Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 8.djvu/426

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410 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

health for 1899, the last year for which figures are yet available, the death-rate in Honolulu was : for Hawaiians 42.81 per 1,000, for Japanese 28.93, f r Portuguese 19.09, for Chinese 16.16, and for all others 13.75. These figures, however, are misleading. The death-rate among Hawaiians in Honolulu is unusually high because many of them, not yet accustomed to city life, have not learned how to rear children under urban conditions. And the death-rate among Chinese and some other classes of foreigners is unusually low because of the small number of women and children among them, in proportion to population.

4. Finally, it may be noted that civilization does not neces- sarily " eat up the savage." It may depress and devour a primi- tive people, or it may stimulate and strengthen them ; everything depending on the character of the civilization and the qualities of the people. In this respect an interesting parallelism may be pointed out between the Maoris of New Zealand and the Hawaiians. Both are kindred branches of the same race. Their conditions of life and experience have likewise been simi- lar. The former are under the dominion of one division of the English-speaking people, the latter is now under the protection of the other. In 1860 the Maori population was estimated at 100,000. But in 1885, on account of war, vice, and disease, it had fallen to about 45,000. Then war ceased, the other causes diminished, and population for a time remained practically stationary. In 1891 it was 41,993; in 1896, 38,854; and in 1901, 43,101 not including 2,407 half-castes who were living with, and were enumerated as, Europeans. Thus the Maori people are now increasing. The same is true of other races under British rule, and of the North American Indians accord- ing to the last census returns under American rule. Conse- quently it is but reasonable and natural to conclude that the Hawaiian race also will soon increase.

There is one dark cloud, however, on the horizon, which demands the attention of everyone who is interested in the future of a brave and affectionate people, the most kindly and generous in the world. In the last hundred years there have been three distinct periods of prosperity on the islands that of