Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-26
THE RACE PROBLEM,
The Economic Association Discusses
the Possible Authorization of America.


The members Of the Washington branch of
the American Economic association INDUCED in
some interesting reflections last night at their
meeting at AL Souls church on the subject of
the Africanization Of this country. In the alb
sence of both the president and vice-president
Mr.. E I. Peters, of the Agricultural depart
ment was called to the chair. The discussion
was precipitated by the reading of a paper by
Mr.. L. Stein, Of the geological survey, on the
subject: Are we to become Afrieanized?" Mr..
Stems view Of the situation was somewhat
gloomy, at least from the white mans point of
view. and in general he prophesied a danger of
the fulhllment of what his subject suggested
His paper was mostly a review Of an article by
Mr. Gannett, under the same title. in the Pop
ular Science Monthly for June, 1885. Mr. GAN
nett pointed out by census figures that the
negroes of this country are not increasing as
rapidly as the whites.
Mr.. STEMS FIGURES
The figures as presented by Mr.. Stein, also
taken from the census. showed an increase of
54s5 per cent for colored people, 1922 per
cent for whites and 20.s4 per cent for whites
without counting immigration. As there has
always been some doubt about the accuracy of
the ngures OF the census of 1870. the truth of
these figures is by no means absolute. and Mr..
colored increase was probably about 80 per
cent, and the white increase. without immigra-
tion, about % per cent. He argued that we
need more and more intelligence and morality
the increase of the less intelligent
race over the whites presented an
alarming social-pOlitical problem. The colored
people form about Al per cent of the entire
population In the south. and the time is not far
distant when the population in many southern
districts will be African. Travellers in the
south have brought away with them vague i'm
pressiOns that in colored families the children
number from eight to ten, while in white fam
lilies they number but from four to six. In New
England the native population is about station
ary. If not retrogradIng. The white population
u far from able to compete with the negro in
the multiplying power, and the prospect is that
the negro will gain even more rapidly in the
future.
vHITEE on BLAcKER?
There is another question to consider, Mr.
Stein said, and that is whether the negro is
growing whittier or biacker? Yet on the whole
it is better, in view of the uncertainty of the
census figures, on which all arguments must be
based, to postpone a decision of the problem
until after the taking OF the census of 1890. In
conclusion the speaker painted rather gloomy
picture. Shall we. he asked. look forward to
the time when the only evidence that a pure
white race once dwelt in the south will be the
presence Of our statuary?
The DISCUSSION.
The discussion following the paper was
started by Mr.. Erwin F. Smith, whose views
coincide with those of Mr.. Stein. He thought
however. that il is a trueism that as a race in
creeses IN brain capacity the number of per-
sons in the families decreases
cir. Burbage presented some theories of his
own regarding the working of the law of evo-
luton. This law. he thought, as applied to
population. i that the birth-rate and the death
rate of every species tend to an equilibrium
according 10 the grades of intelligence. As the
scale OF Development goes up the rates go
down. and the scale goes down both rates go
up. He was Of the opinion. upon applying this
law to the state of affairs in this country, that
the next census will show a decrease in the
rate OF increase of the colored population
Mr.. BlOdgett spoke at length Of the size and
extent of the food-raising belt of the United
States. and the part II plays in the race prob
lem.
The question was also discussed by Messrs
Smiley, Moore, Tibbetts and Jones.