The times., 1899-08-29
TuEspAY. AUGUST g. 1sgg.
rhe Decadenee of French Population

In the September number of the -Popu-
lar Science Monthly there is a Paper by
NJ jacques Be1tiIlon. translated from the
Revue 5cientihque on Remedies for
the Depopulation OF France" The record
which the writer of the essay has resentiy
made for himself. in connection with the
Dreyfus case. is not calculated to give his
dicta upon questions of science much
weight with the public of this cogntry,
but, that consideration aside, his views
on the subject Of French decadence IN
population, which has become a ma ter
OF alarm to the thinking minority Of his
countrymen. are worthy OF attention.
NJ. BertiIlon says that France is on the
way 10 become q country of the third
rank; that it is perishing for lack o.
births. Its population remains stationary,
while that Of all other great countries has
largely increased since the beginning Of
the century. he Goes not find that this
evil is due TO a decrease in the number of
marriages, but 10 the fact that French
fsmilies have ceased TO render their dut :
10 the State in adequately providing pos
terity- According 10 the statistics, NOR
tally in France is not greater than in
other nations occupying the same latitude.
and is less than that OF some countries
farther north. The cause is not to be
traced to the death rate, ner yet to an
increase in the number of chiIdless fami-
lies. which was practically the same in
1856 that it was in 1856 The trouble lies
in the fact that families which are class
ed as productive have only one OF two
children. while the BertilIon theory de-
mands of them az least an average o.
three TO even maintain the numerical in
tegrity Of the succeeding generation
The paper deals with various remedial
propositions which do not presently con-
cern Us. The fact of the decadence and its
basic causes are more important Ber-
tiilon's data are unsatisfactory in this.
that he does not tell us whether the dim
tnished birth rate is equally apparent in
the cities and the country. districts. o.
whether one province. or geographical or
Typographical division is more affected
than another. The ultimate possibility OF
q solution may very largely depend upon
such variants.
Taking France as a whole. the condition
which excites apprehension and the fear
that its days as a leading power are num-
bered may be serious blow 90 native
pride and vanity, but is not intrinsicaIly
surprising A country which is capable ot
such hldeous manifestations OF mental and
moral degeneraey as the world has con-
tempIated with amazement of late must
have something rotten at the foundation
OF its social structure. Probably the van
ishing birth rate is only an incidental phe-
nomenon. Proximstely. it may mean only
that the struggle of life has become ex-
cessively hard. II is notorious that in all
regions where food is scarce and the battle
to get II taxes the strength and ingenuit,
Of the breadwinner abnormally, the stately
stork is not frequent visitor TO the av-
erage family And the same IS true il
places usually better conditioned. in time.
OF actual scarcity. In the case OF France Il
Is doubtless an additional consideration oi
importance that the stationary character o.
the natives. their voluntary confinement tC
very narrow limits OF movement, their non-
absorption Of foreign race elements. and
neighborhood intermarriage through count
less generations, may well account for
physical degeneracy. which would natural!
result in a falling of in progeny.
Be this as it may, the very thing that
BertiIlon and other Frenchmen view witt
discouragement and dismay is perhaps des.
tined 70 be the salvation OF the people
Persons IN the preceding generation wbC
might have become the parents of indi-
yiduals like Boulanger, Mercier. Esterhazy
Henry, Du Paty de Clam, Roget, Boisdeffre
Cavaignac, Guersn. Rochefort, Deroulede. e
"a genus omne, but refrained from so doing
were benefactors of their race; while sucl
as were actually guilty of the offence are z
be at once reprehended and pitied. Indeed
we are afraid that the rapid disappear.
ance OF the bulk Of present French popula
tion and its replacement by fresher, stur.
der. saner, and more yiriIe human elements
would be advantageous alike 10 the sur
yiyors and TO modern civilization.
On the strength Of Bertillon's investIga
flons that is what may be predicted in th.
end. though the revolution may operat.
gradually and perhaps painfully. With tbs
loss OF population the struggle for exist
ence among the common people will grow
less severe. II it should cease to be at al
hard. the benign condition supervenin,
would Inevitably attract immigration. ans
that would reIurenate the blood OF thr
mssses. France indeed must maintain il