The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-17
AMERICAN BABIES NOT SO PLENTIFUL Startling Decrease is Shown
 Since 1860 SOUTH IS HOLDING ITS OWN At Beginning of Nineteenth Century Babies rormed one-third of Total
 PopuIatIon--Now Less
 Than One-fourth.
SOUTH IS HOLDING ITS OWN

Washington, August 16.-That there has been persistent decline of the birth rate in the United States since 1860" is the conclusion reached in a bulletin issued today by the census bureau. The bulletin was prepared by Prof Walter F. Wilcox of Cornell university and it is explained that although the analysis made offers many suggestions as to probable tenden- cies in the birth rate of the United States, it is primarily not a study in birth rates, but study In the proportion of children to the total population. or to the number of woman of child bearing age"
 The result of the study shows that at the beginning of the nSeteenth century the children under 20 years of age consti- tuted third, and at the end, less than one-fourth of the total population. The decrease in this proportion began as early as the decade 1910 to 1920. and continued uninterruptedly through varying rates in each successive decade.
 Decreased Since 1860.
 Between 1850 and 1860 the proportion of children to women between 15 and 49 years the chld-bearlng ago, increa sed, but since 1860 it has constantly decreased. 1t is stated that the decrease has been very unequal from decade to decade, but that if the population is made up on the basis of twentyyear periods 1t has been regular. In 1860 the number of children under years of age for 1000 women, 15 to IS years of age, was 634; in 1900 it was only 474. The proportion of children to potential mothers in 1900 was only three fourths as large as in 1860.
 No attempt Is made by the author of the bulletin to determine the probable cause of this decline. An extended argu- ment by Gen. Francis A. Walker is given, suggesting that 1t is largely due to the influx of foreigners and the resultant shock to the popular instinct of the na- lives. But Professor Wilcox does not ex- press a definite opinion, claiming that the vital statisties of the United States are not sufficiently developed to afford a sound basis of judgment. He notes, how over, that there has also been a similar marked decline in the birth rate of Aus traiia, where there has been no such torrent of immigration.
 Decline Less Marked In South.
 Considered sectionalIy, 1t is found that in the north and west there has been more or less regular decline, while in tn south the change has been less regu- lar, and the decline less marked. In 1880 the proportion of children to 1000 women in the north and west was five sixths of that in the south, and in 1900 it was less than three-fourths
 In 1900 the smallest proportion of chil- dren was in the District of Columbia where the number of children under wa hardly more than one-fourth the number of women of collaborating age The next f.. where 1t was slightly more than one third.
 The largest proportion was in North Dakota and Indian Territory, in each of which 1t was two-thirds. In the general decrease between 1890 and 1900 not q single state of the North Atlantic division took part. In seven other states also there was no decrease.
 In only six states, Maryland. Missouri Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky and Indiana. did the proportion decrease in each of the five decades and in only Delaware, Dis trict of Columbia. Wisconsin Minnesota Iowa. Oregon and Colorado did if sol- low the tendency for the country as a whole-that is, increase from 1850 to 1seo and decrease in the four succeedjng de. cades.
 Fewer Babies In Cities.
 In 1900 for the United States as a whole. the proportion of children was only two-thirds as great in cities as in the country districts In the north Az lantic division. however it was a1most as great in the cities as in the country. In the southern divisions if ts bardi,, more than half as large in the cities as in the country, while in the far west the difference is intermediate in amount This" he explained, "is probably dne