The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-08-24
WHEN THERE SHALL BE NO MEN.
That's What the World Eventually Is
Coming to, or Figures Lie.
New Orleans Picayune.l

Prof Stanford E. Chaille, NJ. d., of this
city and dean of the medical faculty of Tu-
lane University, a recognized authority in
matters of sanitary philosophy and hygiene,
has recently published an interesting report
on the life and death rates of New Orleans
as compared with those Of other cities. The
Picaynne is indebted for copy. which con-
tains variety of interesting and important
matters which we will hereafter take occa-
sion to notice as they deserve. Attention
here is directed to some dedu ctions which
the Professor derives from his statistics, and
if we may trust in this case to the somewhat
questionable statement that Figures never
lie," we are brought face to face with some
remarkable.
Our professors statistics which are. of
course, perfectly square and honorable as
far as he is concerned, are derived partly
from the records of the Louisiana Board of
Health, which is charged with the duty of
recording all births and deaths in this city,
and partly from the mortuary tables of the
tenth United States census, and they are
doubtless as reliable as such collated figures
usually are. From them it is discovered
that in most parts of the United States
women have better expectation of life than
men; they live longer and survive with more
tenacity and success the vicisstudes that
tend to shorten existence. But it is in New
IL
joyed to the highest degree over any other
place.
The Picayune has heretofore discussed as
q possibility. in view of the constantly in
creasing surplus OF women over the numbers
that attributed to the Amazons of antiquity
might again occur. Here learned physiolO-
gist presents formidable array of figures to
show that In the struggle for life the softer
sex starts out with decided advantages of
INN fu t.a Is 4
pared with the males; that the women have
better chances for development in all that
makes up sane, sound and vigorous life In
a word, the men are on the down grade of
health and morals, while the women possess
all that c0nduce to their physical and moral
superiority. Let us quote the words of our
scientist:
The expectation of life for females is in every
locality better than that of males but the differ
enee 10 favor Of females varies greatly, and to an
white females over males is greatest, and very
great in New Orleans and Charleston; It is little
slight and least In New Jersey and Massachr-
sets. The fourteen localities take in reference
70 TINS superiority Of females over males, the fol-
natl, san francisco, st. Louis. Chicago, Philade-
phia, District Of Columbia. Baltimore, New York,
Brooklyn, Boston, Massachusetts, New JERSEY
The like superiority and difference exists in
reference to col0red females and males The
localities reported, only four, take the following
ence is very great, though not as great as be-
tween white females and males: next Baltimore
then the District OF Columbia and last, Charlesl
ton. And 1t is singular that in Charleston. where
the the superiority of the white female is very
great, the superiority of the colored female over
Another singular fact is that while there is a
slight superiority in MASSACHUSETTS of the females
over tne males yet the males have the superiority
from 10 10 years OF age and that this male SUI
periorlty 1t found in no other locality,
s,aoa s,rq y slnguiar TACT and one encouraging
OF life of its white females is superior TO that of
the white femel9s of Charleston, Brooklyn New
aork ana Boston; but the expectation of life of
the white males OF New Orleans is less than in
said places"
Why is all this possible? Our author re-
plies:
Females are, in less number, guilty of vicious
ana hurttul excesses; they are more confined in
ne mouse ana engaged i'll less hazardous occupa-
lions, ana thereby they are less exposed to com
municable diseases, TO inclemencies of weather,
ana 10 dangerous accidents But these obvious
causes, while explaining in part fail TO do SO in
whole For at no time is the superiority of fe-
males as great as under years of age and such
above causes. For such reasons vital statsticjans
have claimed that nature endowed the female
Will stronger vitality with greater vital endur
ance, and II there be better explanation do not
know it.
We are to believe, then, that while women
are, in obedience to subtle forces of eyoluL
ton, growing physically more perfect, and
thio WOuiu occul dioU 10 lucluQe advancement
toward moral perfection, the men are declin-
ing in all vital characteristics. The women
are growing constantly more beautiful and
more numerous. while the men are in a cor
responding. ratio to retire from the world
tney nave for so many ages dominated and
controlled. By these mysterious and poten-
tlal agencies the men are dying, fading out
OF existence, and their last despairing gaze is
to be liked on q race of goddesses, 'divinely
tai and most divinely fair" crowding upon
the stage where the tremendous tragedy OF
Man and Woman has been so long enact
ed, but now to be superseded by the mex
pressibly peculiar and unknowable drama.
Woman"
1t is to this ending that all the musty fig
ures and dry bones of science presented
above inevitably tend. 1t is the consumma-
ton OF an implacable law which is destiny,
declaring the survival Of the fttest. 1t por-
tends grand future for woman, but il is
much to be doubted If Eve can be happy in
Paradise without Adam.