The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-09-21
Phases Of the National Growth.

Some of the census returns furnish q
curious refutation of the fallacy largely
prevalent in the public mind both OF
Europe and of this country. We make
so much of our immigration statistics
and they show so large an aggregate OF
population, that the belief is very prev
alent that the United States is really an
Old World colony, and that it contains
more foreign-born than native citizens.
This belief is strengthened by the very
large preponderance Of foreigners in our
cities, and by the fact that so many
strange and unfamiliar names appear on
the street signs. The very presence OF
decided foreign name is assumed as evil
dence that the owner cannot be native
born. The census returns, however, cor
rect the delusion, and show that we
have an American people, and an Ameri-
can Nationality, and that, although we
tender our hospitality to the people OF
all climes and countries, the natlen 1t
self is reservoir filled from a clear and
well defined stream flowing from an
American source, and in which the really
foreign infusion is but as the drops fall
ing from the skies. The total popula-
ton of the United States is given as
3S,555,9S3, of which those OF foreign
birth number 5,566,416, leaving 33,OO0,-
600 of natives and to the manor born.
In other words six out of every seven OF
those we meet are natives, who thus out
number the foreigners Fix to one. Now
contrast these figures with certain other
statistics and some interesting facts ap-
pear. The population of this country in
1890 was 3,929,S27. Up to 1870 it has
increased 34,626, 156. During these
eighty years the entire immigration has
numbered 7,S03,S65, and of this total,
only 100000 have died. De0ucting
the number of immigrants from the in
crease for eighty years, we have 25,S22,-
291 as the increment from American
sources. Surely the fountain has never
failed. The out-running stream has
been kept within full banks, and has
swollen from rivulet to a grand tidal
stream whose motion and force shall per-
petually increase. The period from 1880
to 1870 is divided in the returns after
the year 1920, into decades. For the
thirty Years before 1920 the immigra-
tion is estimated, and is Jumped at 250,-
600. Since then accurate tables have
been made, and the arrivals for the five
successive decades have been as follows:
from 1920 to 1880, 151 1924; from 1881 to
1910, 599,12 from 1S4l to 1850, l,l13,-
251 from 1851 to 1860, 2,59S, PA; from
1861 to 1870, 2,49l ,45l. If we add to-
gether the arrivals from 1S4l to 1870,
the aggregate is 5,099,665, a number fall
ing but little short Of the actual popula-
tion of the foreign born now in the
country. Another fact is worth noting
from 1890 to 1920, period OF thirty
years, during which the total emigra-
ton was only 250,O00, our population
increased from 3,929,S27 to 9,654,596.
During the next thirty years, while the
immigration was 2,444,2O0, the popula-
ton grew from 9,654,596 to 9l,ST4.
During the last thirty years, with an inn
migration of 6,S02,916, it has increased
from 17,O63,355 to 3S,555,9S3. The fact
appears that the ratio of the natural in
crease steadily diminishes in spite of she
constant accession from abroad. Some
of the statements of the alarmists, who
write of a diminishing birth-rate, have
thus an actual verifcation. A careful
comparison of local statistics in certain
States and cities would show this, and
show also that the European hive, to
whose activity we are indebted for sc
large portion of our population, trans.
mits like activity to the swarm sent tc
our shores.
There are in reality only two or three
States in which the foreign born are il
excess of the native. Minnesota, Neva'
da, and Wisconsin are illustrations o.
this, while North and South Carolina
and indeed all the Southern States, fal
far below the average of six to one. Ii
Georgia the ratio of natives to foreign ii
100 to l, in North Carolina $50 to l. IL
Indiana it is about 10 to l. There ha'
been an ancient, but now generally ex
ploded theory that allegiance runs witt
the blood for at least one genera
ton, and some of our good friends across
the Atlantic have not only claimed thu
right to loyal service from their subjects
changed into our citizens, but from
children of the same. The United State
have resented and resisted this doctrine
and all its surroundings and sequences
If admitted, it would deprive us of !
very large portion of our people. Upol
the present basis we surrender no one
and the European who avows his inten
ton of becoming citizen, has the pro
lection of our flag, as much as the des
cendants of one of the Signers, or OF tn
Boston Tea Party. If the United State
wakes in the future as in the past, tn
feudal folly of allegiance will soon hav
no vestige of existence.