The Portland daily press., 1869-11-16

1t will be observed Cnat Wnlle the relative
growth of population has varied little from SO
per cent. in each decade the addition to our
numbers from immigration has increased
both absolutely and relatively. Thus in the
first decade mentioned, only 3 per cent. of
our total growth was due to immigration. In
/, the second. decade the proportion was the
same; in the third it was per cent; in the
fourth, "A per cent; in the fifth, Is per cent;
in the sixth, "A per cent. in the seventh, 80
per cent. "a ,!s"
But this is not all. Our foreign born popu
latlon multlplies with great rapidity, so that
immigration contributes to our numbers even
more indirectly than it does directly. This
fact taken in connection with our nearly uni
form rate OF increase, indicates that the
: growth OF our native population proper is not
/ only much slower than formerly but much
slower than the growth OF that which is OF
foreign birth or descent. The immediate de-
seendaiits Of foreigners inherit in a great de-
gree the habits of thought and action traGi-
tlonai with their ancestors. 1t takes one or
two generations to Amercanize them.
These phenomena like those attending an
eel Sc, gave produced no little alarm in the
minds of those who do not understand them.
Some have gone so lar as to prophecy that our
naive population would die out entirely. and
that the foreign clement would become either
the sole. or at least the dominant power in the
sta ,e, to the overthrow of our laws and institu-
ito IS. This fear has given rise O the "Amer-
movement OIL eli ri,
attempts to exclude foreigners from a partici-
patton in the gifts with which, for the benefit
OF no single race exclusively, Providence
has so lavishly endowed this country. 1t is
therefore wise to dlsar these fears bv a time
~ and satisfactory explanation of the facts.
- The rapid growth of population in this
country IN early times was the subject of CEN
eral remark among the economists of Euro. G,
Population in the old world had then reach
ed the point which our native population has
now reached, and our rapid increase was to
them novel fact. Adam Smith speaks of
the marked contrast in this respect which the
old world and the new presented at that time.
Inc reason IS that In new country it is easy
to obtain an abundance of those products
which support human life, while the tastes of
pioneers do not crave and their opportunities
do not enable them to obtain those things
which are available mainly for ornament. The
la6ors OF parents enable them under these cir
G instances to reara large number of children
Hence in this stage of society we find early
marriages and large families. But as society
advances in refinement and wealth, esthetic
tastes are developed, relatively more effort is
gwen to procuring the eegancies of life and
less to obtaining necessaries. Not only do
2 marriages occur later in life but they are less
prolific. Parents think more of the quality
than OF the number of their offspring, and
consequently the growth of population is re-
tarded.
This is the state of things which has for a
long time existed in Europe and the general
q feature OF which may be recognized in Amer
lean society at the present time. But while
our native population has reached this stage.
that which comes from abroad has not. They.
like the hardy pioneers who first settled in
the country, have few esthetic tastes to graf
lfy and a large snare of their efforts NAV be
directed to the production of whatever will
sustain life Hence their rapid increase: for
II is general principle of social science that
the increase of human life keeps pace with
the means of maintaining it. As they be-
come Americanized and culture creates new
tastes and new wants, we may expect to see
in their growth the same phenomena which
we now witness in that of our native popu-
lation.
This explanation seems more satisfsc tory
than that which would ascribe 10 criminal
agencies the repression of our growth. Small
families are not the peculiar characteristic of
the vicious but of those as we'll who cannot
even be suspected of employing any criminal
checks. 1t would of course be puerile to deny
that there are such things. But that they are
the principle reason why the growth of our
native population is slower than formerly is
not only supposition that is unnatural. but
one that contradicts some of the most salient |
facts OF history on this subject.