New-York tribune., 1897-08-16
PREDOMINANT AMERICANISN.

Some interesting testimony to the Irresistible
tendency to race assimilation in American cities
is being furnished by Newark, " J. Newark
has for years been distinguished for its large
German population and the tenacity displayed
by these residents in holding TO their national
language and customs. The city supports two
German morning newspapers. and they are the
only morning newspapers in the town Time
and again attempts have been made TO run an
English morning daily. but without success.
For forty years schools for German children
have been supported with the view 10 perpetu-
ating Teut0nic solidarity.
There. if anywhere, 1t would seem as if race
distinctions would be preserved large Ger
man population. with its social circles German
newspapers and German schools has done all
that could be done to keep the younger genera
ton from following after the strange gods of
Americanism. But it Is all to no PURPOSE A
force stronger than national pride, family feel
ing or personal will makes the Newark bov of
German parentace in American I'm speech and
habit In spite Of his friends or himself There
are still four schools in Newark where Germans
may send their children upon payment of n
small monthly fee, but these fees are not sufi.
cient TO pay their expenses. The Newark Ger
schools. held a meeting the other night. the
school teacher handed in his resignation and the
president Of the association declared that the
school must fail unless renewed interes, in Teu-
tonsm could be aroused. The REASONS given
for the falling off of interest were the excellence
of the public schools, which offered free books
and free tuition, and growing American spirit
among the Germans which steadily overcame
Sfp
The association determined to put forth cxtraor-
binary effort for its school, though il was rpcog-
nized that attempts TO maintain the old national
life must in the end be frutless IN The face of
the feeling for American nationality. which be-
comes more and more predominant in all pub
lie and private affairs.
1t IS natural for any people 10 desire their
children to honor the language and customs they
themselves have loved. and the Newarl; Ger
mans may be pardoned if they look With re-
gret upon this decadence Of loyalty 10 the ways
OF the Fatherand 1t is n misfortune to have
the young people forget the good things OF Ger
man life, cease to honor the sterling qualities
and habits Of their fathers. or in their haste 10
be Americans ignore their chance to know a
language and literature fOr knowledge OF which
Americans struggle hard Where German con-
In children growing mp to be Americans. and
moi simply as force to keep them from being
real Americans, effort in that direction should
he encouraged Effort in any other direction
is worse than wasted for II simply unfts the
viclhus Tor their surroundings without preserv-
ing the separate community which is desired by
the workers The Zet Geisi is too strong for
permanent foreign settlements in the United
States The foreign character of colonies has
persisted In Isolated country districts with com
parative rgldity, but customs tend even there
to lose their peculiarity. In the cities the great
volume of immigration gives Il surface indica-
tion OF German. Scandinavian and Italian
masses. but ii Is more apparent than real The
older comers drop some Of their pecnllarties.
the children drop more, even though they are
trained in the opposite direction. The foreigner
comes here In vast numbers and Is much In