Omaha daily bee., 1905-08-17
BIRTH RATE IS DECREASING
Census Bureau Bulletin Shows Compare
lively Smaller Number Of Children.
DECLINE MARKED IN NORTH AND WEST
Southern states Keep Nearer the Pro-
portion OF Earlier Years ana
Negroes DO Better Than
whites.

WASHINGTON. Aug. 1s-That there
has been a persistent decline OF the birth
rate in the United states since 1890 is the
conclusion reached In a bulletin issued by
the census bureau. The bulletin was pro-
pared by Prof Walter r. Wilcox Of Cor
nell university and II is explained that
although an analysis made offers many
suggestions as to probable tendencies in
the birth rate Of the United States, II Is,
primarily, not a study In birth rates, but
study in the proportion Of children to
the total population or to the number OF
women Of collaborating age.
The result of the study shows that at
the beginning Of the nineteenth century
the children under 10 years Of age constl-
tutcd one-third and at the end less than
ne-fourth Of the total population. The
decrease in this proportion began as early
as the decade 1910 to 1890, and continued
uninterruptedly, though at varying rates,
in each successive decade. Between 1850
and 1850 the proportion Of children to
women between 10 and 40 years, the child
bearing age, increased. but since 1850 1t has
constantly decreased. 1t is stated that
the decrease has been very unequal from
decade to decade, but that II the compu.
tation is made upon the basis OF twenty
year periods it has been regular. In 1850
the number of children under years
of age to 1000 women IS to 40 years OF age
was GA: in 1900 II was only 47L The pro-
portion to potential mothers in 1900 was
only three-fourths as large as in 1850.
Little Data to Work Upon.
No attempt is made by the author OF
the bulletin to determine the probable
causes of this decline. An extended ar
gument by General Francis A. Walker is
| 10. -
the influx of foreigners and the resultant
shock to the popular instinct OF the ma
| tlves. But Prof. Wilcox does not express
a DEFINITE opinion, claiming that the vital
| statistics of the United States are not
| sufficiently developed to afford a SOUND
| basis Of judgment He notes, however,
| that there has been q similar marked de-
| cline in the rate OF Australia when there
has been no such torrent of immigration.
| Considered sectionally II 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 of children to 1000 women In
! the north and west was fve-sixths OF what
1t was in the south; in 1900 it was less than
| three fourths. In 1900 the smallest pro-
portion of children was in the District Of
| Columbia, where the number OF children
| under was hardly one-fourth the num-
Der Of women of chid-bearing age. The
next smallest proportion was in Massa-
chusetts, where It was slightly more than
one-third. The largest proportion was in
North Dakota and Indian Territory, in each
OF which It was two-thirds.
Decline Pronounced in cities.
In the general decrease between 1896
and 1900 not a single state OF the north
! Atlantic division took part In seven
other states, also. there was no decrease