234 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



not physically strong, but who is admitted because he claims to be 

 skilled in a trade requiring no great physical strength, may have 

 considerable money and yet be almost certain to become sooner or 

 later dependent upon some one. 



There remains the question of race degeneration. On this score 

 the coming of the German, the Irishman, or the Scandinavian no 

 longer causes apprehension. He has demonstrated his capability of 

 making a useful and permanent citizen. His children have attended 

 American schools, and they enter upon life with American ideals in 

 their heads and American patriotism in their hearts. But, as was 

 said before, these races no longer constitute the majority of the immi- 

 grants. It is a question whether the Italian, the Jew, or the Slav is 

 willing to merge his identity in that of the nation, and whether such 

 a fusion would not degenerate our race. In order not to deteriorate 

 a race the new elements blended with it should be at least as physically 

 strong as the native race itself. 



Some idea of the relative physical condition of the different races 



from southern and central Europe can be gleaned from the following 



tables : 



Table 1. 



Ratio of Immigrants by Race requiring Hospital Treatment on Arrival to 

 the Number of that Race Landed during the Fiscal Year ended June 80, 1901 : 



Race. Ratio 



Slav (Pole, Slovak, Croatian) 1 in every 300 



Magyar 1 " 



Finn 1 



Italian 1 



Lithuanian 1 " 



Hebrew 1 " 



Syrian 1 " 



Table 2. 



Ratio of Immigrants Certified as having some Disability grave enough to 

 make them Public Charges, or Dependent upon some one, by Race to the Total 

 Number Landed during the Month of May, 1901 : 



Lithuanian 1 in every 1,908 



Slav (Pole, Slovak, Croat) 1 



Italian 



Finn 



Magyar 



Hebrew 



Syrian 



The average immigrants are of course not only far below the 

 average American in intellect, but are physically inferior. Sensible 

 expectation does not look for race improvement, but rather that before 

 the new element is assimilated the improved surroundings, better food 

 and cleaner habitations will build up physically the immigrant parent 



