The Washington herald., 1912-04-21
NEW YORK is THE GREATEST
POLYGLOT CITY IN WORLD
Has Greater Italian Population Than Rome and
Greater Jewish Than Palestine.

New York. April 9O-That New York.
in addition to being the largest city in
the country and tie second largest in
the world. Is now the second largest
Italian city, the largest YIddisn-speaking
city, and that less than one-fifth OF Its
population is accounted Tor ny persons
born OF American parents, are some OF
the interesting facts made public by the
completion of a census OF races and Ian
guRges. The figures give the city an
Italian population OF 81, ,o64, an increase
OF 3O2.7l7 in the last ten years, thus
making II larger than Rome or Genoa,
and second only 10 Naples. The largest
single group Is that from the Russian
empire. with n total Of 1A,1R. an In
crease OF i1s.t2S in the last decade. These
figures make New York the third largest
Russian city in the world. with a popula-
tion larger than that OF Udessa and
equal TO about half that OF st. Peters
burg. Yiddish was given as the mother
tongue by 1.255.0oO persons. and less than
30 per cent Of the total population is
made up Of native whites OF native
parents. Ireland Is represented by 51e,3oS
persons, a decrease OF l65,0o0 in the last
decade. The figures throughout show
marked falling OF in immigration from
the countries OF northwestern Europe.
and a much greater Increase Yrom south
eastern Europe. In terms OF percentage,
New York's population in 1910 was 1872
per cent British; 15I9 per cent Russian
birth or pRrentage; l2T per cent Ger
man: Ills per cent Italian: SIS per cent
Austro- ro-Hungarian; LgT per cent Scandi-
navian; 1349 per cent OF mixed foreign
or mixed native parontage; Is.SS per cent
native whites Of native parentaRe; 1se
per cent negro. Altogether. New York
may we'll lay claim to outranking all
other cities so far as a polyglot popula-
ton Is concerned.
The 'Free Sugar. Bill.
An interesting sidelight brought out in
connection with che sugar trust case,
now under prosecution here. Is the rev.
elation that one Of the ambitious plans
of Henry o. Havemeyer, IN the days
when he dominated the great corpora
ton. was to secure control OF the beet
sugar industry OF the country. Have
meyer probably was one OF the first men
In the country. aside from DIR. Harvey
w. Wiley, who conducted the govern
ment's early experiments in beet culture.
to realize that the United States was cap
able Of producing from its own soil all
the sugar consumed In the country. With
his customary foresight he set about
acquiring an interest in the struggling
beet sugar plants then in existence, and
secured the ownership Of as much as 50
per cent Of the stock OF a few companies.
The industry grew So rapidIy. however.
and was financed so largely by local
capital, that he was unable 10 maintain
his hold upon II.
With Havemeyer's death the policy OF
the trust was changed and Il proceeded
TO dispose OF its stock holdings In beet
sugar plants as rapidly as possible. At
the present time the trust and the beet
industry, the latter scattered among
independent holders, are arrayed IN
sharp antagonism TO each other on oppo-
site sides Of the tariff issue raised by the |
free sugar bill. While the beet growers
and manufacturers are fighting the bill. |
believing that II would wipe out their |
industry. the trust Is advocating It for |
the very same reason, holding that the |
destruction of the domestic Industry
would give them undisputed control Of
the American market
Oil paintings, statues, and all other
must now be kept up to date In their |
style Of clothing, according to n decision |
of the municipal art commission, which |
has set all New York laughing. and at |
the same time opened the way 10 a move |
ment which may bring the price Of old |
masters within the reach Of the emptiest |
purse This surprising situation has
been brought about by the action OF the
in ordering that the portrait |
OF former Mayor Low be brought up to |
date sartorially. Since 1855 the likeness
of the one-time offlcial has smiled down |
from the wall Of the borough hall in |
arrayed in the costume OF a /
quarter OF a century ago. the chief /
feature of which was frock coat notice
ably short when judged by the present |
As result of the order of the num-
clpal art commission. however, several
inches have been painted on to the bot
tom Of the coat to make It conform to /
styles The letting down of
the hem OF the garment In question by
means Of a paint brush has already
started an art movement which may end /
In the most surprising changes In the
adornment of statues and portraits
throughout the city. Opponents OF the
movement are now pointing
out that II the commission b to Be con-