The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-07-31
Changes in New England Popu1a-
ton.

The leading article in the August num-
Der of the Popular Science Monthly is by
DR.. Nathan Allen, of Lowell, and relates to
the changes going on in the population Of
New England. DIR. Allen has treated of this
subject before, and his speculations have re-
ceived attentive consideration from experts
IN social science at home and abroad. In
this paper he does not advance any new the
cries, but he brings to the support of his
opinions some important new facts, in the
nature Of cumulative evidence supplied by
the last national census.
At the beginning of this century New
England contained homogeneous popula-
tion, mostly engage in agricultural pursuits,
living contentedy on their farms, in COM
formity with the natural and moral condi-
tions of prosperity in the family relation,
rearing numerous progeny who contribu-
ted by their sturdy character, not less than
by their industry, to the growth and pros
perity of the New England Commonwealth.
Within fifty years great change has been
wrought and the elements and causes of
article before u.s.
The first cause referred to is the emigra-
ton from New England to other States.
This emigration began early in the century
and at first was chiefly to New York and
Ohio. Later it helped to populate other
States and has been constant draft upon
the New England population ever since. In
1S40 the census reported nearly half nil
lion natives of New England living in other
States, and this number has been kept good
ever since, the continued emigration more
than repairing the losses by DEATH In 1870
the number of native New Englanders living
in other States was 615,747, in 1880 it was
566,S3S; but iii these later years the number
unquestionably includes.many born in New
England Of foreign born parents. But there
has been great drain of the cid New Eng
land stock, and the emigrants were natural
ly the more vigorous and enterprising of the
population.
Then there has been noteworthy inter-
change of population between the States.
The last census reports 1876 persons liv-
er New England States, and over IS, 900 ma
tives of Massachusetts living in these States.
The significant feature of this exchange is
the obvious drift away from agricultural &C.
equations to manufacturing, mechanical,
and clerical employments, the change from
country,to town and city, life. The country
towns remote from railroads, as is well
known, are decreasing in population,
and the number engaged in trades and trans
portation, in professional and personal sew
vice, in manufactures and mechanics, in
creases relatively much faster than the num-
Der engaged in agriculture. Massachusetts
has only one-tenth as many engaged in agri-
culture as are engaged in other pursuits
while in Maine the proportion is one-third,
and more persons in this State are engaged
in agriculture than in any other of the New
England States. These changes in occupa-
ton cause in the opinion of DR.. Allen a
marked change in the physical character of
the New England people.
The next element considered by him is the
decrease in the birth rate OF the native New
LIE 1dllliACcs 1Adb IucIc 10 SQCU q QC-
crease appears be thinks to the knowledge of
all who are acquainted with New England
families as they were fifty and sixty years
ago and as they are now. Then large families
Of children were the rule, now they are rath-
er the exception. Then several families
in neighborhood containing from to II
children each were not uncommon, and a
family with no children or with but one or
two was unusual and considered unfortun-
ate. Now the state of affairs is exactly re-
versed. Small families are the rule, large fam
lilies the exception. DR.. Allen believes that
this is owing to an unnatural and excessive
development OF the nervous system, at the
expense of other powers and capacities, and
that this excessive development is due
to the changed occupations of the people.
The effect of the vast immigration of for
eigners is next considered. Fifty years ago
there were few foreign-born persons in the
New England States, in 1880 there were on
ly 1920 in Massachusetts, The whole num-
Der in the New England States according to
the census of 1880 was 1893, 121, of whom over
oOO,uUu CdlIlo lIOu 1Eciduus Ills QOts uOb
include the children of foreigners. The for
eign element, counting those born out Of the
country and their children born here, num-
bers at the present time DIR. Allen thinks,
not less than / 200, 900 in New England or
more than one fourth of the total popula-
ton. The birth rate in the families of for
eigners much exceeds that in the families of
the native por ulation, and he thinks that
before many years have passed it will be
true that three-fourths of all the births in
New England will be credited to what it is
not unfair to call the foreign element.
This is but partial summary of the i'm
portant matters presented in this article of
DR.. Aliens which has already received
much attention from the press and from
thoughtful minds, and is likely to cause a
very serious discussion of New England ten
denotes.