Milford chronicle., 1893-06-16
NATURAL mALTHuslANIsM.
The Birth Rate Decreasing In-AILCivilIzed
Nations.


Nations.
When the population returns Of the late
census We're given, there was a general
feeling of disappointment, as the total fell
far below expectations and showed that
the rate Of increase for the country was
less than it had been Tor previous decades.
The census Of Canada takonthe subsequent
year was still more disappointing to the
Kanucks, and in England, France and
ell other countries the result was the same,
most disappointing. There was q decided
falling of everywhere in the ratio Of in
crease.
This was the more puzzling because there
had been no warfare at all during the dec
ade no pestilence, no period of financial
depression. Sanitary science had made a
steady advance, and there had been a
marked decrease IN the death rate So that
! judging BY all former experience, the cea-
sus should have shown more favorable re-
turns than ever before, instead Of so much
worse. A closer investigation demonstrated
she cause, a marked and indeed startling
decrease in the birth rate, a sort Of natural
MalthusiRnism.
a report Of the French government on
! this subject--and. France keeps the most
perfect records Of births, deaths and mar
riages Of any country-points out the drift
Of modern civilization. The decrease in
the birth rate in France has been very
great. There were, for instance, A., $50
fewer births in 1890 than IN 1889, 44,5s0
fewer than In 1888, 81 ,275 fewer than in
1887 "a, 10 fewer than in 1886, Sc 400 fewer
than in 1885, 99,699 fewer than in 1884 and
e9,ss7 fewer than in 1888. There is SINH
lar decrease in the number Of marriages.
which were fewer by 2O,229 In 1890 than in
1886.
The existence of this condition Of affairs
in France has long been recognized and
has been attributed there to many causes
to lack of morality, to the contempt felt
for marriage, to the triumph Of the doc
trines of realism" It seems, however, that
France is not the only country suffering
from natural Malthusianism. All the other /
European countries are in the same fix, |
although probably not as bad off as France, /
and in every one Of them ia the last 20years |
there has been decrease in the birth rate |
largely due to advancing civilization and |
the ideas it brings with it, for the decrease |
has been found greatest in the urban and /
most civilized districts and least in the |
rural, out Of the world sections Taking |
the years 1869 and 1890, it is found that the /
A
I 900 to 21.s, in Belgium from 81.4 to 2s.7,
in England from 94.7 to 9O.6, in Germany
from $50 to 366 and in Prussia proper even
mo1O.
In all the three important events in mans
marriage and death-there
has been a remarkable falling off in the
asst 20 years, confined to no country, but
visiting throughout the civilized globe
Re need not inquire into the causes, for we
n see them too plainly around us. The
ief cause which lies at the bottom Of all
ttrouble is thedeolinein marriage. Mar
Iye has gone put Of favor with the eman-
eltion of woman and the greater diff
cIy in making living, and this decrease
lally explains the falling off in the birth
rarbut not wholly, for the average num-
Der births to each marriage are fewer
ina score Of years ago.
Ihulyredeeming feature in this picture
IS Jheclining death rate, due to better
sanlI9n and better knowledge Of how
TO car2r ourselves. Indeed but for this
lmproonent the population>of of the-worldl.!<s
would at a standstill today, 5as the birth
rate IS . what the death Ta.te was a quar-
ter OF ltury ago. We still improv-
ing our Starry condition hd saving many
lives thaFere hitherto kacrifced. but we
nusu Iec'ize the fact hat sooner or later
we VIII re the highest point which we
Democrat