The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-11-26

birth-rate In the northern and western
countries Of Europe has declined stead
lily, and in some countries mor= congid-
erably, in the past half century. and
particularly i'm the twenty years pre-
ceding 1896. He ascribes this decrease
to an Increase in general comfort among
the people. and DO the spread of demo-
cratic civilization. Other special causes
mentioned by Secretan in Switzerland,
Bodio in Italy and Marshall in England,
are: 1. "Fsminism," or the general ten
dency toward a more independent life
for women. 2. Compulsory education,
and it's adjunct, THE laws forbldding the
employment of young children, thus rem
dering this support of children more
costly to the parents. 3. Social ambi-
tlon, which, as countries become more
democratic, INSPIRES families to Mise
higher in the social seale-which again,
makes a smara number of Children more
desirable than swarm. FINALLY, as a
corolla1y on 2 and 8. the growth of
trades unions, which have made the
English workingman sensible that his
Giving wage Is incompatible with the
support of a large family. Thesz are
social causes; are also causes, physfol gu
cal and moral, which more or less affect
the birth rate, but need not here be
dwelt upon.
Russia and, in gsneraa, the Slavon,c
races have now tine highest birth-1ate
among Europeans; in Russia there are
from 4s to so births to the thousand; in
RoumaEda and Servia, 44-45; in Hun.
gary 40-42 At the other erJ1 CT the
seal Is France, with its still decMr1ing
birth-rate of only % to the thousand
less than half that of its ally, Russia.
OF course, where the births aH'e many
there is a large infant mortality; SO that
the difference between the two allies Is
mot so great ten years after the plruns
of amy selected year.
The other nations of Europe ana our
own country stand intermediate between
the Gallo and Slayonic races. In Ger
many, which gains population fast, the
birthrate oscillates around 81 to 1000;
twenty-five years ago 1t was nearly 49,
rose to 40 after the Franco-German war;
but has now sunk below 38. In Italy 1t
is below 9S, with a tendency to fall below
81; in Spain from Sc to 95. and in Portugal
below 35; in Greece above 49, all these
southern countries having steady birth
rate compared with Holland, Belgium,
Switzerland and Gneat Britain. In Hol-
land the rate has fallen from 361k in
1874, to SO since 1890; in Belgium Cthe
most densely peopled land in Europe),
from 80 in 1910, to 20 for the past ten
years; in Switzerland, from 81 In 1S74-79,
to 20 in 1864. England and Scotland,
which had nearly So to the 1000, twenty
years ago, new have less than 80; and
Ireland, with its incessapt emigration OF
the young, has a birtbraite not much
above that of France.
Among the physiological causes for
this change lin birthrates, the increasing
"nervosity," and mental tell have been
mentioned; ON this, DR.. Secretan in
Switzerland makes fhsse remarks: "As
this nervosdty chiefly affects single
class, the educated always in "a minorl-
Ity), its action must be limited; moreover,
sterilty is not found chiefly among the
opulent but in France for example, there
are as many or more children of flhe
noblesse and the upper middle class as
among the bourgeoise, the peasants, ar
tisans, etc." He raIther ascribes The
change to advancing civilization, and ne
CARDS it as a guarantee against over
population. AT present, he estima ties
There ars 1900 millions of men on eanth;
we might possibly have room for 10000
millions, but Europe will not furnish
that increment, he says.