RACE SUICIDE IN THE UNITED STATES 213 



racy of the censuses leaclin<!; to omissions of larger and larger 

 proportions of children is too improljable for serious refutation, 

 and yet no other akemative can be suggested ])y aid of which 

 to escape the conchision that the birth rate has decHiicd per- 

 sistentl}' since 1860. 



It is beyond the scope of the present discussion to examine 

 the causes of this decline in the birth rate. But one sugges- 

 tion, made by the superintendent of the censuses of 187(3 and 

 1880, Gen. F. A. Walker, and supported by statistical evidence, 

 seems to call for mention here. General Walker pointed out 

 that the decline in the rate of increase of the American popu- 

 lation (and so the decline in the birth rate) began with the 

 rapid influx of immigrants. The following quotations give 

 the gist of his contention : 



'^As the foreigners began to come in larger numbers, the 

 native population more and more withheld their own increase. 

 Now, this correspondence might be accounted for in three 

 different ways: (1) It might be said that it was a mere coin- 

 cidence, no relation of cause and effoct existing between the 

 two phenomena. (2) It might be said that the foreigners came 

 because the native population was relatively declining — that 

 is, failing to keep up its pristine rate of increase. (3) It might 

 be said that the growth of the native population was checked 

 by the incoming of the foreign elements in such large num- 

 bers. * * * 



'The true explanation of the remarkable fact we are con- 

 sidering I believe to be the last of the three suggested. The 

 access of foreigners at the time and imder the circumstances 

 constituted a shock to the principle of population among the 

 native elem.ent. That principle is always acutely sensitive, 

 alike to sentimental and to economic conditions. And it is to 

 be noted, in passing, that not only did the decline m the native 

 element, as a whole, take place in singular correspondence wdth 

 the excess of foreign arrivals, but it occurred chiefly in just 

 those regions to which the newcomers most freely resorted." 



General Walker concludes: 'Tf the foregoing views are 

 true, or contain any considerable degree of truth, foreign im- 

 migration into this country has, from the time it first assumed 

 large proportions, amounted not to a reinforcement of our 



