The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-29
CLIMATE AND RACE.
How People arc Affected by the Country
in Which They Live.

How People are Affected by the Country
in Which They Live.
Are English-speakingp people destined
to rule the world? They have multi
piled SO rapidly that some writers think
that they may yet out-num Der all other
peoples combined.
In the year 1900 they were about
twenty millions: they are now nearly
six times as numerous: and there is no
apparent check in their rate Of increase.
Should 1t continue fer another hun
dred years there will be about seven
hundred millions of them in the world,
or nearly half as many as the worlds
present total population.
AS the English-speakers politically
own great territories, including all
America north of Mexico and the whole
continent" OF Australia, their posi-
bic skiold increase during the next
century need not be stopped for lack of
land.
No wonder. then, that many writer's
contend that the ideas if not the phys
zeal force, OF the English-speaking
peoples are destined to rule so general
II that the peoples of other European
languages must, as compared with
them, become minor nations. 1t is
even argued that all nations will be
compelled to learn our language in or
der to share in commerce.
This prospect is hattering to people
of the English-speaking nations. They
can see much reason to hope that their
language may greatly prevail. They
would like to think that their ideas
and ways also will become those Of the
world at large.
But the opinion that this can occur
through the mere spread of the lam
guage is sharply contradicted, not only
by the fact that the increase in the
number of those who use it is partly
accounted for by its adoption as the
common language by persons of other
than Anglo-Saxon race, but also by
observations Of the effect of climate on
race.
The peculiar characteristics of Amer
leans and British, the two great En-
glish-speaking nations, are largely due
to climate. These peoples have had to
work hard in order TO live comforta bly,
where nature gives little except to toll
and where long winters compel massive
building as well as the storing of much
food and raiment.
Thus they have become among the
most industrious, prudent, thrifty,
steadfast and moral of all peoples. Gil
mate forced them to strive. Striving
increased their talents. energies, self
restraint, knowledge and acquisitions
from generation to generation. But
what climate produces climate can de-
stroy. For instance. it is now asserted
that the Australians of English de-
scent, though they retain much energy
through one or two generations from
the original settlers, distinctly show
the results of living in warm, equa BILE
climate, without fear of long winters.
They are said to be mole care-free
or less preoccupied, easier of temper,
more vivacious, eXtravagant and in
dolent. The same is alleged of the
progeny of English-speaking settlers
in all warm climates. If it be true,
the enormous warm countries political
lv owned by English-speakers may not
J be destined to induence the world
toward the qualities and ideas of the
northern English-speakers.
A doubt is also thrown against the
hope that the white English-speaker.
of Australia and other warm countries
will greatly multiply. 1t is said that
7 they incline to leave all arduous bodi-
/ ly labor TO hired Africans, Asiaties
/ and natives of the Pacific islands.
| These races multiply on the land and
viii, it is predicted, ultimately practi'
| cally own ii and consume nearly all its
product. In short, the tendency Of
English-speakers in warm climate is tc
multiply only enough to live by direct
ing the Dor of dark-skinned races.
According to this view the future
NAV belong much more to the English
( language than to people closely resem
bling in character and blood the pres
ent users of our tongue. These ant
their progeny will certainly long wielC
! great influence, but that they can wiel(
the world into something like unity
seems against an ordinance of nature
in favor of great variety of nationa
| temperament
1t has been said that the destiny o
the present English-speakers is to pro
duce the foremen Of the world, anC
this seems more in keeping with fact
than the opinion that they can contro
all chimes and lands to the mainte
nance of one general English-like typ
of men and minds. - Youths COM
panion.