740 REPORT — 1901. 



of 18'3, as in the United Kingdom, and it is tliis comparatively high death-rate 

 which really makes the population stationary. The speculations indulged in in 

 some quarters, therefore, though they may be justified in future, are hardly yet 

 justified by the general statistical facts. The subject is one of profound interest, 

 and must be carefully studied ; but the conclusions I have referred to must be 

 regarded as premature until the study has been made. 



Conclusion. 



Such are a few illustrations of the importance of the ideas which are suggested 

 by the most common statistics — those of the regular records which civilised 

 societies have instituted. It is, indeed, self-evident how important it is to know 

 such facts as the growing weight of countries of European civilisation in com- 

 parison with others ; the relative growth of the British Empire, Russia, Germany, 

 and the United States, in comparison with other nations of Europe or of Euro- 

 pean origin ; the dependence of other European countries as well as the United 

 Kingdom upon imports of food and raw materials ; the ability of old countries 

 and of old centres in new countries to maintain large and increasing populations : 

 and the evidence whicli is now accumulating of changes in the rate of growth of 

 European nations, with suggestions as to the causes of the changes. It would be 

 easy, indeed, to write whole chapters on some of the topics instead of making a 

 remark or two only to bring out their value a little. It would also be very easy 

 to add to the list. There was a strong temptation to include in it a reference to 

 the relative growth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, which has now become the 

 text of so much discussion regarding the practical question of diminishing the 

 relative representation of Ireland in Parliament, and increasing that of England 

 and Scotland. It is expedient, however, in an address like this, to avoid anything 

 which verges on party politics, and I shall only notice that while the topic has 

 lately become of keen interest to politicians, it is not new to statisticians, who 

 were able long ago to foresee what is now so much remarked on. This very topic 

 was discussed at length in the addresses of 1882-83, to which reference has been 

 made, and even before that in 1876 it received attention.^ Another topic which 

 might have been added is that of the economic growth of the different countries 

 which was discussed in the address in 1883 ; and such topics as the increase of 

 population in a country like India under the peace imposed by its European 

 conquerors, by which the stationariness of the country in numbers and wealth 

 under purely native conditions has been changed, and something like European 

 progress has been begun. Enough has been said, however, it may be hoped, to 

 justify this mode of looking at statistics, and the ideas suggested by them. 



May I once more, then, express the hope, as I have done on former occasions, 

 that as time goes on more and more attention will be given to these common 

 statistics and the ideas derived from them ? The domination of the ideas suggested 

 by these common figures of population statistics, in international politics and in 

 social and economic relations, is obvious ; and although the decline in the rate of 

 growth of population in recent years, the last of the topics now touched on, 

 suggests a great many points which tlie statistics themselves are as yet unfit to 

 golvp — what can be done with a great country like the United States, absolutely 

 devoid of bare records of births, marriages, and deaths.^ — still the facts of the 

 decline as far as recorded throw a great deal of light on the social and economic 

 history of the past century, prepare the way for discussing the further topics 

 which require a more elaborate treatment, and enforce the necessity for more and 

 better records. We may emphasise the appeal; then, for the better statistical 

 and economic education of our public men, and for the more careful study by all 

 concerned of such familiar publications as the ' Statistical Abstracts,' the 

 ' Statesman's Year-book,' and the like. The material transformations which are 

 going on throughout the world can be substantially followed without any 

 difficulty in such publications by those who have eyes to see ; and to follow such 

 transformations, so as to be ready for the practical questions constantly raised, is 

 at least one of the main uses of statistical knowledge. 



' See Essays in Finance, 2nd series, p. 290 et seq. ; p. 330 et seq. ; and 1st series, 

 p. 280 et seq. 



