Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1908-07-25
FOREIGN
Landlords
They Own Three.hfths Of,
Chicaio's Small Flats.

worker III Chicago the chances are
three out OF five that you pay rent
to a landlord who is foreign born.
The average native American in Chi.
csgo cant get ahead Oh a salary OF
SIS week. The average foreign.
born resident saves money and be-
comes q landlord on an income much
smaller.
At the present rate at which the
smaller renting properties are being
acquired by foreign blood it will not
be many decades before most of the
rent receipts will be signed by Land.
lords Szymczak. Smisniewicz, Zett-
ZACH or Ruberiski.
This tendency Is one that ought to
interest Chicago workers. especially
those Of American birth and descent.
1t is a singular and striking comment
AIRY on the traits of a class which
should. in the nature of things, grow
into modest competence. but which.
on the contrary. Is drifting into a dc.
pendence that must look 10 foreign
blood dictatorship.
il you want proof that foreigners
are acquiring a firm foothold on the
small fiat buildings of the city. Just
watch the real estate transfers and
the building permits. In recent
days list there were twenty-nine dis.
tinctiy foreign names among those
who purchased property out Of a total
OF forty.one. The twenty-nine includ.
ed, In the properties bought, about 20
per cent. OF the smaller sales OF that
day. Five OF the purchasers had
names ending In ski" seven smacked
plainly Of Sweden or Norway. four
were German. three Italian and one
Greek.
On the same day forty-three build.
Ing permits were issued. or these
tbirty.three were to persons with 70.
reign names. Permits were taken
out for thirteen two.story fiat build.
ings, and nine OF these permits were
secured by applicants who were eth.
or Polish, Italian, Swedish or Ger.
man.
Go through the transfers and build.
Ing permits day by day, and you will
find the same average prevailing. A
similar ratio holds good with refer.
ence to small houses and cottages.
The records of the building depart.
ment show that the foreigners are the
home builders.
Americans can't get ahead. Why?
This is a question for you. the
American worker, to study. Is II be.
cause you don't want to or really
can't?
On certain streets OF, Chicago. not.
ably on the northwest and southwest
sides. there are scores Of pretty
streets lined with pretentious two-Hat
buildings, with here and there three.
story building. The little grass plots
are well kept, the young shade trees
are beginning to do effective duty and
there Is an air OF modest prosperity.
Whose prosperity is It? Yours?
No: It's your landlords prosperity.
You live In the second fiat; he in the
hrst. Your name Is Jones; his Is
Szeszycki. Forty years ago he was
born In faraway land. lie came to
America In the emigrant hold. To.
day he Is worth $4,000. You were
born on an Illinois farm. You came
to Chicago In 1885 and have worked
steadily ever since. You haven't a
dollar In the bank or in property.
end you owe a months rent to Mr..
Szeszyckl.
Why?
Go through score u the front YES.
tibules on your street and read tho
names on the mail boxes, In almost
every building you will find one
American family and one foreign fam.
lily. 1t Is a safe bet that the foreigner
Is the landlord. You will not find
the reverse true once In twenty times
This Is not an overdrawn picture
OF many extensive sections of Chicago
The assessment rolls show whole
blocks OF renting properties without
single American owner. SO far as
NAV be judged by the names.
The cause-tO answer the question
superficially-lies In habit. Foreign
residents OF Chicago have the sayinp
habit. They have the property craze
Natives have the spending habit. Ash
the average American worker In Chi
cagO why he doesn't own q home O,
small renting property, and he will
reply:
II don't want to tie myself, down
don't expect to stay In Chicago all
my life, and, besides, might lose m,
Job. Perhaps. when I'm settled, III
invest"
So the American waits until he 1.
settled In life before he begins te
save-and he never finds himself set
tied until he wakes up to the fact tina
he's getting old. Then he's settled
beyond redemption.
The foreigner begins to save at tn,
start. He puts mortgage on thu
future. and pays 1t of, so that by thu
time he is 40 or so he Is practical,
Independent, collecting rents from
Jones and Smith, who didn't want I,
be tied down. As landlord he ha
carved little niche for himself Il
the City. where he defies eviction ant
loan sharks. Jones and Smith ar,
doing the hustling to support him.
After all. II takes comparatively III
tie to support family In comfort
Mr., szeszycki, with his $4,000. is con
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