The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-02-11
FRANCES DEPoPULATIoN.
Unsatisfactory Proportion of Births
to Marriages and Deaths.

Inc pOpulatlOn, or, rather, tllC ue-
population question has again become
a serious problem for France. When
the statistics for the year 1896 were
published it was announced, with no
inconsideTahlc amount of pleasure, that
the births in the country had exceeded
the deaths by 93, 700, "A most favorable
condition of things when compared
with the previous year, when the
deaths had exceeded the births by L.
Sl3 These figures were looked upon as
denOting turn in the tide in the grad
ually decreasing number of births, and
one writer laid especial stress ON the
assertion that Frenchmen had at all
events removed the stigma that they
were decaying nation. More prudent
writer's reserved their opinion lest the
charge should have been due to eXcep-
tiOnal causes. and the statistics which
have just been issued for the year 1897.
from the Bureau du Travail, on the
movement of the population in the
country, show that the reservation
then made We're not without reason. IT
is true that there is still an excess Of
births over deaths to the number of
10S0SS, and at first sight this total
would appear to denote an improve
ment over the preceding year.
This is not so, however, for an eX-
animation of the figures show the inn
prOvement in the actual total does not
arise from any increase in the birth
rate. but from an exceptionally low rate
of mortalit" during the year. and. in
large measure, to the absence of any
epidemical disease Thus. while in 1896
the deaths throughout France amount
ed to a total of 77l,SS6. in the year
| under notice they only reached 75l,0l9,
| or 20S67 short of the figure reached the
| previous year. ON the other hand, it
| should also be noted that while in 1896
| there were S65, $50 births. last year the
| total reached was only S5O.107, a dimi-
| mutton of just $500. If the increase in
| the population does not come up to tho
| increase noted in 1896, or to what was
! expected, FrenChmen may find some
| satisfaction in the fact that there is an
| improvement on such years as 1891, 1892
| or 1895. when the excess of deaths over
| births reached Il very considerable
| figure.
/ The increase of people must to Il
| certain extent depend on the number
! of marriages in the country, and the
| French statistics published under this
| head, if little more satisfactory nu-
| merically than those relating to the
main question, as a whole leave much
! to be desired. According to NJ. Nor
| On's report the number of marriages
| celebrated in France last year was
! POI ,462, as compared with 290,171 in 1896.
! and 2S2, 2lS in 1895 Going back ten
! years it may be noted that the num-
| ber was then 276,S4S, so that the in
| crease has been extremely gradual.
| The number of births each year--as
| separated from the illegitimate births.
| which last year reached a total of TO-
| 9S9-haVe not even shown cores
| pending increase. For the past ten
years the total has beer near 500, ,OOO
| the lowest year being 1895 with S34, ,173
| births, and the highest, 1883. when the
total reached SS2639 A similar even
| average is to be noted with regard 10
| the deaths which annually have aver
aged between 7OO,OJ0 and 500, 600.
| But to return to the question of the
birth rate. Supposing the actual in
| crease in the population which was
| reported last year-in round numbers
| 100 0O0-could be maintained it would
| still compare very unfavorably with
| the average annual increase in the
| population of Germany, estimated at
| $4,000 souls per year from 1891 to 1897,
| or even with the more moderate annu-
al increase in the population of Great
| Britain, which is estimated at 45O OO0
| Ii is in taking II series of years that
| the question from the national point
of view is seen in it's worst lNht. Av-
eraging the increases from the year
1886 to the year 1897, we find that the
annual increase has only been 29,23I.
which is a remarkably poor result for
a nation computed to consist of over
3S,OOO,OO0 souls at the end of the year
1897.
If the views Of certain eminent au-
| thorities are correct, the prospects for
the future are none too pleasant for
the French nation. 1t is many years
| since so large a number of marriages
took place as in 1897, and consequently
the decrease in the birth rate cannot
| be put down to q decrease under this
head.