Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-03-25
RACE SUICIDE QUESTION.


The discussion about race suicide"
continues Most Of those who give
the subject thought, consider the
problem one Of the grayest that con-
front The present generation. They find
the decrease IN the birthrate among
native Americans alarming, and quote
In support Of their fears The alleged
fact that In two generations II has
fallen from 20 TO Is per thousand Of
population
As viii be- remembered, Mrs Van
Worst started the discussion by declar-
Ing that among the American. born
women OF this country the sterlity is
greater than those Of any other coun-
try In the world, unless It be France.
The original causes for the sterilty she
said. are moral and not physical.
Among the enemies TO fecundity and a
natural destiny there are two which act
as potently In the lower as IN the upper
classes-the triumph Of lndlyidualism.
the love Of luxury.
Henry George, Jr. does not seem TO
share in the alarm about this condition.
In a contribution 20 the Chicago Rec
ord Herald he takes the view chat ma
ture' does not make any mistake I'm
the matter OF the perpetuauon Of the
race. il II nature that provides that
fewer babies shall be born where con-
dluons have reached that stage OF
physical ease In which men find play
for their intellectual powers He ar
CUES:
Tn the pioneer state OF q country the
families are always large, for men iu
numbers are needed To contend with
nature aud wrest subsistence from &C..
| In thc slume Of great city, where One
robbery of the mass ~ much oi thp
| fruits OF their labor forces Them into "a
| constant and desperate struggle Tor
subsistence, nature is pr0digal iu hu-
man births.
"But wherever conditions of physical
NO ease and soften, and Che perpetul-
don OF The race Us more assured. nature
/ brings fewer births. the increase of
population is slower
"Not that human beings living IN the
| eg4ier and more refined condition 90 ne
consciously, and after due reflection
! act Co this end. They act unconscious
/ Iy and without reileciIon-1y n great
! laN outside of thCmsplyes-tho natural
| laws o., population
'Just as nature regulates the proper
/ zion of sexes so she regulates tbe ln-
crease of population. qu.ckenlng The
movement when such increase would
! sll jo the general comfort by ucroas-
/ ne the powers OF men associated in
/ iaat close state OF conscious and un-
conscious cooperation That we call
! civilization or when the continuance
of he mcs IS threatened by yrgat loss
ol numbers throu-n wnr or disease
! Iut sackoninT tho movement when
uch comfort ia reached and n0 such
dangers bosrt the race
similar Views he says. were adFo-
Gated by HE father In his Progress and
/ Poverty
There rs something 90 ,hls copten-
tlon for history proves that 10 counties
/ Devastated Boy wars. OBJ other causes the
population D. rapidly increasing While
countries With ntle room i0r itle-
ment have small families. ru. those
conditions go not apply 90 tho United
| States There are no physical reasons
why me nlt.,e stock should decrease
and the Imported stock Increase MAJ
| ture cannot act 90 Que urpoauon thar
! there is room enough Tor Che descend
ants OF lmmgmnts, ana not Tor those
Of native parents The fact IS thai
there IS plenty of room lor all Even n
Tho entire Europe should be transfer.
red 10 this continent there would sim
be ample room for ceatu. les Tor an In
crease
Tbs rausfs are not physical but NOR
al. AS President Roosevelt said In his
letter to Mrs. Van Worst the trouble Is
one Of chotscicr ami there ,-