The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-06-20
Chr Rutland Daily 0lobe
WEDNESDAY,. JUNE2O 1877
IS I. DkTskI0RATItNf

IS I: DsTstI0RATICNf
The receu, q, p alat Ct 0t 'hc X gistra-
ton reports Of Mas; acLuse,t, and Rhode
Island has called out an elaborate article
from DIR. Nathan Allen-published in the
June number of the SGnttdrtdn and COM
pairing the birth rate with those of other
countries, particularly with Great Britain
and France, he argues that for two or three
generations, there has been declining
birth rate among the native population OF
New England. He places tie birth rate OF
the native New England population at one
In forty, while 10 France, where 1t is the
lowest Of any European country, 1t is Que
in thirty-seven and in England and Wales,
In 1875, it was one 10 twenty-eight
He further shows that in Massachusetts,
and Rhode Island there is gradual, but
general, increase of foreign population by
birth, aud illustrates it by extracts from
the registration reports. A comparison
from the Massachusetts, reports will Illus
trate his line Of argument. Thus the re-
port of Massachusetts, for 1874, gives the
whole number of births as follows; Amer
lean, 1865; folelgp, 81, SO7; American
father and foreign mother, 1854; ioielgn
father and American mother, 1884. While
in 1875, the report was (: Am rlcan, H.
3l4; foreign, 20,2s9; American father
and foIeigu mother, 2,4l8; foreign father
and American mother, 3,411. In Rhode
Island, during ten years, the native Amer
lean population has increased about twelve
per cent, while the foreign population has
increased by birth about eighty per cent.
The problem embraced in these statistics
has been satisfactorily worked out, and is
now, as 1t has been for years, engaging the
attention of scientific men and in closing
bis remarks on its solution, DR.. Allen says ;
wherever and whenever a civilized and
enlightened people fail to obtain proper
"increase in numbers from generation to
generation, it shows something wrong
"and unhealthy in their domestic relations,
something defective in their type of civ
"ilization and christianity, some violation OF
"the great law of health, life and increase. .
1t does not require very extensive observ-
alton or very great experience to subscribe
to the truth of this remark, or to point oul
the particular law of health, life and in
crease that is or is not violated to cause
the increase or decrease of the birth rate
Of the American and foreign population.
But 1t is not true as q matter Of fact
that throughout the whole of New Englsne
the birth rate is decreasing among the ma
tive born population, and increasing among
the foreign born population. If we g
back to the census of 1870-the last officia
census of Vermont-we fad that OF tn,
whole population $50 554-130, 700 wert
either foreign born or of foreign parentage
30 that about fOur-elevenths Of the who!t
population, on the Massachusetts anC
Rhode leland basis, were foreigners for tn
purpose of considering nativity. In 1872
the number of children born of American
parentage was 4 s33, of foreign parentag
1852; 10 1878, American 1922 foreigi
1905; and in 10 1874 American A. 63
foieign 2 ,063; 30 thai, as appears, the pro
portion OF American Oirths Is increasing
and th t If foreign de 'tea luz; ald, as III
les Re s.sfatUn report a. lie t 10 10 jus
grouud Ut spIrenJusi ~ tat tie Iurels
population wll ULtuuHber the America
for many years IL come.
1t is true, however, that Notwithstanding
the proportion of American births is in
creasing and that Of foreign births decrea'
ing in Vermont, yet it would appear thu
there was greater .proportlonate fecund
ity, If we may use the word, among fol
eiRners than among native Americans
Thus 1t appears that in 1873, there wer
seventeen births to every thousand of tn
American population, and forly-three
every thousand of the foreign population
while 10 1874, the number of American wa
eighteen and one-half, and Of foreigner
forty-one. But while this shows the SAN
proporlionate increase or decrease, we al
prehend that the statistics are not enlire
eSSuiuC, ~ III iuhI i"StebNSS 'ANSS -N
Ing one American parent are cassed as
American parentage; and few inaccur
cies Of this kind-aud we all know no
loosely these statistics of births, marriag
and deaths are taken in Vermont
destroy the value of the whole report al
Of any deduction seemingly drawn Their
from.
Whatever may be the fact-whether h
foreign births outnumber the Americ,
births. proportionately, or dice Uersa- i,
see no great cause of uneasiness, except
30 far as II is embraced in the suggest
remark of DIR. Allen that decrease sho'
that there must be something defective
the type of civilization and christlani
"some violation of the great laws of heal