CHANGES IN NEW ENGLAND POPULATION. 435 



erf ul influence physical organization has upon the character of a peo- 

 ple. The permanent prosperity of any community depends far more 

 upon the laws of inheritance than is generally supposed. 



Let the most enterprising and promising among the young people 

 emigrate from a place, and it must, in the course of time, have its 

 influence. Whether the vital interests of New England have not suf- 

 fered in this respect, from so many persons emigrating in the prime 

 of life presents a question worthy of careful consideration. 



Interchange op Population. There is another change going 

 on in these States quite different from the one described. This con- 

 sists in frequent removals from one State to another. 



The census of 1880 shows that Massachusetts had at that time 

 08,226 residents born in Maine ; 54,088 born in New Hampshire ; 

 20,869 in Vermont; 20,514 in Connecticut; and 17,007 in Rhode 

 Island, making 186,764 persons who have removed there from other 

 States. At the same time these five other States had 85,478 persons 

 living in their bounds born in Massachusetts. Deduct these 85,478 

 from the 186,764, and Massachusetts gains over 100,000, mostly from 

 Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. 



There is very little migration from the other New England States 

 to Connecticut or Rhode Island, and scarcely any from the latter to 

 the former. Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, make very 

 nearly equal exchanges, neither gaining nor losing much. These re- 

 movals from one State to another are prompted from a great variety 

 of interests, personal and local. The States most benefited by them 

 are those employed largely in manufacturing business. These changes 

 are carried on chiefly between villages and cities, and seldom take 

 place in the rural or country districts. It may be said that the foreign 

 element is largely concerned in these removals. 



Country Life exchanged for the City. This change is not 

 governed at all by State lines. It commenced forty or fifty years ago, 

 from country districts to places where trade or business demanded 

 help. The introduction of manufactures and mechanical pursuits of 

 various kinds, as well as the opening of railroads, created a great de- 

 mand for laborers. By means of those changes and other agencies, 

 trade and commerce became very much enlarged, and furnished em- 

 ployment for increased numbers. 



Here and there new centers of business were formed ; new vil- 

 lages sprang up, and large towns were converted into cities. In some 

 parts of New England these removals have taken place to such an 

 extent as to change the face of the country and the state of society. 

 It commenced first in the small farming towns, and has prevailed 

 most in places remote from markets and railroad accommodations. 



The effect of such removals is especially marked in Massachusetts, 

 as she possesses a larger number of cities, more railroad facilities, and 

 a greater diversity of pursuits. The census shows the following facts : 



