The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1905-03-02
pEAflle On ne bEcREAsE


TO the inquisitive mind statistics are
always interesting and frequently Q
perusal Of them will result in the un-
earthing Of facts which are curious
enough to interest even the casual gen.
eral public. One Of the bits Of in
formation found In the mortality tables
recently given out by the census de-
partment would seem to indicate, says
the New York Post, that II the death
percentage continues to decrease among
forthcoming generations of professional
men as much as it did in that between
1880 and 1900 1t will not be quite CEN
fury before men engaged in these oc-
equations will live forever. Rather
astonishing. but yet that is exactly the
conclusion one is forced to arrive at by
logical process of reasoning. The only
class exempt from this tempting pros
pect of amending life are the clergymen,
who are dying now in greater number,
case in 1890. The total number OF
architects, artists and teachers Of art
In the United States increased nearly
IL per cent. during the past decade, but
the mortality figures show decrease
In the number OF deaths among the
whole body from slightly over IL per
cent. to about II per cent. In the same
period. Journalists increased in num-
Der IL per cent, but the death rate
among them declined from II to Is per
cent. Deaths among lawyers decreased
one-half Of l per cent, among mu-
sicians l per cent. and among physi-
clans and surgeons a little over per
cent. All of which serves to show that
If one wants to live long he should en-
gage in some professional calling. II
the same decrease holds true In the fu-
ture it will be only about so years be-
fore physicians will no longer die; %
years will bring about the same glori-
Gus condition among journalists. 110
years for the architects and artists, mu-
sicians $50 years, while the lawyers will
be compelled to wait 172 years for the
state of ceaseless life among them.
The clergymen are in very bad way,
indeed. Their total number has only
shown a comparatively slight increase,
but the death rate for their occupation
increased 5h per cent. over that OBJ
tanning in the preceding decade. What
ever the cause, whether they are lead
ing more strenuous life or not, they |
loom up as the holders Of an extreme |
ly dangerous calling-a calling danger
Gus to life. What else may be inferred |
from these cold, unyielding figures? 1t |
would be well for clergymen to take
cognizance Of this matter and adopt |
preventive measures against the whole
sale decrease by death in their number,
or, SO the statistics would seem to In.
dicate. 1t will only be I56 years until /
clergymen will no longer be able to exist,
Tor the death percentage would have in
to 100 per cent.
The sad prospect for the clergymen
IS also that Of women engaged In pro-
'essional occupations. Female musi-
clans and teachers of music increased
IN number per cent. in the last dec
ade. while the increase in deaths among
them was over per cent Actresses are
more numerous by per cent, and the
leaths among them have increased
per cent. thus indicating that in 500
7ears. II this ratio continues, we shall
10 longer have actresses, and men will
'nce again be compelled to assume fe-
male parts on the stage, as they did
q the days Of Shakespeare. The death
ate among women school-teachers is
IS per cent. heavier than the increase
n numbers. and among stenographers
nd typewriters it is nine-tenths per
emit. greater. No statistics are given
egarding female clerics, so that We are
EFT to imagine in horror what they
night have revealed.