Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1904-06-17
NO.. 5
oIore Race Suicide.

recent note Of alarm comes from over
the water. II relates TO the decreased
birth rate in England and Australia.
We are told that population is doing
the crawfish act, especially in London.
Himself the father of eleven. the
bishop of Ripon speaks with author
ity. The bishop of London, though a
bachelor. has had the temsrity TO take
up the cry, and the halfpenny press are
in full pursuit. That the English birth
rate has declined IL per cent in the
past twenty years is certainly a signifi-
cant fact, and such statement as the
following, which is made by London
doctor with very large middle class
practice, canpt be waived aside as
Mysteries. 'The fact ut present is"
says this doctor, that the weekly
birth rate in London shows decline of
nearly 400 births as compared with the
average of the past ten years. This
means that London is losing natural
increase of 10000 children a year,
which will mean probably 250000 dur
ing the next ten years. expect that
the decline will be even more marked,
for | find that the idea that children
are luxury to be avoided is rapidly
spreading among the working people.
Twenty years ago the danger arose
hn ri 70
it began TO spread among the middle
classes; now the workingman is saying
the same thing: We are not going to
be bothered with children. We've got
enough to do to keep ourselves. The
question is one which vitally affects
the future of London, for the growth
of this idea brings us face to face with
the fact that before many years the
natural increase of London's popula-
ton will cease"
This tendency, however, is not con-
fined TO the older settled countries like
England. 1t has even invaded the new
land of Australia. The population there
has been stationary or falling for some
time. but this has been explained to the
worlds satisfaction by economic causes
which do not operate to the same ex-
tent elsewhere. Emigration has been
considered the great danger in Austria
liza, but the people of that continent are
now awake to a more serious evil.
A government commission has just
birth rate. In New South Wales, in
particular, the facts are considered
alarming. In ten years the birth rate
has fallen off at the rate Of 10 in 1000,
and thf commission finds this due to
the following causes: Defective
health, defective morals and defective
character are already manifesting
themselves as warning of more
marked deterioration likely to ensue."
1t seems to be the old story of selfish
ness which leads the individual to neg
lect his duty to the community, and
the decay Of religious faith which in
duces Indifference to higher obliga-
ton. So far as is disclosed by the re-
port, the condition in Australia arises
from the causes which have produced
the same results in other countries.
The trouble Is worldwide"
Does not all this point to the need of
a more positive public virtue, Of an
awakening of the social consciousness
and of the duty each individual owes
to the race? There is not so much an
occasion for pessimism as for the elimi-
nation of selfshness.
Possibly industrial environments have
much to do with the unwillingness to
bear children The family should not
be a burden, but joy; and If our
eco11emic and other conditions are such
as to make parenthood burdensome,
then there is something radically wrong
with these conditions, and they must
give way to something more normal.
The preservation and benefit Of his
race constitute each mans first duty.