The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-17
Low BIRTH RATE IN ONTARIO
Statistics Show That 1t Is Smaller Than
That OF France-The Causes.

ourBFc. Dec l5.-The recent publication
Of the statistics Of births and deaths in the prov
ence OF Ontario for 1903 reveals an alarming
condition az affairs Last year there was an
animated discussion in the Ontario Provincial
Syond OF the alarming diminution In the prov,n-
cial birth rate All kinds Of explanations were
offered and In some places reflections were made
upon the accuracy Of the statistics Since that
time special Efforts have been made 10 secure
the registration Of every birth. and in making
up the totals at the end Of the year the stntis,i.
clan has added 10 per cent NJ the whole. In order
to allow for any possible omissions
The result shows no improvement upon last
years figures Notwithstanding oil the efforts
10 swell the figures az much as possible the total
birth rate of the province shows as small percent
age the birth rate Of France which is lower than
that Of any other coun try Of Europe. and almost
as low as that Of the States of Maine Vermont and
New Hampshire A compa rson Of the statis-
ties for tho different counties ~ the province
shows that the birth rate IL highest In the coun-
ties which have large French Canadian popula-
ton In the purely Engish.speakng counties
the birth rate Is quite as low In any Of the New
England States no matter how numerous the
marriages
The head Of the bureau does not hesitate 10
say that a low condition Of public morality 10
responsible for this low death rate II present
conditions continue there can be only one result
namely. tho Frenchfying Of the province.
few years ago the number Of French Canadians
in Ontario could be counted by hundreds Now
they number upward OF 10000 As there Is no
exodus Of popuat on from France to Canada
and as there has been scarcely any during tho
past two centuries, all the increase in the French
population Of Canada since 1881 has been from
within The census Of that year gave tho total
number ~ French Canadians as 600 Ivy
doubling itsclt every twenty-seven years since
tlis population has now increased 10 2,20o.-
In a little more than a century and a quarter,
az the present rate Of progress, the French Cana.
DIAN news are oady .ncp"ns cane me
g Ontario end ,En,obshly those q the northern
the women Of French Canada Ii says
uc css 10 ny r we W b b0r mig
give the credit, than 10 the mother of the French
Canadian fanny, To this valiant creation of tho
sponTihtica Of conf GAI life and makes II her
CHIEF FlnTy To raisc a numerous family, thus. Civ
Ing initsinl Sops to ne Gnnrch and good citizens
who has made otusa people and whoi in the course
of time and with the aid Of God will make Of us
and their dnu h'crs follow her example"
Both the Church and the state in French Cana
da emnloy their influence towards preventing
any falling of in the fec ndi'y Of their PEOPLE,
but there have been no ATTEMPTS MS yet In any
OF the Fngish-IpeaEing, provinces publicly to
reward fruifulness In the marriage state by
granting bonuses In the shane Of state grants ct
land 20 fathers of twelve living children. ns IL
done In tho province Of Quebec under Legislative
enactment In that province there would prob
ably be no rewards to nay. In this province,
on tho other hand scarcely q day passes tina,
the "us s"TS TO r T% the Ssr isword
Tor his obedience 70 the divine command TO b
fruitful and multiply aud Iepienish tho earth =,