78 Appendix I 



please." Otherwise this is mere opinion. It 

 is the ladder, or what I term the net, which, 

 according to Sir James, is defective. As 

 far as I can see, the County Councils at 

 present are almost carrying individuals up 

 the ladder. 



4 In my letter to you, sir, I did not not say 

 that the dearth of ability was solely due to 

 the decreased relative fertility of the abler 

 classes. I said that statistically this could 

 be demonstrated as a vera causa, but it may 

 not be the only one. If we know it to be 

 at least one source I hold a principal source 

 of the evil, we have recognised, at any 

 rate, in what direction to strive for a partial 

 remedy. Sir James Crichton- Browne in the 

 last paragraph of his letter seems to admit 

 my contention, although he speaks of "the 

 ominous significance of the fall in the birth- 

 rate," a term which from my standpoint can 

 have no significance whatever in this matter. 

 The problem is one of relative net fertility, 

 and the fall or rise in the birth-rate, as cal- 

 culated in the usual manner by the Registrar- 

 General, seems to have no bearing on the 

 subject. If Sir James admits my vera causa, 

 it may be asked why am I not content to 

 recognise his also ? Or ought I to say his 

 two causes ? These appear to be : 



'i. " The artificial production of stupidity 

 in various ways." 



1 These ways are not closely defined, and 

 I do not clearly know to what Sir James 



