The Newtown bee., 1903-03-06
TOWN TOPICS.
SOCIAL TOPICS, NO. 5.


All persons of foreign parentage in the terms of the last census, includes those having foreign fathers and for eign mothers; foreign fathers and native mothers; or foreign mothers and native fathers. The grand total for the United States, 1900, was 26,- l98, ,939. Of this number, Fl, ,O74, ,679 were reported as having foreign fathers and foreign mothers; 3,425, ,5O1 mothers; and 1,698, 759 as having for eign mothers and native fathers.
 The intermarriage of different na- tiOnalities is indicated by a table of people of mixed foreign parentage, classified according to combinations of parentage. The total included in this topic is l, ,340,678; of which 2O,751 were enumerated in Connecticut. The ex- hibit is of fathers born in Austria, Bohemia, Canada English, and Can ada French; Denmark, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Russia, Scot land, Sweden, Switzerland, Wales and other countries: and the mothers born in other, various lands. 1 give few instances simply to illustrate, quoting the largest numbers. Of those whose fathers were born in Austria, IA, 938 of the mothers were born in Germany; Bohemian fathers, 4,O24 German mothers; Canadian English fathers, and 1861 Irish mothers; Canadian French fathers, and 8,63O Canadian English mothers; the fathers of Denmark had 10, 264 German moth CTS; English fathers and 92,OO3 Irish mothers:> with French fathers, 27,927 German mothers lead; German fathers with large numbers of Irish, English and Swiss mothers; Hungary and Ger many; Ireland and Canada, England and Scotland are largely mixed by marriages; Italian fathers with German or Irish mothers lead; Norway and Sweden; Poland and German; Russian and German; Scotland and Ireland. The intermarriage of races, a more serious matter than the mixing up of natiOnalitieS, cannot be so clearly in- dicated, as place of birth does not de- termine that. Still we can judge somewhat of the nature of society in which we have indicated.
 Here we touch one of the great sub- jects of social science. Out of all this ! diversity of elements, and combina- tions of races, nationalities, and con- ditions of life by what law, natural, civil, or moral, is the future welfare of mankind safeguarded, that it may reach it's destined stage of the highest evolution and perfection? Did all these races and nationalities have one common origin? Are we all of one common parentage? Are we of one blood; and if so to what extent is it wise to intermarry?
 Lecky, the great English historian, says: Marriages of different races or colors are rarely happy2 But is hap. pineSs the chief end of marriage?
 l Concerning international marriages it has been remarked that 'The mod ern nations of Europe and America are all more or less mixed, and this is es- pecially true of the English, and the Americans of the United States. The results of the crosses, in these cases, seem favorable. The good qualities bined, to certain extent, to form a new race, superior to either )f the elements. It does not follow, however
 that any and every racial mixture is desirable or allowable. In this case as in the matter of temperament there are incompatible as we'll as com.
 patible combinations. An American may marry an English, German
 French or Irish lady, provided the diff
 ferences between the parties in char
 acter, habits and religion be such a! can be made to harmonize, and the
 results may be favorable to all concern
 ed. A union, however, of a Caucasian
 with an American Indian,a a Mongolian
 or Negro can result neither in con
 juga1 harmony nor in well-constitute(
 offspring."