Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-12-05
THE FUTURE OF FRANCE.
Its Population Almost Stationary and
Its Debt the Largest i'm Existence.

From the New York Times
The first volume Of the French census of 1886
has just been issued by the government, and
reveals interesting figures bearing on the in
crease and changes of the population
of the country. The very small ratio
of gain, which is all that France has been
able to show for the whole century, remains
substantially unchanged How small this is
may be gathered from the fact that in thirty
seven years the increase in the number of ma
tive-born Frenchmen has been less than 1.5O0,-
OOO. The number of births per year appears
to be actually diminishing, even with slowly
increasing population. In 1887 for example,
the returns showed e99, 1893 births, which is the
smallest number recorded in any year of the
century except 1871. Going back to 1892, when
the population was less than it is now by 0OO =
900, the births were nevertheless more numer-
| GUS than those of last year by 1851. The lille
Ultimate births amount to 8 per cent Of the
whole, and are increasing year by year.
For the first time the attempt was made by
the last census to determine the number Of
children in each family. Taking the average
OF the returns secured, it appears that the
number of living children per family in France
is 2O7, which is believed to be lower aver
age than can be found anywhere else in the
world. 1t thus appears that diminishing
fecundity is the great cause of the almost sta
tionary condition of the population of France.
1t is not that the number of marriages is les
SEEMING: the returns show that it is slowly in
creasing. But in spite of this the total of
births and the average per family are grad
ually falling off, II
Various causes are assigned by the French
sociologists to account for these facts The
trouble is laid by some at the door of the law
of inheritance as established by the civil
code. This, as is we'll known, calls for the
equal division of property among children. 1t
is maintained that this works against the nat
ural desire to keep property undivided in the
family for successive generations-especially
in the case of landed property-and that the
result is prudential check on the population,
since man Will wish to have but u single heir
to whom he may transmit his possessions in
tact. Others with undoubted justice, lay
part OF the blame upon the forced military
service which all marriageble young men have
to undergo. This often brings on distasteI
marriage; and it is well settled that late mar
riages are less fruitful than early ones. An in
huence OF the same sort arises from the over
crowding OF the country, and from the compe-
tition in all trades and professions which re-
suits. This makes it necessary for many men
who marry to struggle longer before acquiring
a position and income justifying marriage. and
this means, again, delayed unions and smaller
numbers Of children.
Some French writers frankly admit that their
race is losing vigor. They point to the weak
ening which comes from alcoholism, from the
excessive use of tobacco. and from the prevail
ence of diseases due to RIGHTEOUSNESS, and say
that here is cause enough to account for
diminished fecundity and for the low vitality Of
the children that do come into the world Yet,
on the other hand. high degree of fertility is
observable in the French colonists in Algiers,
and accordingly it is argued that the trouble is
largely one of Overcrowding. Hence it is
seriously maintained that a good reason for the
persistence of France in the colonial policy
upon which she has SO vigorously entered is to
be found in the fact that the room and OPP
portunities of colonial life will cause great
increase in the French race.
France shows the same tendency of popu-
lation to mass itself in cities that is at work
throughout the civilized world In 1916 the
cities had but "a per cent of the entire popu-
lation; in 1886 their proportion had increased
to 36 per cent This movement was greatly
quickened by the vast schemes Of public works
upon which the country entered in 1878. Few
of those who were drawn away from the farms
by the employment thus offered them have
gone back, even after the special opportunities
for earning living were gone.
1t is not. perhaps, strange that the French
economists are disturbed at the condition and
prospects OF the population. With the greatest
debt in the world to stagger under, the nation
would have more assured future before it if a
pushing and prolific population stood ready to
lift at the common burdens Yet in other as
poets OF the case. a stationary population has
its advantages. The mouths do not gain so fast
on the food supply, the evils of poverty are not
apt to be so great nor competition so desperate:
emigration of desirable elements of the popu-
lation is not much to be dreaded nor
deportation of the undesirable classes so urgent.
England, for example. might view with COM
placency what many French statesmen regard
a great evil.