Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1897-06-17
A FRENcHMAN's VIEW.
Hu Opinion of the Dopopuration Of vi

HIS Opinion of the DspopuiatiOn Of HIS
Country .n'tHS'slsatgsga
The population Of France new
definitely known, and, as was 10 ~ ex-
pected, the increase Aimee the last cen
sus is Insignificant compared with that
Of neighboring countries, says scalpel.
Is this a sign Of weakness? Does It
mean decadence? We will endeavor TO
supply an answer to these important
questions, There are people who
maintain that an increase Of popula-
zion does not always coincide With the
richness Of a nation, that QuRIlty'ls Of
more consequence than quantity and
go on. II is certain, however, that
from military point OF vlew--cspe-
cially as regards Germany--the nu-
merical lnferiorlty Of his country can
not but be source OF the deepest
anxiety to every patriotic Frenchman.
Let US examine few Of the statistic
al facts disclosed by the recent emu
meratlon. Rural depopulation Is gem
eral everywhere, but even in the most
prosperous OF our towns there 10 no
augmentation worth speaking of, Ac-
cording to the last London census the
number Of inhabitants resident in the
British capital was 4,411,270. That Is
TO sey, about 100000 less than the
whole Of Ireland. The increase dur
Ing the preceding qulnQuennium was
200, 42S. Now let us turn to Paris. The
prospect is by no means brilliant, not
withstanding the fact that the totals
show an increase Of 87,25O inhabitants.
AS the Compilers are careful to point
out, this result has occurred In spite
Of diminution Of natality. 1t simply
proves once more that the mania for
Capitalization causes steady flow OF
immigrants from the provinces to tho
capital, Parisians may sleep in peace.
The Seine will always be lined on
both sides, even though the people lin
ing 1t should have no children.
The dearth Of children in France is
due to the fact that the French peo-
pie do not choose to have families,
This Is proved by the census In the
most striking and conclusive manner,
The old fable that the dlminution Of
population was caused by excessive
mortality during infancy can no longer
gain credence. It is not the high-death
rate that is blameworthy, but the low
birth-rate. Neither can the defective
natality be laid to the charge of pow
erty. The richer a Frenchman Is the
fewer children he has. This is equally
true in town and country. The rich,
the educated, the cultured, are the cul-
prits. The GENIUS Just taken confirms
the melancholy reflections which were
published some time ago by DR.. Ber-
tillon. His assertion that II France
was to be repopulated 1t would be
thanks to the lower orders Is amply
sustained. Grenelle heads the list OF
births, while the Champs Ulysses are
at the foot.
Poverty is unquestionahly one Of the
chief causes of depopulation, but It is
far from being the only one. II the
birth-rate diminished In the lower
stratum Of society, poverty might be
incrimlnated, but unfortunately the
figures point in precisely the opposite
| direcfion Should yya MT t.hfhAf hlnna
the decadence Of an effete civilization
in which refinement is pushed beyond
the limits Of reason7 Maternity is an
instinct; 1t is nature itself. Now there
Is nothing so hostile to instinct as edu-
cation which is based essentially on
hypocrisy and makes children actors,
teaching them to dlssimulate their real
thoughts, and, after rapid reflection, to
substitute for them others which may
conduce toward politeness, but are des-
titute Of all sincerity. BY djnt Of
alternating man from natural habits
education will end In making him a
purely artificial creature, unfit for his
position and incapable Of adding vigor
to the race. Women, unsexed by lux
ury, will develop an increasing dislike
to maternity. That will be the oppor-
tunity for less civilized peoples to In.
wade us and make slaves Of us, until
they. too, in their turn shall become
tender and neurotic.