The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-08-29
TaE POPULATION or FRANCE.
1t In Increasing at a Rate That 10 Re-
garded as Ominously slow.

The Paris correspondent OF the London
Times. in commenting on the just COM
plsted census OF France, says that the re-
turns make the total population OK the
country 10 be s.. Is. $50 persons. an In
crease OF 1Ss.sIs in Eve years. This In
crease IL largely confined 20 the cities
and Is balanced BY a decrease in the rural
communities.
The greatest increase in population has
been noted IN the departments OF the
Seine. the Nord, the Bouches du Rhone.
the Rhone. the Seine-et-Oise, the Pas de
Calais. the Meurthe and Moselie, the Var,
the Gironde. the Alpes Marines. and the
Vosges. and the increase has been liz this
relative order. II IS IN the departments
OF the Orne. the Aanehs. the Lot the Cal
vados, the Dordogne. and the Gers that
the almlnution has been most marked.
For the last FIVE years the French popu-
lation has Increased at the rate. In round
numbers. OF y 800 souls per annum, or in
other words. during this period there has
been one birth TO 800 inhabitants.
This state of things Is 10 be regretted,
for, as a matter or fact. the figures would
seem 10 indicate that the population OF the
country IS stationary, and history proves
that such a state OF things Is really the
prelude OF a decrease In populs ton.
Yet no nation ever had greater need o.
an Increase Of population within It's Dor
colonial expansion Is becoming daily more
acceptable here. and what could be more
contradictory. what Idea more incoherent.
than such a policy OF colonial expansion IN
a country with no surplus population capa-
bic OF popping and developing the regions
It possesses beyond the seas?
i 3 commonly said thai the French are
rot colontzers- Nothing could be more
stupid The French are as good coionlzers
az the representatives or any other nation.
They are Succeeding Admirably IN Algeria
and Turis Pat for the colony 20 prosper
there must be. not only this OF that IN
div38nal cotonizer. bat q surplus popJ.a-
tiaa hoping 20 better Itself over seas. and
the returns ot the last ceusas tell an
crnino1s tale IN this connection.
The F'rsnchman who voluntarily and
vlttlrgly chooses colonial home Is
thrifty sober. hart-worklng and ingenious
So agriculture ard r. trade. Only yesser-
aav. ludesd. your correspondent was talk
ing w3fh one who had iefE wife and child
rem behind n. and who. having obtain
sd on credit 81 SVvs1ea Or Norway. \ ship
load % timber ard certain other northern
products. SCI out Tor the Ivory coast u
or3sr 20 build resDec able shelters for the
natives. for the leosi wood Is usually
worm eaten. Tnea VITA the money thus
Obtained. while stil continuing 20 put up
houses. he bought e number Of native
UTG9AeEs. &&4 Tow &EteT SEE E41tFs8E
7non-hs' ahsence. 1aring which ~ has
constantly sent money home. he has re-
,-rne4 vita bark account OF IS go
francs. he ret results % hfs ventures
sfter e. expenses had been paid
No ore. wherever &c may have couse
from csuld have displayed greater pluck
prudence Or business enterprise. he re-
turns 20 Hna himself ths father OF n FIRE
ehas. q gear cd. and be sad: II we ex-
pect 20 keep our colonies We must Pre-
serve oar o. Frsaca traditions. revive
the Cd Fra1ce. = wa.ch ,srxe families
xere IRE pride ART soy % cur ancestors
The way In xaieA property IS divided .
NOWADAYS - hes8-1EH Indeed r.ghtiv--
q - IRE eAlef cause O. The sna~aeaess ~
POPULATION 81 France. and The proof there
81 is fhAt ths decrease n seen especially
n tAA rarAl districts The desire. formerly
50 prevalent - Sc towns o. leaving ones
cAnzrer as rsca IS possible. ard q aIvia-
trE Up c1s's fortune culY among the
smallest possible number. reE prevails IN
me country. The peasant hAv.ng become
as cautious n the matter % narcesisx
up sis .aa5 ard be.oax ngx as ne inhab-
ssrt - the towa-
Tee resalt - sAaf eAl3rsn WHO have
assn4 carefully aroasaf 20. Ard whose fa-
co.oa4sIs. ana shls = sas soc reason My
PRAISE zo@s aot derive from her colonies
aG tAat sac nigaf. II e W0rz her caszs-
ra-as!we wzss - sncesSs haz netting
= hA<sssT - 40 wath airy rztsoal 4rsaaz-
c.sy % re Frszchsz4n % colonies. sat
ls 20 ~ Accented Tor ~ The fscs OK rs