizens. They are mostly Protestants
and imbued with a love of liberty Scot
land has sent us 238,000 and England
about 100000, and they make good
citizens and are loyel to their adopted
country.
Ireland, said he, has sent us $685.
600, mostly from the Catholic counties,
but they are denationaliZed. They cease
to be Irishmen when they swear allegi-
ance to the Church Of Rome. He was
not a believer in Irish-American citi-
zens. If they are not American they
are Irish, and If they have more love
for Irish things than for American
things they should go back to Ireland
and enjoy them. Many Of them come
here to get Office and the police force
in large cities is largely composed of
Irishmen, many of whom have not even
declared their intention to become cit
izens. He believed they should not be
allowed to come unless they are able
at least to write their names in the
language of our country.
Senator Hoar has attacked the Scan
dinavian immigrants, but the speaker
said they were good citizens, intelligent
and loyal to their adopted country.
They revere the American flag A few
years ago the Irish asked the Mayor of
New York to let them take down the
American flag over the City Hall and
put up the flag of Ireland on March
17th. Abram Hewitt said it should not
be done and knew that he was digging
his political grave in so doing. Last
nSf Ia md
the Mayor allowed the American flag
to be pulled down and Ireland's flag to
be raised. He dug his political grave
by doing so, as the people repudiated
him for it. He found times had changed.
Turning to Italy, the speaker said
that of the italian immigrants 90 per
cent. cannot read or write their own
language. They are swarming over
here by the hundreds Of thousands to
compete with American laborers. What
is the use of protecting American pro-
ducts if we do not protect the American
1aborers who produce them? The priv
ilege of American citizenship should
never be conferred on a man until he
has proved that he will make a good
and loyal citizen.
He paid his respects to Satolh and
on his arrival In the year Of his ar
rival, said the speaker, $4,000 Scandi-
navians came here, of whom only 289
could not read or write. There were
$4,000 Germans came, Of whom only
$50 could not read or write. There
were $4,000 Austrians, of whom 6,140
could not read or write. There were
$4,000 Italians, of whom 81, 600 could
not read or write. The first thing Sa-
TOLL did was to demand that the secret
work of the Odd Fellows should be
turned over to him, that he might judge
If it was fit for Catholics to join the or
der. The report of the Grand Lodge
shows this, and the matter was pub
lished in the papers at the time. If he
were an Odd Fellow he would see that
none of SatoIlis followers obtained
entrance to the order. He was very bit
ter against Satolli, terning him dago,
and saying that he could not return to
Italy too soon.
Major Ryan is undeniably an able
speaker and possessed of a power of
bitter invective of which he is not spar
ing. That his audience was in full SYM
pathy with him was evident from the
applause from time to time. He will
lecture again tonight at the Congre-
gational Church