The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1900-05-31

doubtful WIlelIlct HlOlc WAN -''1
600 Americans by birth are living
outside of the United States, while
the number of persons of foreign
birth living in the United States is
probably ten million.
In the coming census the enumer-
ators will endeavorto ascertain where
each person, and the parents OF each
person, were born and, if the per-
son was not born in the United
States, in what year he came to this
country, the number of years he has
been here, whether he has been ma
turalized or not, and if not, whether
he has taken out naturalization pa
pers.
The tables made from the ans
wers to inquiries respecting birth
place show the number and distribu-
ton of the forcign-born residents OF
the United States, the number OF
intcrmarried between these foreign
ers and the natives, the proportion OF
the foreigners who settlein the cities
and those who seek the country.
their ability to read and to speak
English, and the law-abiding char
acter OF the population. 1t is some
times said, for instance, that crime
is specially common among the for
eign population. But this statement
can not be supported by the census
figures. Few crimes are committed
by persons under fifteen years OF
age, and vast numbers of the natives
are underJ that age and therefore
cannot commit crime. When COM
parison is made between the native
prisoners and the natives over fit
teen years OF age, and the foreign
prisoners and the foreign Popula-
ton over fifteen years of age, one
finds that the proportion of persons
in prison Is about 80 per cent. great
er among the natives than among
the foreign-born population.
Another point brought out clear
ly by the census figures is that i'm
migrants move but a comparatively
short distance. The Canadian inn
migrants live mainly along the Ca
madam frontier, and the Mexicans
mainly along the southern boundary.
Thus in 1890 the Canadians were
in a plurality among the foreign
born in Maine, New Hampshire,
Vermont, Michigan, Montana and
Washington. The Mexlcans, on the
contrary, were in u plurality in
New Mexico and Arizona. The
Germans, however, have spread all
over the United States, and were in
a plurality among the foreign born
in twenty-six States and Territories.
To the several torcign-born ele-
ments OF our population it is mat
ter Of pride and interest to know
the number ofpersons of their ma
tionality in the United States, and
their general economic condition. In
1890 there were more than 9,OOO,-
600 residents in the United States
who were born in other countries.
OF this number about 80 per cent.
were born in Germany, 20 per cent.
in Ireland, and about 10 per cent.
in Canada and Newfoundland. From
1921 to 1880 the United Kingdom
contributed SO per cent. of the total
immigrants to the United States,
and Germany 35 per cent. In the
decade 1881 TO 1890 the immigrants
from the United Kingdom consti-
tuted only 2Sper cent. of the total
immigration, the proportion from
Germany being slightly less. In
the ten years 1861 to 1870 the COM
bined immigration from Austria,
Hungary, Russia, Poland, and Italy
constituted only l per cent OF the
total immigration. In the decade
1881 to 1890 this proportion rose
to II per cent, and in thenine years
I1S9l-?9 to more than GA per cent
We, of the United States, are all
immigrants or the descendants O
immigrants. A proper pride on tn
part of recent immigrants in th'
land of their birth, and a reasonable
desire to secure that recognition
which is due to their numbers ant
Importance, should lead all person
of foreign birth to welcome the cen
! o,l 30 h,