The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1903-09-03

Just now, when the negro ques-
tion" is the paramount issue in Mis-
sissippi. the following editorial which
recently appeared in the Birmingham
News will be of interest to our readers
Is the negro in the city dying out ?
Official figures would seem to answer
the inquiry affirmatively, but some
times the deductions from statistics
are exceedingly erroneous.
About decade ago it was asserted
that the negro race was on the decline
numerically, for the reason that the
death rate was far in excess of the
census rate. 1t was asserted that the
race problem would be eliminated by
the rapid decrease in the number of
negroes. The census of 1900, however,
did not bear out the theory. There
was substantial increase of the negro
population. 1t is true that while the
white population in the decade 1890
1900 increased 2O.7, the negro popula-
tion only increased Is per cen but the
disparity is too slight to suggest any
great change in the proportion of pop
ulation.
The belief that the negro is unequal
to life in the cities is based upon sta
tistics recently complied. From the
article on the subject written for an
Charleston News and Courier the fol-
lowing extract showing the figures is
taken:
''There is no part of the country in
which the registration of vital statis-
tics is so nearly perfect as in New
England. For this reason the figures
for Boston are particularly interesting.
They show that during the census year
there were 1874 births and II, ,277
deaths among the white population,
making an excess of 2,714 births
Among the negro population of Boston
in the same year the births numbered
$40 and the deaths 327. making the
excess of deaths 81. In Gretear New
York there we've 96, 164 births, 70, 1926
deaths among the white population,
making the excess of births $685..
Among the negro population there
were 1870 deaths and 1, 43O births,
making the excess of deaths 540 In
Buffalo there were 9,227 births and
5,137 deaths among the white popula-
tion, making the excess of births
4,070. Among the negro population
there were 80 births and 80 deaths,
making the excess of deaths 81. In
Chicago there were 1906 births and
27, 535 deaths in the white population,
making the excess of births 13, $685.
Among the oolored poulation there
we're 80 births and 67 deaths, MAX
ing the excess of deaths 300. In
st. Louis there were 10, 96O births and
10, 800 deaths among the white popu-
lation, making the excess of births
2,64. Among the 'colored population
there were $50 births and 1, 1876 deaths,
making the excess of deaths 541. In
New Orleans there were 1924 births
among the white population and
4,977 deaths, making the excess of
births 247. Among the colored pop
ulation there were 1,736 births and
3,21O deaths, making the excess of
deaths 1,575.
About the same proportion was
shown in the other cities but the
above examples are sufficient to DEM
onstrate that if the births among the
negro population of the registration
cities are recorded with any app1oxi-
mate degree of accuracy the colored
population in those cities is not in
creased through the birth rate.''
The statistics relating to deaths are
no doubt approximately correct.
Through death certificates and books
of the undertakers the number of
deaths in every city is recorded with
some degree of accuracy. There is
no methcd, however, of ascertaining
the number of births among negroes.
Only small proportion is ever re-
ported. There is no way of ascertaining
the true figures.
Deductions, therefore, based upon
the proportionate death and birth rate
are misleading. 1t is fact that in
cities the negro deaths rates is much
higher than the white Whether the
birth rate is CORRESPONDENCE SO can
only be determined when more effec-
tive methods of recording births are
in vogue.
MAKE 1T A FELONY.