family had supreme power over the family, even including the power of life and death, and was free to do with his children almost as he chose. In regions where the people were poor, infanticide was the regularly recognized means of preventing large families. The following incident illustrates this very well: In a certain section in northern Japan was a district where so little could be produced that the people were very poor and no family had more than one or two children, infanticide being regularly practised. The feudal lord of the district, being a wise man, decided to remedy this condition, which he proceeded to do by a system of irrigation which made the district. quite fertile; immediately the size of the families rose to eight and ten and infanticide disappeared. With regret for my long delay in answering, which has been due to an effort to find some books on this subject, and trusting that this may be of some slight use to you, In reply to yours of November 1, 1913, I have not been able to find any material of interest in regard to the attitude of the natives before the landing of Columbus. The ruthless attitude of the Spaniards toward the natives is well known, and apparently neither women nor children were spared. The treatment of the natives resulted in their rapid decrease in number, and as early as 1510 the traffic in African slaves was begun and long continued. Statistics as to the present condition of the child are few. During a typical quarterly period there were registered 8288 births (4269 males and 4019 females) but this probably represents only a portion of the actual births; of this number 3290 were legitimate and 4998 illegitimate. This does not, however, represent the extreme state of immorality that it might indicate, as mating lasting through years and clung to with fidelity and accompanied by a tender care for the offspring is frequently not preceded by a marriage ceremony, which is regarded as more or less of a useless expense. The population of the Republic is not known but is estimated as approximating 600,000. As among the Spanish races in general, great affection is shown to children. Fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters lavish caresses upon them continually and in public. There being few factories in the Dominican Republic, child labour, as we know it, does not exist. Children early begin to earn their living, but the work is mostly in the open air or open shops and labour conditions are far from strenuous. The clothing worn by children is scant, and youngsters of the lower classes up to the age of five or six years usually run nude, decorated only by a necklace or a pair of earrings School facilities, though provided by the State, are inadequate. The reported annual attendance at all schools in the country is only 20,000. Health conditions in the island are good. The total deaths registered in one quarter (again short of the real figures) is 1770, of which 318 deaths were of children less than a year old, and 336 of children between one and five years. The number of persons reported guilty of crimes or disorders in one quarter totaled 1910, of which 301 were between fourteen and twenty-one years of age. I am, Sir, Very respectfully yours, CHARLES H. ALLRECHT, Vice and Deputy Consul-General. AMERICAN CONSULAR SERVICE, PORT ELIZABETH, Union of SOUTH AFRICA, Mar. 7, 1914. Your letter requesting information for your book on the history of the attitude of states and tribes toward children received. Such information as has been obtained would indicate that the South African natives in this section are universally kind to children. The only "natives" in this district, using the words in a strict sense, are the "Bantus" otherwise the Kaffirs. These people are specially fond of children and use them well. If a child is left an orphan, any relative, no matter how distant, is willing to adopt the child. Indeed the services of the magistrate are frequently required in deciding disputes between claimants. Love of, and kindness to, children are undoubted characteristics of the Kaffir. South Africa has a considerable population of mixed races, but, so far as known, the colored people are kind to their children. Trusting this may meet requirements. I am, Sir, Very respectfully yours, E. A. WAKEFIELD, American Consul. BIBLIOGRAPHY ABBOTT, JOHN S. C., The Empire of Russia. New York, 1860. Acosta, José DE, The Natural and Moral History of the Indies. London, 1880. ACTON, BARON JOHN, Lectures on Modern History. London, 1906. ADAM, ALEXANDER, Roman Antiquities. New York, 1826. ADAMS, BROOKS, The New Empire. New York, 1902. ADAMS, I. W., Shibusawa; or The Passing of Old Japan. New York, 1906. ELIANUS, CLAUDIUS, De Natura Animalium. Jena, 1832. ALEXANDER, GEORGE G., Confucius the Great Teacher. London, 1890. ALLARD, PAUL, Les Esclaves Chrétiens. Paris, 1900. AMIR ALI, MAULAWI SAYYID, A Critical Examination of the Life and Teachings of Mahommed. London, 1873. Student's Handbook of Mahommedan Law. Calcutta, 1906. Personal Law of the Mahommedans. London, 1880. A Short History of the Saracens. London, 1899. ANDERSON, RASMUS B., Norse Mythology. Chicago, 1876. Anthropological Institute Journal. Vol. xxv. London, 1896. ARBOIS DE JUBAINVILLE, HENRI D'. The Irish Mythological Cycle. Dublin, 1903. ARBUTHNOT, FOSTER F., Persian Portraits. London, 1887. ARISTOPHANES, Comedies of. (Translated by W. J. Hickie.) Vols. i. and ii. London, 1874. ARISTOTLE. The Ethics. (Transl. by Taylor, Thos.) London, 1811. The Politics. (Translated by W. L. Newman). Vols. i. and ii. Oxford, 1887. |