Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-08-18
It Has Been Falling OF
Steadily Since 1860.
Uncle Sam May Have to Offer
Premiums for More Babies.
Alarming State Of Affairs Told by Recent
Census Bureau Bulletin.

Washington, Aug. 17.-That there
has been persistent decline of the
birth rate in the United States since
bulletin issued, Wednesday, by the
census bureau. The bulletin was pre-
pared by Prof Walter f. Wilcox Of
Cornell University, and it is explained
that "although the analysis made Of
fcrs many suggestions as to probable
tendencies in the birth rate. but, a
study in the proportion of children to
the total population or to the number
Of women of child bearing age"
The result of the study shows that at
the beginning OF the 18th century the
children under 10 years Of age consti-
tuted one-thrd and at the end less than
onc-fourth of the total population. The
decrease in this proportion began as
early az the decade 1910 to 1929, and
continued uninterruitedly. though at
varying rates. in each successive dec
AIDE.
Between 1850 and 1860. the proportion
Of children to women between Is and
10 years, the collaborating age. in
creased. but since 1860 il has constantly
decreased. II is stated that the de-
crease has been very unequal from dec
dGe to decide. but that if the colnpu-
tatlon is made upon the basis of 20
year periods it has been regular. In
1860. the number OF children under five
years of age to 1000 women. Il to 40
years of age. was 63i: in 1900. it was on
" 414. The prol ortion Of children to po-
tcntial mothers in 1900 was only three
fourth as large as in 1860.
No attempt is made b. the author
of the, bulletin to determine the prob
able cause of this decline. An extend
ed argument by General Francis A.
Walker is given. suggesting that it is
largely due to the influx of foreigners
and the resultant shock to the popula-
ton instinct Of the natives. But Prof.
Wilcox does not express a definite
opinion. claiming that the vital statis-
tics of the United States are not suffi-
GENTLY developed to afford a sound
basis Of judgment. He notes, however.
that there has been a 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
4 more or less regular decline, while in
the South the change has been less reg
ular and the decline less marked. In
1850. the population, of children to 1000
women in the North and West was
live-sixths of what il was in the South;
in 1900 it was less than ee-fourths
In 1900 the smallest proportion of chill
dren was in the District of Columbia,
where the number of children under
five was hardly more than one-fourth
the number of women of child bearing
age The next smallest proportion was
Massachusetts. where 1t was slightly
more than one-third. The largest pro-
portion was i'll North Dakota and In
dian Territory, in each Of which it was
two-thircis.
IL the general decrease between 1896
and 1900. not single state OF the North
Atlantic division took part. In seven
other states, Also, there was no de-
crease. In only six states, Maryland.
Michigan, Ohio. Illinois, Kentucky and
Indiana, did the proportion decrease in
each Of the five decades: and in only
Delaware. District OF Columbia Wis
consin, Minnesota, Iowa, Oregon and
Colorado did it follow the tendency for
the country as a whole--that is. in
crease from 1850 to 1860 and decrease in
the four succeeding decades.
In 1900, for the United States as Q
whole the population Of children was
only two-thirds as great in cities as
in the country districts. In the North
Atlantic division. however. 1t was al
most as great in the cities as in the
country. In the Southern divisions it is
hardly more than half as large In the
cities az i'm the country, while in the
far West the difference is intermediate
in amount. "This," it is explained, lis
probably due in a large measure to the
fact that the immigrant population
who have been swarming into the
Northern cities Of recent years, espe-