The Portland daily press., 1883-12-17

"The Survival of the Fitiest'-Last of she
Regular Series of MIR. DaIton's Lee

heRutar series OF Mr. Balton's Lee
lures.
Saturday afternoon Rev. Mr.. Dalton deliv.
cred the final lecture of one of the most inter-
esting courses ever given in our city. The at
tendance far exceeded that upon any OF his
previous lectures, which illustrates the grow
ing interest felt in his scholarly productions.
The subject of the lecture was the claw of
Survival" as applied TO races of men, or the
Survival of the Fittest," and it's treatment
evidenced close research.
The lecturer said with all the vaunted SCI
entiic progress of the age very few persons
probably nave adequate conception of the inn
portance of several discoveries, not wholly
new, but placed in new lights, and thereby
brought out with a distinctness before un-
known, among which is the fact that more
living things are born into the world than can
find subsistence there, with the resultant
struggle all along the line of animate exist
ence, the fttest to live alone surviving. By
the fittest, however, the highest in organiza-
ton is not always implied, for fish, oyster or
clam will live where man would die. The
fitness OF which we speak, then, refers to the
adaptation of an organization to its surround
ings and with this limitation, the theory is
sustained by facts, and is applicable to man as
to the lower animals and plants.
The lecturer then proceeded to considera-
ton of the bearing of this doctrine on the fu-
ture, not remote but near, of the human race
combining himself to the superior races nov
ruling the world, leaving the discussion of the
relations OF the superior races to the inferior to
some future lecture. By the superior races is
meant those that have history, science, liter
nth wRts lNcOx -, kl,.A
nate the Others and make the history of the
world. Among these Is ample room for dis
tiDctions and comparisons, some being not on
ly superior to Others but the general superior
ity of some one race is often decisive at Civ
en- period. In modern Europe there have
been tidal periods which have lifted the fav-
ored race to the highest water mark of the
age. The rise of Rome and other italian cit
les well illustrate this point, as does also the
supremacy in the 10th century of the now
second rate power, Spain.
France, like Spain, appears to have had her
day. England and Germany are both in the
ascendant though the former may have about
reached her highest point. Germany is de-
stined to bear sway in Europe. Russia In re-
ssting will only be driven to the wall A conn
bination of England and Germany, both being
substantially of one race, can much more
readily be made than one between France and
Russia. The efforts of France to stay the on
ward march OF Germany will result only in the
by the Germans. For the population of France
is nearly stationary, and has been SO for some
fifty years, while that of Germany is rapidlv
multiplying, as are also the English speakine
races. The result is, therefore, inevitable
One hundred years hence there will he ON O0o
900 Germans and 100, 100000 Britons. 800 ,0O0'-
600 Teutons to 60,000,000 or 10000. 600
Frenchmen. Europe first, and then both
Asia and Africa are to be dominated, chiefly
by Germany and England from this time.
But admitting this view to be correct will
not England be surpassed by Germany and
Germany by some other race as in all previous
history? Probably not, for the reason that
there is no rival race in existence, or in course
OF formation, except the Slavs, whose numbers
will not tell against Germany's superior or
ganization and higher intelligence The leo
turer cited the recent war between Chill and
Peru as illustrative of this point The superior
organization of the Chilians enabled them ia
easily conquer nation numerically their SUI
perior. To those who doubted still he would
suggest consulting Herodotus on the war of
the Greeks and the Persians, the latter num-
bering millions to thousands of the former.
What OF our own land? Is not America to
surpass Europe, as Europe Asia, and Asia At
RIGA? Yes; but not in the same way. We be-
long to the conqnering race in Europe, and in
the New World our ascendancy is even more
certain than that of our cousins in the Old.
We double in less than thirty years. One hun
dred years hence we shall number 400 900 600.
and with all due allowance for decline in the
ratio OF increase, our population 200 years
hence ora25O years hence, will surpass the pres
ent known population of the globe, and will
have oyer-run all South America. Tn the
same time as has elapsed since the founding of
our New England cities-250 years-the Teu-
tonic races will have over-run the world. The
English-speaking races in America will have
absorbed all the others-the Celtic at the
North, the.Germsns and Scandinavians at the
West, the French and Spanish of both Ameri-
cas-. That the Teutons are, and viii prove to
be the fittest is argued from their greater vital
lty and superior physique, higher intelligence
and morality, and superior genius for political
life and civil institutions
Whether the effect of this irresistible growth
and powe- OF one virtually dominant race ia to
be desired OF deprecated, it would be improfit-
able to discuss, as by the memorable law of the
Survival OF the fttest" it must occur. We
believe, however. that this race will have
greater future for itself and the world than
could be secured by any other. for they have
lived and died to secure free institutions, ra-
tional religion and popular education.
In conclusion the probability of anv combi
nation OF the Latin races in Europe was con-
sidered. From the fact of the dstrust of Spain.
france ana Italy OF one another's designs
such combination seems very unlikely. The
matter OF assimilation of races in America was
also considered. The Germaps and Scandina-
vians are our brethren, but little removed from
ourselves, and must readily assimilate. 1t is
the irony OF history or fate that two races
should be brought face to face, as the Puritanic
New Englanders and the Celtic races Time
will show which of them will assimilate the
other: Whichever way the scale inclines we
shall have modification of the present Puri-
tan type, lighter-hesrted and more easy-go-
ing race of mortals. In the West the Ger an
element will insure different type, and for
the South, the Spanish American races
Mr. Dalton gave also graphic review Of the
political and religious history of France, and
the decline OF the Latin races and the increas-
ing supremacy of the Teutonic, and this de-
cline he traced to their ruling passion for war,
while the nations whose leading pursuits are