Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 August 1884 — THE FOREIGN VOTE. [ARTICLE]

THE FOREIGN VOTE.

Some Interesting Statistics Compiled from the Last Census. Never before, perhaps, says the St Louit Republican, has so much interest been taken in the numbers and influence of for-eign-bom citizens of the United States at at this time. Certainly there never have ai any other time been put forward speculations so divergent respecting the inclinatioz of different nationalities. There were in th< United States in 1880, as shown by the national census, 6,679,943 foreign-bom persons. These were from thirty-sever nationalities, counting those coming frou Germany, Great Britain, nnd British America as being from only three nationalities. The mass of the foreign-bora population, however, comes from the following countries and is located in the several states ai shown below:

Cans- German En- ? tat os. da. Empire gland. Ireland. Alabama 271 3,238 935 2,964 Arkansas 787 8,620 1,176 2,482 California 18,889 42,532 24,657 62,961 Colorado 6,785 7,012 18,797 8,263 Connecticut 16,444 15,627 5,453 70,634 Delaware 246 1,179 1,433 5,791 Florida 446 978 866 662 Georgia 348 2,956 1,144 4,148 Illinois 34,043 235,786 56,318 117,343 Indiana 6,589 80,766 11,093 25,741 10wa.,.. 21,079 88,263 22,519 44,061 Kansas 12,536 28,084 14,172 14,993 Kentucky 1,070 30,413 4,100 18,256 Louisiana 726 17,475 2,582 13,801 Maine 39,114 688 3,710 13,42] Maryland 988 45,481 6,231 21,86< Massachusetts... 119,302 10,872 47,263 226,70 Michigan 143,866 89,085 63,202 43,41, Minnesota 23,631 80,592 8,945 25,94} Mississippi 309 2,556 1,047 2,75< Missouri 8,68 h 106,800 15,787 48,89: Nebraska. 8,622 31,125 8,207 10,13» Nevada 8,147 2,213 4,146 6,190 Now Hampshire.. 27,142 789 3,497 18,l< New Jersey 3,533 64,935 31,285 93,07} New York 84,182 365,913 116,362 499,445 North Carolina... 426 950 738 611 Ohio 16,U6 192,577 41,665 78,927 Oregon 3,019 5,034 2,890 S,OSJ Pennsylvania.... 12,376 168,42(1 80,102 236,60! Rhode Island.... 18,300 1,906 12,500 35,281 South Carolina... 141 2,846 670 2.62 C Tennessee 445 3,983 1,956 5,971 Texas 2,472 36,347 6,523 8,101 Vermont 24,020 396 2,'252 11,351 Virginia.. 685 8,769 2,781 4,831 West Virginia.... 295 7,029 3,051 6,461 Wisconsin 28,905 184,328 24,916 41,901 Total 717,676 1,966,742 662.676 1,832,491

These nationalities comprised 5,179,584 of tho tVhole foreign population of ths country in 1880. The nationalities which made up the main portion of the remaindel of the foreign-born population, were: Bohemians, 85,301; French, 106,971; Danes, 64,196; Scotch, 170,136; Welsh, 79,332; Hollanders, 58,090; Italians, 44,230; Mexicans, 68,390; Norwegians, 181,729; Poles, 48,577; Russians, 35,722; Swedes, 194,337; and Swiss, 88,621. These are well distributed through tho Northern States, but few being in the former slave States. It will be observed that the Germans are the most numerous element of the foreign-born population. If tho nationalities of Northern Europe, speaking Gorman or kindred languages, are counted together, they comprise half the entire for-eign-born population, and exceed by 50 per cent, the Irish, who are the next most numerous nationality. The popular vote at the Presidential election of 1880 was 9,210,970, or something above 18 per cent, of the population—that is, one vote to every 6.42 of the population. It is certain, however, that, by reason of not having qualified, or not having as much interest in elections as native-born citizens, the foreign-bom population does not sond voters to the polls In proportion to its numbers. This is shown by the fact that in large oities, and wherever the foreign population is greatest, the number of votes polled is farthest short of the number of males of voting age. For example, the vote of St. Louis does not reach half the number of males above the age of 21 years, as shown by the census. Instead of casting one vote to every 5.42 persons it may be fairly inferred that not more than one in eight of the for-eign-bom population goes to the polls. It will be observed that in all the States closely contested by the Republican and Democratic parties there is a large foreign population, the Germans generally preponderating. In New York and New Jersey the Irish-bom largely exceed the German-bora, while in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin the Germans are most numerous. If very great changes are wrought in the political complexion of the foreign-bom vote the figures snow the result of the approaching election may be radically affected by them.