Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-21
wANE OF THE NATIVE BORN.
Significance Of the Dininished Birth
Rate in the United states.

Boston Transcript.
The general decline Of the birth rate dur
ing the last half century has often been
commented upon. The phenomenon is
most noticeable in the case Of the peoples
that stand highest In the scale Of c~iviliza-
tion. The persistence OF this tendency Is
a matter Of grave concern, for 1t raises
the question whether the most highly de-
veloped nationalities will be able to hold
their own against the more rapidly increas-
ing inferior stocks. To be sure, the effect
Of the falling birth rate has been largely
offset hitherto by the reduction Of tho
death rate. But II the ratio OF births con-
tinues to drop a point will be reached
sooner or later when the native popula-
tion in the great civilized states will be-
come stationary or retrogressive. Indeed,
this condition has already arrived in
France. as the death rate in that country
already exceeds the birth rate. and in Eng
land and the United States it seems to be
not far distant.
The recent census returns for England
show a birth rate of only 31.57 per thou
sand, as compared with Ss per thousand
thirty years ago. Another noteworthy fact
in the population statistics Of England has
been the decline of immigration during the
last decade. The excess OF emigration
over immigration amounted to only 20, 00O
in the ten years. 1890 to 1900. whereas dur
ing the preceding decade Il had been 800,
900. Instead of sending large numbers OF
native immigrants to other countries Eng
land is now receiving large annual add
tions to its population from southern and
eastern Europe.
The birth rate In the United States ID
lower than that Of England. In 1900, ac-
cording to the census report on vital sta
%tistics, it was 27.2 per thousand. This
was slightly higher than the rate for 1890
which was 26.9 The death rate fell mean.
while from 1876 in 1890 to 17.S in 1900. II
should be observed, however, that the hg.
ures for births given in the census returns
are based on very imperfect data and are
not to be regarded as trustworthy. The
actual birth rate in the United States II
doubtless considerably higher than tn,
figure given in the census volume. But
while the birth rate for the country a
large has probably not declined during re,
cent years and the death rate has beer
lowered several points, the growth Of pop,
ulation has been much greater in the for.
eign than in the native stock. The census
statistics show that the average annua
increase of population through excess o
births over deaths in the decade, 1S9O-1900
was S6.5 per thousand for the class born o
foreign white parents ard only 1875 pc
thousand for the class born Of native whit,
parents. In the northeastern group o
states the disproportion between the TIVE
classes was even more striking; the rat,
OF increase for the foreign class was 80
and that Of the native class 3.S. In tn,
New England states 1t appears that tn,
| noffya ofa,Ly L. anN,oIIy 1ooI9nN,- a. aaoN1
rate exceeding its birth rate by Is Pc
hous0 while in the foreign population
the b.r.L rate exceeded the death rate b!
AS per thousand. The situation revealed
by these figures is truly alarming. The oil
New England stock is rapidly being sup
planted by a polytechnic amalgam OF as
sorted foreign elements.
1t is generally recognized that the caus
Of the decline OF the. birth rate is NOR,
psychological than physiological-that is
1t results rather from a growing disinclina
tion to raise large families than from al
increasing incapacity for collaborating oil
the part of the modern woman. The ris
in the standard OF living which has take
place during the last half century ha
operated to check the growth Of population
to an extent never dreamed OF by Nautilus
The increasing cost Of supporting a famil,
has developed a high degree Of prudence II
regard to the marriage relation. Withil
reasonable limits this tendency is a desir
able one, but it has been carried too far
Aside from the advance in the STANDARD
of living there are other powerful factor
that have combined to diminish the brit
rate by absorbing the energies of womel
in various activities outside the home. o.
the one hand social ambitions and on tn
other and intellectual or philanthropic in
terests fill the lives OF many women t
such an extent that little strength, time o
inclination il left for the rearing of chill
dren. The club movement among women /
undoubtedly responsible in no small meas
ure for the diminution in the size Of tn
average family. The emancipation" o
woman, beneHcent as 1t is in the main
seems to have been somewhat overdone II
this country. There il need at the presen
time of q reaction against the ultra-strenu
GUS feminine life and a revival OF the old
fashioned domestic ideal.
Cost Of Living.