Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-09-19
FRENCH BABIES.
uunity

VA " tn every symp,om Of the resti'
lent disess,; but dcaflh Of posiefiiy
ia not among our national experiences.
Not 20 with France. While our
baul ere, Legislators and similar philan.
thropiti are worrying out a scheme
for more satisfactory accumulation Of
10 ,sl dollars, the public spifit Of our
sitcr republic n equally concernid
over that coun,fy's annual product
VI legal babies. IL is only recently
that proposition was agitatod TO
levy a special tax upon bachelors. But
that plan seems 20 have fate q,
for another congress has been called to
consider the same subject. From ia
discussions II appears that the birth
rate, which for years has bucn scarcely
larger than that Of mortality, h now
somewhat less, with good prospects u a
further decline. Comparing their md.
ings with the statistics Of Germany,
They discover that their traditional
enemy makes a very different report,
and looking into toe future they seem
to perceive that time may come
when the nationality Of France will
have 10 be sustained by foreign blood
or sucoumb 10 IT, moro Tobust antago.
mist.
The nnti.bachelor movement having
fallen short Of It's purpose, this congcss
has formulated and submitted 30 the
chhmbcr Of deputies tor ~ enactment
an elaborate scheme, the principle fca.
turcs Of which are, special tax upon
all men having no children aud n
reduction Of the land tax inversely
proportionAte to the number OF chill.
dfen In the family. The congtcsa
moreover asks for the repeal OF the law
requiring land owhrTs TO divide their
estates equally among their children.
IL was thought that fear Of III.
vision Of tho lands owned by peasants
into parcels too small 10 support a
family tended TO restrain the natural
sANaNanN W INahNAAgs
As far A. the propagation OF the
French race IL concerned, tue question
Is not Of very grave Importance. While
grateful for the good will and hospl.
tality which this country has received
from France, America Is obliged 10
confess that iia beet citizens ate not Of
that nationality. while OWING moth
ing to tue German government In the
way OF national iavors, We owe an i'm.
mcnseamount TO the Grtman blood that
has been infused into our common.
wealth; the traditional "Fronch
emotion" eiieminaoy, or what you
will, has had il- weight Ia the advance
Of science and culture. but the succvtt-
iul nAti0n-maker the world over Is the
Teuton, aud la our opinion, this dit
oovrry Of Ffenoh dooadence, provided
that the substitution Is Of tho sort to 30
desired, il a new hope Tor the future Of
that republic. IL on thu other hand
the recruiting forces are coming from
the south OF oait Instead OF the north,
God pity France.
But there Is moral TO the subject
which Is AS worthy OF thought ~ It's
statistics. THIS now experiment In
legislation viii be highly entertaining,
but IL usefulness H. question upon
which men may differ anu doubt. II
TO create more French soldiers
is the simple wish OF these
national reforms, the project
may DO partial success. L,gn-
lativo enaotmonts, " the bounty h.
large enough, may prove more fruitful
breeders than tho pfopensities OF M.
tur,; but what sort Of brood will II be-?
Would those gentlemen, 80 proud Of
their national character, bo pleased 10
call II French whoa It comos2 Al \
hazard We would take chances on the
patriotic alien, and supply with the
nations suffrage and good name what
might be lacking IN the way OF birth.
We believe he would make "a better
Ffenchmau ana worthier citizen than
the legislative product would under
the best Of auspices.
On the other hand, n II IL with the
high purpose Of increasing the valu.
able blood OF France that tho reform.
ers are striving, We cen suggest u better
way. ltthey will take caro- OF the in
dividual honor and Integrity OF French
citizenship the badlrs will take care OF
themselves. An honorable man and
patriot cannot deem himself
a good oitlzsu without pos.
terity. To him tho absence OF the
baby fsom tho domestic circle 10 a
calamity greater than tho loss Of
citizenship. Children born and reared
under such conditions are the real
pillars OF tho state, for upon them alone
ils national character anu In great part
i,a existence depends. All tho rest nre
Ia some measure motcennry cohorts.
They fight the country'i battles for
what II gives thom and Ia no sense 10
secure home and asylum for their
children,
To attempt to give the details uf q
plan for the creation Of honorable
citizenship, would open too broad a
field Tor this article. But In a brief
way we would suggest that they begin
by cleansing their legislative hall.
from tho presidential presence u