Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1903-02-27
COM MUNIcATIok.
Race Suicide.

cuietotf tAIi'cctr ahohh tehtso 'heS
sentiments: Go back TO the simple sin
cere lives Of our ancestors, aud live to
some purpose. There can he no greater
purpose than the propagation Of great
people"
Race Suicide" is a subject that is
just now unduly agitating the minds OF
a few people, owing to imperfect knowl-
edge and the narrow view they take of a
subject as broad as the land. These
people evidently believe that the future
welfare of the country is threatened by
the probable extinction Of the "purely
American" race. Let us inquire into
this question. of race and see for our
selves il there is any serious cause for
alarm. On doing this We find that the
human race is divided, by ethnologists,
into five leading families, namely, the
Caucasian, Monaghan, Negro, Malay
and American. Just now two of these
are under consideration, the Caucasian
and the purely American. The latter
were the coppercolored Aborigines. The
wholesale suicide of a large proportion
of them would have been deemed at one
time q most fortunate circumstance.
Better the early extinction of the whole
race than the horrible episodes of the
Indian wars.
Nine-tenths of the people of Europe
belong to the Caucasian family. The
first white settlers were Europeans.
Many of them the French, who so ma
terially assisted in gaining our indie
pendence. Suppose that there had been
q law restraining the settlers from each
of the European countries from inter
marrying with foreigners, so that each
class might be distinct. Can you not
imagine the struggles for supremacy
that would have been inevitable, aud
the extreme activity of the Aborigines
under such circumstances
We read that the alarmists even 40 so
far as to express the wish that this
country was peopled only by the "purely
American" class. If by this term "pure-
ly American" they mean (and it is rea-
sonable to suppose they do) the lineal
descendants of the Pilgrims, do they not
realize that, taking all we'll known facts
into consideration, it would have been a
necessary means to their existence that
their ancestors should have mated with
those even more purely American than
themselves? A just appreciation of the
sentiment, "America for the Americans -
coming from such source, would make
even an Indian grin. When the people
who are perhaps without i'll intent
stirring up race antipathy, grieve over
conditions by no means deplorable, they
should remember that the beauty, wit,
and elegance of the Americans of today,
and their knowledge Of the arts, sciences
aud manufactures is largely if not
wholly due to the fact that America is
cosmopolitan. Doubtless they fear that
American institutions are threatened by
the rapidly increasing foreign element
Sufficient for the day." it is a long way
off.
In regard to the extent of propaga.
ton. In many American families, in
our own town, there are, let US say, from
two to five children. These are nour.
ished and educated TO the limit of the
means of their parents. Compare the
lot in life of these children with that of
those who are members of large families
reared upon means barely sufficient for
necessaries, and it becomes apparent
that the Americans of limited means are
wise in that they undertake no more
than they can perform, at least, fairly
we'll. The more extremely poor there
are, the worse for the country. People
of ample means who have no family
could, doubtless, give good and sufficient
reasons for the fact, if anyone has the
right to require reason. To call them
criminal, and selfish, in that they ar.
range their affairs to suit themselves, is
going pretty far, even for extreme pat.
riotism. Wealthy Americans having the
means to travel the world over are ap,
to take broad view of things. Perhaps
they see, no great disadvantage to thei,
country inpleasing themselves in mat
ter that is clearly their own affair.
Each one will be called upon to answer
for himself only. But those who ar,
truly patriotic will desire a survival O
the fittest, whoever they may be. Thos'
who may come after can in no wise dis
turb the peace of those gone before
!, Why quarrel with the divine will? Anti
foreign sentiments in these days ar.
narrow. ungenerous and unchristian
"One touch Of nature makes the Who'll
world kim" ANGLE.
SPLENDID SUCCESS.