The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-03
of which there ie

ances and the hard times which have pre-
vailed for several years past. This is very
significant and suggestive deduction.
Another fact proved by the figures Of this
report is one with which the vital statistics,
not only OF Massachusetts,, but OF other
States also, have for several years made us
familiar. II Is that the foreign born popula-
tion IL much more prolific than the native
born. 1t also appears that the birth rate is
higher In the populous counties Suffolk,
Worcester, Middlesex, Hampton, Bristol
| the ones which contain the cities and the
larger towns, than In the rest OF the State,
or In those counties whore the population Is
| more agricultural and less dense II Is In
the cities, we hardly need TO say, that the
foreign born population and the native chill
| dren OF the foreign born are largely
gathered. IL seems that in ten cities of
Massachusetts,, containing in the aggregate
fl per cent. OF the entire. population Of the
State, AZ per cent. OF the births occurred.
| To every Thousand of the people OF these
cities four children were born in excess OF
the number OF children born to every thou
sand inhabitants in the rest OF the state.
OF the Al, $50 births in 1877, 1901 were OF
parents who were both foreign born, 6O7l
|
and the other native born, 1887 were OF
parents both native born, and in sOs cases
the nativity OF the parentogc was not given
The births Of mixed parcntagc, which In
most cases are really births of foreign cx-
traction, are steadily increasing In their
percentage. Add them, as we may properly
do TO the births Of foreign born parents,
and we get a total Of "a, las out Of the whole
number OF Al $50 births or considerably
more than half, Of foreign extraction. But
we must also remember that large share
Of the parents who were both native born
were really one or both themselves the chill
drcn OF foreign born parents. Before the
great immigration which began in 1850 IL
was possible to discriminate, with close
approximation to accuracy, between the
native or old Puritan stock ~ Massachu-
sets and that which was then freshly intro
duccd from Europe; hut that cannot bc done
now. generation has grown up since
then, a generation OF which the offspring Of
the immigrants, from the first more prolific
than the native stock, form n hrge part;
and therefore very many Of the children ~
native born parents In 1871 are the grand
children Of the immigrants ~ 1851 and sue
cccding years. The gain Of the foreign stock
ON the old Puritan stock is therefore enor-
nous and steadily increasing. AMI before
many years the statistcans Of Maseachu-
sets will see the wisdom Of giving up the
attempt TO continue classification involved
In such difficulties. The old Massachusetts,
has pa ssed away and a new Massachusetts
is taking its place.
Some Of the other facts regarding the
int TO.
number OF births in 1877 occurred in August.
and the smallest number in April. During
the last four years the highest birth rate
has prevailed in the third quarter Of the
year, but for many years previous the last
quarter held the highest place. In the fiji
teen years between 1863 and 1877, i6i per
cent OF Tia" registered births occurred dur
ing the first ~X months Of the year, and $50
per cent. in thu latter six months. As to
$50. the births follow the universal expert
enc, the mal,- ARE iu excess Of the females
OF thea lh. m l-77. p 400 were males
and ~. alcs. the s'N OF not being
given. Inc proportion was reversed. how
ever, In the illcgitimate births. the females
being slightly i'm excess Of the males 80
femalr- t. az males II ha- been the usual
eNporirnc" that IN this class Of births th'
female children exceed in number the NAL,
children. Thor, were during the year 80,
twin births. five eases 81 triplcts. and ON,
instance of IL family Of four at a -ingl" birth
The parontagc uf this hopeful brood. we vii
add Tor the consolation Of those who al,
bcWailing he decadcnco OF the old Puritan
stock, was American and not foreign; bu
the foreign born parents had 81 per cont. O
the plural births, while the native born pa
rents had only 373 per cent, and the nike,
III. The proportion of plural births yare'
little from year 10 year Including the case
, OF twins with those Of triplcts, the rule j.
+ that one plural birth occurs, TO every on
hundred single births.
or the 1878 marriages regis tered In thu
, State during 1877, 1865 were Of grooms an'
, brides both native born, 1904 both foreign
born, 2,1s2 one native and the other foreign
, and in II the nativity was not given. Thu
; natives, therefore, We're largely in the ina
= jority among the newly welded, and the.
r have steadily kept the proportion since 1864
, with little variation from year to year Ye
: we find that the foreign born parents and tn
parents OF mixed nativity produce the ma
. iority OF the children Of the State.
a During 1877, Of every 100 900 Of the pcopl
q Of all apes, l,46s We're married. The rate
5 however, Is much lower than In forme
G years. Thus the number Of marriages il
z 1865 was 1862, or In 81 Of the number liy
/, ing, and in 1872 il rose to 1912, or in 95 O
: the living; whereas in 1871 1t was onl
l2,7js, or l in 1876, This was very hcav
o decline, and IL was doubtless largely due I
4 the hard times, the number of marriage
: from 1874 down having fallen or greatly
r The total Of marriages in 1877 was less b.
r LIZA than the average OF the thirteen year
5 from 1865. Even during the war the Pre-
r portion OF marriages 10 the popuatipn di
n not fall so low as in 1877. The number {
i marriages In 1868, when the State was s
- Nv droicoed., 81 It's male population, wa
d as ST. 10 1000 OF the population, while
y 1871 it was only as 7S4 This is an ominou
n falling of. and must tend greatly to the in
a crease Of immortality in the Old Bay Stat
3, sooner or later, too, II must make itself fe
t on the birth rate, now so low as 90 pr )voi