Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1905-09-01
Decline Of American Birth Rate.

there has been a persistent decline in
the birth-rate Of the United States
since 1910, confirming the cause for
apprehension which has actuated our
strenuous President. The bulletin
wss prepared by Prof. Walter L. Will
cox, Of Cornell University, who ex-
plains that while the analysis made
oilers many suggestions as to probable
TENDENCIES In tirth-rates, il lie, pri-
marily, not study of birth. rates, but
is simply an estimate Of the vary
ing proportions o: children to the total
number Of women of child.bearing age,
for period long enough to afford sug.
gestive instruction.
The result shows that at the begin
ming of the century just closed, the
children less than ten years Of age
constituted onc-third. at the end less
than one fourth of the entire popula
ton. Daring only one decade, from
1850 10 1850, has the proportion Of
children to the women OF child bear
ing age, between fifteen and forty.nine
years, increased. With this exception
the decrease has been unequal from
decade to decade, but regular when
based on twenty-year periods. In
1850, the number of children less than
five years OF age to 1000 women WAS
634, in 1900 it was only 474, or only
about three-fourths tho proportion OF
children to potential women OF the
former date.
No attempt is made by the author of
the bulletin to determine the probable
causes of this decline. An extended
argument by General Francis A. Walk
er is given suggesting that it is largely
due to the influence of foreigners and
the resultant shock to the population
instinct of the natives. But Professor
Wilcox does not express q definite
opinion, claiming that the vital sta
tistics OF the United States are not
sufficiently developed to afford sound
basis of judgment. He notee, how
ever, that there has been q similar
marked decline in the birth rate OF
Australia, where there has been no
such torrent of immigration.
Considered sectionally, it is found
that in the North and West, there has
been a more or less regular decline,
while in the South The change has
been less regular and the decline less
marked. In 1850 the proportion oil
children to 1000 women in the North
and West was five.sixths of what il
was in the South; in 1900 it was less
than three-fourths.
| A comparison is made between the
proportion of children born of native
mothers to 900 of child. bearing age
to the same number of foreign born
women of like capabilisy. In 1900 the
former proportion was 462. the latter
ITO, the difference indicating the great.
or fecundity of foreign.born women
The bulletin continues:
"The comparison also indicates that
the total decrease in fecundity of white
women between 1890 and 1900 was
the result Of q decrease for native
white women, partly Offset by an in.
crease of foreign born white women.
"In the Atlantic divisions, however,
there was . slight increase in the pro
portion of children born to native
white mothers, and in the south cen.
trail division there was but slight de-
crease. The decrease for the whole
country, therefore, was the result very
largely Of the great decrease in the
north central and western divisions.
"The decrease in the proportion of
children born to native women was
confined chiefly to Cities"
The proportion of negro children to
negro women Is to 40 years Of age WAS
largest in 1880, and smallest in 1900.
There has been uniformly . larger
proportion of negro children than of
white children. That difference more
than doubled between 1860 and 1880,
but in 1900 it was less than half what
it was in 1880, and less than at any
other census except 1860.