Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-12-05

City health reports and the public press of
late are representing that an extreme and dis
pTOportionate rate of mortality is taking
place among the eOlOred population to that of
the whites in our country. OF course the data
taken is chiefly in the larger southern cities
where the contrast can be made so as to be
very striking From the statements that have
been made it would appear that the mortality
Is fTightfully high. We suspect however that
the method of comparison that has been re-
sorted To il more that of the politician than
the thoughtful sanitarian. The first sees in
the percentage of mortality given a result
which he thinks ought to have been antici-
pated from the sudden and forced emancfpa-
fion of race from the care of provident mas
fers 10 that of independence, without culture
or an acquaintance with at least the more es
sential laws of health. Poverty impro violence
with want of employment, and their child like
RIGHTEOUSNESS have certainly entailed upon
them in their new condition much unneces-
SaTy misery and suffering and perhaps carried
thousands 10 premature graves But the race
Il undoubtedly recovering from its first great
Shock OceaSioned by being placed in a position
OF free dom. but in condition Of restitution
and without employment whereby TO provide
the nece>saTieS of life.
Some phllanihrOpiStS and SanitarianS are ap-
ITehen>iye from the statements of the great
fIpiNtIiN dHltHE lUtIiI THAT lntIt may De some
Special race popularity that is the cause of a
greater death rate among the cOlOred race
than the white. We do not partake of this ap-
prehenSiOn. and furthermore, we believe that
the figures relied upon to show the alleged dis
prOpOrtiOnate death rate of cOlOred in the
same cities Is as given. fallaciOuS. There is,
TOO, one essential factor in the proper solution
OF this question. left out namely that of the
birth rate of the two races. 1t will not be for
gotten that most theorists were disappointed
in the result of the last census. which instead
OF presented evidences of a decrease in the
eOlOred population i'm the United States, proved
that they had actually increased from 1850 to
1S10 The New York Times of a few days
since, presenting the percentage of deaths of
white and cOlOred in a number of cities to
Show that the cOlOred race is doomed to ex-
tinctiOn. In the District of Columbia the pro-
portion of deaths was % whites to A. cOlOred
In the loco per annum: Baltimore, Md, %
whites To b cOlOred; Chattanooga Tenn. 10
whites to 81 colOred; Knoxville. Tenn. Is
whites 10 = cOlOred; Richmond, Va, Il whites
TO y eOlOred; New Orleans, La, % whites to
80 eOlOred. This is doubtless correct state
ment of the number, and the proportion of
deaths in these cities among whites and col
Ored but it is an unfair method to contrast the
deaths Of cOlOred with the whole of the white
population. Tor in no city do the colOred people
enjoy equal comforts, or are they able to pro-
vide equal means of caring for their children,
or their infirm when attacked with disease
Nor are they provided with like skill and care
for adults and children when sick
To make the comparison just, an equal num-
Der Of whites and cOlOred, similarly crcum-
stanced rs to intelligence, poverty, discOmforts
and priyatiOnS, should be taken. III this be
done, excluding the wealthy whites who have
fhe means TO live in comfort and i'm accordance
with hygienic laws and supplied with prompt
and skillful medical attendance, il is very
probable hat there will be but little difference
between the death rate of white and colored
thus similarly eircumStanced. II is a well
known fact that longevity is greater among
the wealthy than the poor. The coIOred belong
with rare exceptions TO the latter class. For
This reason the evidence thus far adduced to
Show the want Of vitality on the part of the
eolored race is, To say the least incOnclusiye.