New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-18
rllr uInu nIRTn RATE IN GERMANY.

ore presented in the letter.
TIE HIGH BIRTH RATE IN GERMANY.
xArroxAL IMrovERIsBMENr CAUSED By WHOLE
sALy Observation-Disclosures AND lis
coNsTQrENT KviLs--LrGAL REGULATION OF
INCREASE or POPULATION
TO the EdffOr Of The Tribune.
SIR: The same conditions exist now in Germany
which in the latter part of the eighteenth century
in England led Nautilus to write his famous
@rbcory of Population" and brought about such a
wide acceptance of his doctrines. Like produces
Ike Malthusanism is becoming very popular IN
all parts Of Germany. Il would be diiicult 10
name single prominent German economist VINO
now disputes the fundamental principles OF the Nal
thusan theory. Even among the common people u
is becoming known and accepted. Misery and
crime are shown by accurate statistics to be H.
creasng IN a fearful proportion. During the last
decade crimes punishable by law have increased
over 200 per cent. The Government itself is be-
coming embarrassed. The budgets OF Prussia ana
the other separate States, well as those OF the
Empire exhibit continually increasing deficits. In
the meantime Germans are looking with envious
eyes toward France The French people are re-
ported TO be happy and prosperous; the financial
condition of the country brilliant. and the yearly
budgets surprising everybody with a constantly
increasing surplus of receipts over expenditures.
lizards of francs by France to Germany, as war in
demn1Gcation, would nearly ruin the former
country while 1t enriched the latter Since it has
been discovered that il was 10 DO neither the one
nor the other people have not ceased to inquire into
the disappOIntment of Germany and the h;s'py sur
prise of France
The latest explanation Of these phenomena has
been found in the rapid increase of population III
Germany and in the emigration which results there
from. Frcnchncn ana Germans appear to have
come to this conclusion simultaneously, and both
have maintained their position by very interesting
statistics. The following three names may be men,
toned as among Che most prominent OF those who
have been working on the problem: Adolf Wagner.
the celebrated professor of political economy IN the
University of Berlin, who has written an essay on
Increase of Population and Emigration, which was
recently published as a supplement to the Algc-
,acinc /eifaoq: Dr. Fahr, who has written work
on Colonization, and who has gone over the whole
ground of colonization and increase of population
in speech lately published in the Cologne Gazette;
and NJ Bcrtillon, a Frenchman, who has devoted
considerable attention to social statistics.
NATIONAL COST OF EMIGRATION.
The first point TO be borne in mind is that emil
grafton costs the country which sends ont the
emigrants all that has been expended on them in
excess OF what they have returned to che nation
take with them. We in America value an able
b9sied cmig1ant at about 81 600, but our gain is
anoihtr's loss Some country has undergone the
cXpcusc Of educating and bringing him up. This
expense is considerable. Dr. Ingel, the head Of
the Irussian Statistical Bureau, calculated some
fifteen years ago the cost of bringing up member
of the lower classes 10 the fifteenth year at $3.50
marks. or about $500. Or. Fabri thinks that the
figure should now be raised to 5000 marks, or
nearly $3.50, on account 81 increased cost OF educa
fon and the decrease in the value of money. After
the hftccnth year return rs made Tor the expense
undergone in feeding. clothing, sheltering and edu-
eating the rising generation. Some OF the emil
grants are sufficiently advanced in years TO have
repaid part or all the debt due to the nation, TO
sneak and others are children still under fifteen.
Makiug due allowance for both of these factors. DR..
Fabri estimates the loss TO Germany on each emf
grant mt AN average Of not less than 2,OUO marks,
or nearly $500. Germany has sent out 100000
entrants during the last sixty years, the greater
Iart during the last thiIty years The loss to Ger
many in bringing up these emIgrants, only to send
thom away, has been seven mllards OF marks. In
yestications made by the Commissioners of Emf
grafton in New-lOTk, and by Germans would lead
us to estimate the capital III money and valuables
taken away from Germany by each emigrant at not
less than 40 marks say ell2. If this loss Is
added the total loss sustained by Germany during
the last sixty years and by far the greater share
during the last thirty years, is over nine milards
OF marks considerably more than twice the sum
France paid to Germany war naturalization.
MOTIVES TOR EXPATRIAIIoN.
What is ihe causc OF this emigration and conse-
nucnt loss 10 Germany IN earlier times political
or religious oppression drove away from their native
land strong. vigorous. ana Intelligent men OF firm
moral convictions. No civilized country
makes ;hc mistake of forcibly eXpelling its best
citizens nor do we the benefits which might
accrue to us from their presence 1t must never be
forgotten that the men who made America great
aud powerful came originally from very different
classes from those now sending their hundreds of
thousands 10 Other reasons for emigration,
which may be called individual ones. are love
adventure and wandering. the fear of war. the
burden of MILITARY service and the desire TO better
ones economic condition. The latter is now the
chief psychological cause Of emigration. The
tives leading to emigration were formerly to
Great extent Of an ideal nature, and the class of
emgrans such as could he affected by ideal consid-
erations. The motives leading to emigration
are chiefly Of a material nature ard the class OF
emgrants such Us cannot easily be moved by other
than material considerations. But, rs has bcon
pointed out there must be "a general and universal
law underlying the individual motives. They Ill
existed before the present Recommendations. or
emigration by masses, the Germans call it.
Cheap transportation is only condition. not
cause: il exists foI France well as Germany but
does not lead to extensive emigration from the for
mer country. Only cause can be given. and
that is the rapid increase of population which has
taken place during the present. century among the
German people. Emigration is forced upon many
Germans ~ dire alternative TO starvation. . As
the population OF France increases less rap
s1lx, than wealth fr,nchmeu are NOT Obliged IN
break he ties connecting them with their native
land.
The anxiety felt in Germany in regard to the in
crenslnp population has led 70 a careful ronpuia-