Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-05-14
Statistics Regarding the ColOred
Formulation of the South.


Population of the South.
Much comment and speculation has
been INDUCED in regarding the remarka-
bic increase of the colored population in
the South in the last decade, as shown
by the census of 1880. In an article on
vital statistics and population, written
by Professor Stanford E. Chaille, of the
the University of Louisiana, for the
May number Of the New Orleans Medi-
cal and Surgical Journal gives some
very interesting statistics of the birth
and death rate of the two races in that
city and in the South are given.
Prof. Chaille says that the least mortal
ity occurs in white females, next in
white males, next in colored females,
and reaches its highest point in colored
males. The difference between the
minimum death rate of white females
Q9.2) and the maximum death rate of
colored males go. y is so great that twice
as many die of the latter as of the for
mer. Analysing the periods of life at
which the greater mortality of the col
ored population occurs, the following
facts are noteworthy: From birth to the
twentieth year of age the colored
death rate is much greater than the
white death rate; the colored death
rate continues to be higher to the
fortieth year, but those negroes
who survive their fortieth year then gain
about the same chances of life as the
whites. Data derived from the last two
censuses indicate that the negro's chances
of life after the ninetieth year suddenly
become nearly twice as good as the
whites chances. Professor Chaille re-
CARDS this as incredible, and believes it
to be due chiefly to the enfeebled memo
~ of aged negroes and consequently to
the unreliable testimony given by
them to the census enumerators. In
proof of this, the testimony of Mr..
Cavanac, Supervisor of Registration in
New Orleans, is cited. He declares that
several registered colored voters were
willing to take oath that they were 100
years old, and one of them raised his
hand and prepared to swear on the Bible
that he was 800 years old The census
enumerators limited these eXtravagancies
within 1876 years-a ripe old age, most
assuredly, and hardly consistent with
statistical science.
Proceeding a step further, Professor
Chaille says that the death rate of chill
dren has been aptly termed the barome
ter of public health. In the South, ex-
cept during the severe prevalence of yell
low fever, the colored death rate is
always higher than the white, and the
excess is always especially observable in
the children under two years of ago. The
fact that in 1880 there died in New Or
leans 1j4 white children under two years
of age in every 1000 of such popula-
ton while the corresponding number for
the colored children was 264, is by no
means exceptional. Statistics show be-
yond question that throughout the West
Indies, throughout the United States
from Maine to Texas, and wherever the
vital statistics have been collected, the
colored uniformly exceeds the white
death rate.
The census for 1880 states that during
the preceding ten years the colored popu-
lation of the United States increase
BATS per cent, and the white only % SO
per cent. This statement Professor
Chaille regards as totally incredible in
view of these two facts First, whenever,
in this country, as in all other civilized
countries, the statistics have been gath
cred, the colored exceeds the white
death-rate. Second, the white popula-
ton has enjoyed the additional advan-
tage of having been increased by nearly
200, 900 foreign immigrants.
Professor Chaille is of opinion that
the only explanation of this alleged in
| credible growth of the colored popula-
ton is the carelessness and negligence of
the enumerators in the South in 1870;
this population must at that time have
been inadequately enumerated. His the
DRY is sustained by Mr.. Henry Gannett,
a census expert, who has contributed an
article on the subject 10 the May num-
Der of the International ReUieD.