732 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY
hand, it enhances the money value of Indian wives, and thus leads to the, marriage of Indian women by white men. This purely sociological effect was probably not thought of by the framers of the law, and it is a fine illustration of how laws may have social effects not contemplated, but of a far-reaching char- acter.
Great efforts are made to prevent the mixing of the white with the black races, but they are only partially successful. The effect of slavery is always to produce the mixture of the slave- holding and enslaved races. This was scarcely diminished in the United States by the fact that the slaves belonged to a black race, and before slavery was abolished there was a large mulatto population. The abolition of slavery has checked the process, but has not arrested it. The influence of caste, which relegates to the colored race all who have any black blood whatever, has the effect of including in that race many who are to all intents and purposes white, and whose intelligence is nearly equal to that of the white race. These persons also possess the other qualities of the dominant race. They become the leaders of the colored race, and by their influence and example help to lift them up. They are acquiring property which the laws are bound to protect, and in many communities they are the leading citizens. It is only a question of time, though the time may be long, when such facts will shatter the prejudices and break down the barriers of race.
As regards the yellow races, there seems to be less prospect of coalescence. Their enormous numbers keep them to them- selves, and their great social dissimilarity from the white races renders contact distasteful. There may be districts in Asia where rapid mixture with Aryan and Semitic elements is taking place, but this is not the case in Europe or America. Still, the Japanese are now in high favor among western races, and should a movement set in in the direction of amalgamation, there would be no race prejudice to overcome. It is otherwise now with the Chinese, but they, too, may one day inhale the western spirit.
Whatever may be the present condition of things, and how- ever great may be the obstacles to race mixture in certain cases,
