The herald., 1898-01-26
BIRTH RATE IN FRANCE
GREATER INCREASE RECORDED
THAN FOR YEARS
Large Increase in Marriages Owing
to the Modification of the Gage
of Consent" Law

The last number of lie Journal Oficiel
OF France contains statistics which have
moved the French people to expressions
of great enthusiasm. The births in
France for the year ending March, 1886.
have exceeded the deaths by 93,700.
Five years ago the sociologists began
to frighten the people by drawing dire
full conclusions from the fact that the
deaths exceeded the births by 10,505 in
1891, and by 20.041 in 1892. However, the
figures for the two following years were
reassuring, showing an excess of the
births over the deaths of 7146 and 80, ,76S
respectively. But the statistics published
year ago, containing the data for 1896,
again caused great concern, for the
deaths had exceeded the births by the
alarming number Of 1888. 1t was also
noted that the decrease of marriages
since 1890 had been constant, at an aver
age rate of 1.12 per cent, and that the
number of divorces showed grave aug
mentation.
! These figures were discussed in polit-
ical circles, and measures to remedy the
growing evils were introduced In the
chamber The suggestion which found
| the most favor was one lessenlng the
| time of service in the army, and Offering
special inducements to conscripts to
marry. The measure, however, did not
become a law. Meanwhile the fear of
degenerating and expiring France was
increased hundredfold by the favor
able showing that Germany made in the
large excess of births over deaths.
The births recorded in France for the
year ending with March, 1896, show
gain of 111,51S over the preceding year.
The death rate decreased. In 1895 the
number of deaths was S51 1856; the last
recorded year gives 1t as 771,SS6, show
ing a loss of so, 100. Thus as the deaths
have decreased in the notable propor-
ton of nearly 10 per cent, the births have
increased at the rate of 81 per cent. CAL
culated on the basis of 1000 of population,
the birth rate, which in 1895 was 21.4 per
cent, has advanced to 22.7, while the
death rate, which in 1895 was 22.4 per
cent in 1896 was reduced to 20.2 per cent.
'Thus," continues LIE Journal Officiel,
''is gain shown to have been all along
the line, and one which should be gen.
orally gratifying to every citizen Of
France"
The comparison is then carried back to
the year 1871. when the first falling Off
in the birth rate was noticed. But this
was explained as being on account of the
Franco Prussian war. In 1872 and again
in 1876 the births reached 966 900. but from
the latter date the diminution has been
\ almost constant. AS to the deaths for
| the last &c years, the lowest number was
S52, 900, reached in 1896. The marriages
in 1896 showed an increase of 1858 over
1885, This is the first increase since 1872,
when the number reached 352, 900.
| The increase in the number of mar
riages is in a measure due to the modi-
fication of the 'age of consent" law ef-
fected about two years ago. Prior to
| that time the contracting parties could
not be Joined in matrimony under the
age of As without first obtaining the
| consent of parents or guardians. They
could, however, at great trouble and ex-
pense force their legal guardians to ap-
pear in court and give their consent
there. But this alternative was not
often employed.
| But the divorces follow their ascend
ing march. Starting with 4277 in 1885,
when the divorce act was passed, they
reached in 1896 7O51, an increase of 3OS
over 1895.
After further discussion of the divorce
question, lie Journal Oficiel adds:
while the results Of 1896 are not es-
pecially remarkable, when compared
with the older history Of France, they
are satisfactory"