Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1900-05-31
The Foreign-Born Population And The
Census.

Few questions asked by the Census
once arSof more importance than
those regarding the place Of birth Of
the individual and his parents. There
is no great country which has receiy-
ed 50 many immigrants end lost 50
few emigrants a. the United States.
1t Is doubtful whether more than 2O9,-
600 Americans Nv birth are living out
side of the United States, while the
number IF persons ii foreign birth
living in the United States il probab-
ly ten million.
III the coming census the enumera-
tors Will endcayor TO ascertain where
each person. and the parents Of each
person were b8rn and, il he person
was not born I'll the United States, ID
what wear Ac came 70 this country,
the number 81 wears he has been here,
whether he has been naturalized or
not, ana # not. whether he has taken
out naturalization papers.
The table. made from the answers
II the inquiries respecting birth
place show he number and distri5a-
ton Of The fJreigu-born in the United
States. the number OF them born IN
each Of the great countries, the
amount of inteimarriage between
these foreigners and the natives, the
proportion Of the foreigners who set
tie in the cities and those who seek
the country, their ability to read and
To speak English. and the law-abiding
character Of the population j +
sometimes said, for instance, that
crime is specially common among the
foreign population. But this state
ment can not be supported by the
census figures. Few crimes are COM
mitted by persons under fifteen years
Of age and vast numbers Of the ma
tiycs are under that age and therefore
can not commit crime W hen com
parison is made between the native
prisoners and the native population
over fifteen wears Of age, and the for
cign prisoners and the foreign popula-
ton over fifteen years Of are, one
finds that the proportion of persons
i'm prison is about 30 per cent greater
among the natives than among the
ioreign-born population.
Another point brought out clear
" by the census figures Is that immi-
grants move but a comparatively
short distance. The Canadian immi-
grants live mainly along the south
ern b lundary Thus in ls9lthe Cam
adams were in plurality among the
foreign born in Maine. New Hamp-
shire. Vermont. Michigan, Montana
and Washington. The MeNicans, on
the contrary. were in a 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.
70 the several foreign born elements
ofour population It is matter Of
plide and interest to know the NUM-
Der of persons Of their nationality in
the United States, and their general
economic condition. In 80 there were
more than LOCO, 600 residents in the
United States who were born in for
eign countries. Ofthis number about
30 per cent were born in Germany. %
por cont in Ireland, and about 10 per
cent in Canada and New Foundiand.
From 1921 to 1889 the United King
dom contributed So per cent Of the
total immigration to the United States
and Germany 30 per cent. In the de-
cade 1881 TO 1890 the immigrants
from the United Kingdom constitute
ed only - Ier cent of the total immi-
grafton, the proportion. from Ger
many being slightly less. In the ten
years 1851 to 1870 the combined inn
migration from Austria, Hungary.
Russia, Poland and Italy constituted
only per cent Of the immigration.
In the decade 1881 t. 1890 this pro-
portion rose to II per cent, and in the
nine years 1891 1899 TO more than Ga
per cent.
We of the United States are all inn
OF the descendants of immi-
grants. \ proper pride on the part
Of recert immigrants in the land Of
their birth, and a reasonable desire
TO secure that recognition which is
due to their numbers and Importance,
should lead all persons Of foreign
birth to welcome the census enumer-
ator aud to answer his questions will
lingly and accurately.