RACE SUICIDE IN THE UNITED STATES 217 



to increase the birth rate merely for the sake of maintaining 

 a constant increase in population, because to neither this nor 

 the next generation will such increase be specially beneficial. 

 But considered as one of the signs of forces which are at work 

 to modify the existing conditions of society, and some of which 

 appear to be of evil tendency, this diminution of the birth rate 

 merits careful consideration by statisticians, sociologists, 

 politicians, and all who are interested in the physical and moral 

 well being of the inhabitants of this country." 



The evidence that has developed and come to the knowl- 

 edge of the writer during the twelve years since this article was 

 written has strengthened his belief in the substantial accuracy 

 of the foregoing statement. But in this field the measuring 

 rod of statistics will find little application until the vital statis- 

 tics of the United States are more perfectly developed. 



