The new North-west., 1890-03-21
THE POPULATION OF FRANCE.
Causes Leading to Its Declinc-What
Official Records Say.

It seems hard to realize that one of the
great nations Of the world is III imminent
danger of losing its position as a first rate
power; but the recent published statistics of
the French population point to this contin-
gency as not remote one, and already meas
ures have been taken by the government to
bring about change for the better.
Tho official records set forth that in 1858
tne births numbered SS22, $50 and tho deaths
837, ,S67, so that the natural increase of popu-
lation was only 44,772. The year before it
was 56, ,536. Since 1854 the number of births
shows constant decrease, and the chief of
the municipal statistical departm says the
birth rate per 900 has been lower each sue
ceeding decennial period from 1S1l-1s3o, when
the rate was 33. It has come down as fol-
lows: 81, 90, 81, 26, 26, 25 Last year it was
222 and in no less than IS depar tments out
of 81 the deaths exceed the births.
Contrast the statistics Of Russia for 1887
with those of France for 1883. The Russian
deaths were S,2Ss, ,S3S; the births ,ss4 AT, an
excess OF / ,595, GAO, and birth rate of 40 for
every 1000 of a population of los, ,SsG, ,978.
From 1851 to 1880 the average excess of births
over deaths per 600 of population was: In
England, 1S; Germany, II; Italy, Z; and the
last OF the European nations stands France,
with sorry showing Of 2. The little com
fort left in this is wiped out by the statement
that, in order to produce the result, the
births and deaths of the foreigners were taken
into consideration, the real increase OF the
French people being but 0.9 per 1000. It is
sad to record such falling off in a nation
whose people have played 50 important and
active part in the worlds history, but the
facts are there, stubborn enough. and tho
subject is likely to be dealt with by the au-
thorities without delay. We understand that
parents of seven children, legitimate or
acknowledged, are to be relieved from tho
'scontribution personelle ct immobliere,"
thus to some extent encouraging the raising
Of large families.
Two causes seem to be working the evil re
ferred to, low birth and heavy death rates
The first is due to voluntary limitation of
families. The decrease i'll population is no
ticeable in the rich agricultural parts of
France, and readers may remember with
what pride certain advocates Of the Malthu
sian theory pointed to the small families of
the prosperous French peasantry. To what a
pass the limitation has brought the country
the figures now given tell Another cause,
which may not appear on the surface, TN
doubted]y has something to do with the pres
ept state Of things. We allude to the gross
loss Of life during the first Napoleons cam
paiRns. The country was drained of men
who were physically fitted for the ordeal OF
war. Napoleon's leyies were large, and in
the flush of victory, costly though it was, no
consideration seems to have been paid to the
price in human life at which it was bought.
The first real shock came after the news Of
the retreat from Moscow, during which
enough men perished to partially account for
the unwillingness Of the people to furnish
flood for powder.n 1t is the third genera
tion since the retreat, and La Belle France is
having her "bad quarter Of an hour"
The sanitary condition Of the cities also
appears to be bad, and NJ. Henri Monod, Di-
recteur L'Assurance Publiquc, lays great
stress upon the ineficiency Of sanitary laws
because nobody has the authority to impose
on the communal budget expenses which
may be really necessary. As an example Of
what practical sanitary measures will achieve
this gentleman points to the fact that from
1sG0-lS70 the general mortality in England
was about 2. 50 per 1000. After the estab-
lshment of local government boards the
death rate from 1S71-1SsO fell to q. 40, and
III eight years moro it had dropped to 1920.
while for 1883 it was but 1SS.
Calculating on a population Of s., ,oo0, 900,
the average French death rate per l 900 was
last year %. .05. If oGr Gallic neghbors be-
come sufficiently aroused to the Importance
duce the mortality four per 1000, and also
hold out some special inducements to parents
to rear larger families, the evil will in turn
be overcome, but action should not be de-
ferred.-New York Spectator.