The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1903-11-28
PAsslNe % &c AaaERlcAls.

r : 1
United States has reached the sum
init Of its vigor and begun to decline?
We believe that question admits OF
an affirmative answer. But the
cause is not to be found where It
may generally be looked for. It is
not physical; it is not intellectual;
it is not economic, and scarcely
moral. We do not think there is
any material weakening Of the ply
steal fiber; certainly no intellectual
decline; economic conditions are
improving and morals, according
to approved ethical codes, better
than ever before.
In our opinion, the principal
cause is discernable in the decay OF
sentiment. The Pilgrim-Puritans,
Notwithstanding their austerity,
were swayed by sentiment. They
fond1y dreamed of establishing an
ideal State, not for themselves, but,
for posterity. They suffered and
endured that posterity might enjoy,
and as they builded for posterity
they sought to provide the posterity
to inhabit the structure. That SEN
timent, joinedto growing reverence
for the past, dominated until after
the Revolutionary war, Independ-
ence and the Constitution, then it
began to abate. Materialism of
the rankest kind came to flourish.
Sentimentality embodied in MEM
ory and hope dried and withered
away until, at last, and today, there
is not, in the American breast, an
appreciable emotion of reverence
for ancestry or solicitude for poster
ity. The American citizen, in re-
spect to the past and future of the
race, ranks with the American mule,
Whenever a people cease to have
profound regard for posterity-
whenever men and women cease tC
plan and work and suffer for pos
| terity-they cease to feel any mora
: obligations to provide a posterity
, What man will deliberately under
r take the burden of feeding, clothing
: and educating a large family unles!
he feels deeply for the generation
= which shall come when he is deat
: and forgotten3 What woman will de
Y liberately pass many times through
: the pains of childbirth, the worry
f labors and anxieties of child rearing
:. to populate a future about whicl
= she cares nothing at all?
This lack of sentiment is dryin
# up the sources of the distinctivel
o American element in our population
a The average American family Dirt
l. rate has decreased 60 per cent in 3
It years. The number of American
Y who wish to have few or no chi
n dren is constantly increasing, 6
Le also is the number who know ho'
IS to obtain the wish. Prevention
d becoming a regularly establishes
d commonly recognized and general
10 approved practice. While it is nj
10 a distinctively American practic
Le it prevails more among American
at than any other class in this countr,
Ig Hundreds of thousands of 70
is eigners are annually pouring in
ii our country. The better elemen
re among them come largely for Pc
1e terity's sake. They wish that the
re children, their grand children al
er their great grand children shall Ii
It under conditions better than thu
in and their ancestors enjoyed. The
ke foreigners build for posterity al
to they are providing the posterit
to Already some States are controll
nd by German Americans, others
be Irish Americans, others by ScanC
an navian Americans, and one
S. threatened by Dago American
To- Now, when we come to consid
ad that the birth rate of the Americ
Ter stock is decreasing at the rate
Ity about per cent per annum, a
ice that the foreign stock, immigra
lat and native born, is increasing
no the rate of 10 per cent, it is easy
alf see the finish of the distinctive
to American element. And to thi