, 1884-05-21

a. ClO6Cl OO1SluC1 dClOA. VI In UhO1O N0Op-
ton. 1t will then be seen that our pre-
vious costly import of foreign labour has
only been of temporary avail; at the time
it was good and well to get this foreign
labour, but now we are as badly off as ever.
The reason for this is we'll known, it is
because our population has decreased,
through the excess Of deaths over births.
This excess is not founded upon fault
in the race of our people, for they are strong
and prolific enough, but the sOrroWful
fact is, that too great a part of the small
children die. 1t has been statistically
proved in this paper, No. 20 for this year,
that "n6t wen every third child can stand
the trials of life in st. Croix for one year,
They are healthy when born and the
climate is also very advantageous to young
life. Still they die. This is a fact, and the
reason is that they are not properly cared
for and fed. 1t is true that in some in
stances the mothers wilfully neglect nurs-
ing or feeding their children, and in such
cases help from outsiders will not be of
much avail; the goodwill of the mothers is
indispensable. In such instances where
the cause of death is wilful neglect, the
law should be called into operation, which
has also been done in several cases. But
we must not think Of attaining much
through law. In the common instances the
cause OF the numerous deaths among the
infants is founded upon the ignorance and
jRdigcace Of the mothers. They are igno-
rant Of the way in which to treat the chill
dren, especially with regard to what food
they can digest, and therefore feed them
up0n things which do not agree with an
infant, and the result is disease and death.
Then comes also the undcniable fact, that
those mothers are generally badly situat,
ed belonging 20 the working class, they
have only their own labour to subsist upon,
for the father is seldom the husband and
therefore they seldom get any support from
that side it is true that the law entities
them to such support, but it is lmpracticable
to enforce it, the parties mostly being day
Iabourecs. Thus poverty is also All enemy
Of the infants life. 1t is often left at home.
when the mothers 20 to work, and without
proper treatment in any direction this,
with want Of food, or proper food, will often
kill the iruIl life, as We see the case really
The mortality among children should
be streuuously combated. Bring the
excess to he on the side Of the births,
and in a few years St. Croix viii
have an ample population, for as We have
already stated, the people are prolific
enough.
The question is then simply this: can
ANYTHING he done to obtain an increase in
stead OF a decrease in population We be
Iicye 80, ana the way is given 10y the above
statement about the reasons for the death
of the infants. The mothers must be as
sisted in rearing the small ones. If those
who are most directly interested in the
matter, the planters, should ask OF us, Ill
what way. they could render any assist
ance, we would turn the question upon
themselves; let every man put the Ques-
ton to himself, and SEQ if he does not find
what he can do. The ways are manifold,
but charity viii find chem all. We do not
mean that our friends MesSrS. X. Y. and 4.
should themselves go into their negro vii
lagos and foudIe the babies; there are
many other things they can do. Would it
cost so much to have ar estate nursery, to
have q woman or two to attend the SICK
and the children, when the mothers could
not? 1t would not be too much to try and
get the mothers taught how to feed the
children etc. and also to make it o little
easy for them to get the proper articles,
for instance milk.
The public can do something in this
matter. it can for instance provide that
there are midwives in the country, but
principally the question will be one of
private charity among the upper class of
the population, and it would indeed be
wonderful if so energetic and able a body
Of planters as we nave here should not be
oIJO 70 ,,oStnr thiS nPnhIpm