The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-03-27
BIRTH-RATE ELIMINATION.

When the complete figures of the last
census shall be published they will prob
ably furnish some interesting facts on the
decline of the natural increase of popula-
ton in different parts of the country and
among different races. The fact that our
total population falls more than a million
short OF what II was estimated is accepted
as showing that this natural increase-the
excess of births over deaths-is declining
indeed, the actual statistics of some of the
eastern states prove that it is.
Marked progress in intellectual develop
ment and intelligence is always, and among
all nations, accompanied by lowering of the
birth-rate and of the the percent
age of natural increase-and it is not
unreasonable to presume that this tendency
In the United States, or at least in certain
classes OF the population, has been in
creased by the careful cultivation Of the
idea that child bearing is enslaving, and
therefore q duty to be left to the poor
Some conspicuous advocates of woman's
rights have, indeed, publicly proclaimed
that II women are ever to have more rights
they must have fewer children, since the
atfuent motherhood which NAPOLEON held
to be the highest honor of woman. is in
compatible with the intellectual culture
and development through which alone the
society position of the sex is to be exalted.
Ii this doctrine go asslduously incucated
IN the last twenty years, has any
thing to do with bringing down
the birth-rate in the wealthy fashionable
and cultivated communities of the east. it
may prove somewhat unfortunate in the
end. The census figures seem to show that
the rate of births over deaths in some OF
the eastern states has fallen off one half
from what it was thirty years ago; and as
Immigrants are proverbially prolific this
falling OF Is believed to be al the door OF
the old native population. The result,
then, If carried toits legitimate conclusion,
must be that the native stock must gradu-
ally be eliminated, and a fresh population
take its place. 1t is matter of simple cal
culatlon. If the average number of children
( In an Irish or French Canadian family in
Massachusetts is five, and in native
stock family two, time will come when
Massachusetts will pass out of the hands of
us old native people and be owned by
the descendants of Irish and French Ca
madam immigrants. In some of the in
dustrial cities and towns this displacement
has been effected already, and in the rural
districts also OF the other New England
states the population is fast becoming
foreign. 1t is evident the increase among
the immigrants who come into our eastern
states is much greater than among what is
called the American stock, an that this
greater increase, together with the jmmi-
grafton itself. must work a complete
transformation OF features, society
philosophy, habits and even religion. in ali
the Atlantic coast states as far south SIS
the color line" Below that point the
negroes have heretofore kept Immigration
out, as if with the instructive determine
tlon to allow nos outside interference with
Inc Question Of ultimate supremacy be-
tween the American whites and them
selves.