The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-10
The Irish in New York.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUS-Sir: I have no
desire to enter into controversy with the cor
respondent Of THE sun, signing himself u +.
Nee" who objects to the facts tststed by mo In
q letter which The SUN was 30 kind as TO print
in it's issue Of Aug. 27l that the present mum Der
OF the 1rish-born population OF Greater Now
York is only about 100000. that the Irish born
population OF the whole country in 1890 mum =
bered only 81 500 Though nearly $500. 900
came here between 1910 and 1890. and that
the natives OF Irish parsntage In the whole
country in 1890 mum bered only 2.l64. 1897 (only
two.thirds as many as the whole number OF
Irish immigrants between 1910 and 1890.
show ing that the Irish have not been very pro-
life in this country-,a consequence Of their
laborious ana often unhealthy occupations. a
especially Of their herding together In the
cities to such large extent. and living in I'M
sanitary surroundings
These are facts about which there can be no
controversy. The authorities for them are the
United States immigration reports and the re-
port OF the last United states census.
reports: he denounces the census OF 1890 as
unreliable and discredited"; and he presents
calculations Of his own by which he makes 1t
lation OF New York city is twice as large as it
really is. and that the number Of the natives Of
Irish parentaGe in New York city is nearly four
times as large as 1t really Is.
j. +. Nee bases his estimate Of the present
number Of Irish In New York city on the as
population OF Greater New York is the same
az 1t was in the population OF New York city
twenty years ago. The fact is that the present
population OF Greater New York is about three
times az large as New York city's population
was twenty years ago. while the mum Der OF the
Irish both in Manhattan and the annexed
cities remains about the same as it was twenty
years ago. II 1t has not actually become less on
account OF the falling Off in Irish i'm migration
which has become too email to make up for
the loss Of tho Irish element By death On the
basis OF his false assumption j. +. McC ca!cu-
lates a mum Der which is 100 per cent too large
j. +. Nee. gets his estimate of the nun Der
OF natives OF Irish parentage in New York
city by the following perversion OF the right
equation Of proportions:
The number OF born Irish in the whole
country is to the number OF natives OF Irish
parentSge plus the horn Irish in the whole
country as the doubled number of the born
Irish In New York 10 30 the number OF natives
OF Irish parentage in New York
j. +. MoC. g perversion OF the right equation
Of proportions Is shown by the brack cts
The words inside the brackets change
the right equation Of proportions into
J; +. Noes talsliied equation OF proportions
The true equation of proportions gives the
number OF natives OF Irish parentage in
Greater New lerk as about 100000 to which
small number may be added for increase
during the last nine yenrs ifor It. Is probable
that the natives o; Irish parsntage have in
creased in New York since 1870. though the
Irish born have not. j. +. Noes falsihed
equation OF proportions gives their mum Der as
14OOOOO which is nearly four times as large
as their true number E.E.C,
BROOKLYN. Sept. o.