The school census taken lately in our city showed that we number 28,287 people, who declare their adherence to the Bohemian nation. We are not ashamed that we are Bohemians. We are respected Bohemians who are raising our families as future Bohemians.

There are many Bohemians in Chicago who have transformed their names into James, or Williams, or Jake, and who do not reckon themselves Bohemians. They do not amount to anything with us and we are rather satisfied that they give themselves out as Irishmen.

There is still another type of Bohemian and one quite numerous.These are the rich Bohemians, who are ashamed of their nationality, so much the more that they were induced to it by the Staats Zeitung or by 2English newspapers which have depicted us as rascals and rabble. It is no wonder that these big rich men of ours are ashamed of us. Perhaps they do not know that it is impossible to prove that all these insinuations in the English newspapers are only lies. These rich men don't seem to know that the Bohemians in Chicago during the last thirty years gained the best name among the foreigners as good citizens, reliable workers, respectable businessmen. They are ashamed of us, they think that they do not need us. Really we don't need them. We shall proceed in our development more successfully without them than if they should mix themselves among us, giving us advice of the type that was valuable to their sometime dishonest and punishable activities. They would only awake discontent and disagreement among us. They would do us more harm than good. Nobody knows to which nationality they are declaring allegiance. We have no reason to occupy our minds with these renegades, 3rather, we should be busy looking into our future, and be happy that we have around us 28,287 true and honest Bohemians.

Dividing the Bohemian population in families, each one having four members, we figure to have 7,000 Bohemian families in Chicago, divided topographically into three districts. In the 5th and 6th wards there are over 19,000 Bohemians, or 4,750 Bohemian families; in the 7th and 8th wards, 7,000 Bohemians, or 1,750 Bohemian families, and in the 14th and 15th wards, over 1,500 Bohemians, or 400 Bohemian families. Those Bohemians have proved, not only with their words but with their deeds, that they are united and developing all the time. Look only in the streets, densely populated with Bohemians, and you will see how strongly the Bohemian business is represented by provision stores, restaurants, clothing stores, 4coal yards, mechanical shops, etc. We should continue to work in the same direction and we will continue to improve. Bohemian business will increase, the Bohemian houses and fortunes will multiply and the welfare among us will grow in proportion.

The spiritual, national development is progressing in the same way among us Bohemians, and taking into consideration the number of Bohemians in Chicago in 1855, we are progressing steadily. In all three Bohemian districts we have our own halls, national Bohemian-English schools, and Sunday Bohemian schools. About 2,000 pupils attend these schools, preparatory to entering the English public schools. We have here national and Catholic schools, which are on guard to create good Bohemian boys and girls.

The part of our national life that is devoted to entertainment is not neglected either, because a real good Bohemian enjoys most the Bohemian amusements given at private homes or in public halls, and which are abundant in all Bohemian districts. Year by year these entertainments are more and more noble and instructive, and are really a big incentive towards preserving our nationality, improving our morals and encouraging us towards education.

Club and society life among the Bohemians in Chicago is very active and praiseworthy. There are only very few Bohemians who would not belong at least to one benevolent, educational or social society. Even those societies which were organized exclusively for benevolent purposes, are demonstrating year by year more development in the educational and national direction. The participation of all Bohemian societies in tomorrow's splendid celebration of the Sokols is a vital proof that the splits and disagreements 6between Bohemians is weakening. All societies, without exception, will unanimously testify that they represent real Bohemians and are representing them with the dignity that the name Bohemian implies. Our enemies, who have asserted that the Bohemians are neither associated nor united, will be surprised to see the harmony of the Bohemians brought to light for the first time in twenty years. We will appear before all peoples as a united body of fraternized countrymen. This reality will strengthen all members, who are weak, doubtful, unsteady, and it will incite them to activity in the national and educational fields. We could give more valuable information, but we delay it for the near future, leaving today's instructions to the consideration of everybody who feels himself to be a true Bohemian and proclaims himself as such.