Page:Cambridge Modern History Volume 7.djvu/735

 -i89o] Immigration and population. 703 showing an increase of 7,000,000, or 22'6 per cent., during the decade of the war. Of this population nearly 5,000,000 were negroes, about 5,500,000 foreign-born, and about 5,000,000 native-born of foreign parents. The latter two classes together formed over 28 per cent, of the population. By 1880 the total population had increased to over 50,155,183 (or 30 per cent.), among whom the foreign-born and native- born of foreign parents numbered nearly 15,000,000, or 29*8 per cent. The percentage of foreign-born, however, diminished, the total number increasing to 6,679,543, being now less than the descendants of foreign- born in the first generation. The decade from 1880 to 1890 brought a relative increase in the population of both classes. Out of a total population of over 62,000,000 (an increase of 24'9 per cent.) the number of foreign-born was 9,250,000, and of foreign-born plus native- born of foreign parents over 20,000,000, being 14*8 per cent, and 33 per cent, respectively of the total population. In other words, while the total population increased about 25 per cent., the foreign element increased about 38 per cent., whether the foreign-born alone, or all those born of foreign parents, are considered. Immigration fell off again in the nineties; and the proportion of foreign-born fell by 1900 to 13*7 per cent, of the total population (actual numbers 10,460,085), while the percentage of all those of foreign parentage increased to 34-3 per cent, of the total, in actual numbers about 26,000,000. This shows an increase over the numbers of 1890 of about 30 per cent, compared with an increase of 20'7 per cent, for the whole population. Despite these figures, however, it may be doubted whether, in the long run, immigration into the United States has added so largely to the population as is commonly believed. Speculations of this nature are not very fruitful; but it is certain that if the rate of increase between 1790 and 1840 had been continued to the present time, without any immigration whatsoever, the present population would be far greater than it is. The causes which lessen the rate of increase are the economic limits of production ; and, in view of these facts, it was the opinion of the most eminent of American statisticians, General Francis Walker, that immigration in the long run had not reinforced the population, but had merely " replaced native by foreign stock." This theory, however, even if accepted in modified form, would not alter the fact that the great waves of immigration in the periods 1867-72 and 1880-4 were of material assistance in supplying the immediate demand for labour at the beginning of two periods of great industrial activity. The second great factor in the industrial growth of the country has been its unparalleled command of natural resources. The area of the United States at the close of the Civil War was the same as its present area, exclusive of Alaska and the island possessions, namely, 3,025,600 square miles. A mere glance at the map shows the wonderful geographical advantages which this country enjoys. Stretching across a continent, it CH. XXII.