Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1906-04-07
RACE SUICIDE IN FRANCE.
Statistics Show That the Birth Rate
Is Decreasing Every Year in
That Country.

Va ~ q VI 4 n NhONinE n Aldl lut III
Icrease in population for the last
year is lower than ever before,
says the Pail Mall Gazette. The
term "depopulation" is very com
monty used. bnt it is hardly cor
rect, since the population is not ab
soIutely decreasing, but remain
ing stationary. Eight hundred
thousand children were born in
1904. Each year since the war
there has been a regular retro
gression. The figures were higher
in 1903 than in 1904 and higher
again in 1902 than in 1903.
Immediately after the war the
births averaged 900, 600; to-day the
figures are $4,000. or 142, 900 less.
There is no reason to suppose that
the family spirit is awakening in
IN France; there, in another 80
years, the 100000 will have shrunk
by another 100000. The death
rate has slightly increased, but is
not in any sense abnormal. Itrep-
resents 761,000 in place of 753,.
600 last year. Consequently, the
insignificant margin of 81, 900 sep
arates the coming France from the
departing France, the births from
the deaths.
The Importance of such figures
is always relative. What are the
vital statistics of the neighbors of
France? In 1908, the last figures
available, England had over ,000,-
600 births. That represents d
net increase Of population of 500.
OOO-that is to say, ten times the
figures of France. From a polit
ical sense greater Importance at
taches to the tables of Germany.
The land Of the kaiser has in
creased 100000 inhabitants, so
that in two years she could people
Alsace-LOrraine with a new pOpu-
latiOn. The enormous progress
made by Germany in the num-
bers of her people stands re-
vealed when one takes a general
look at the statistics for the last
so years.
In 1850 France and Germany
had a population that was practic.
ally equal, say 35,O00,OOO. To-day
the one is 3S,OO0,O00 or 80, 900 900,
the other is 6O,OOO,OOO. These are
very significant figures, upon
which it is impossible not to ru-
inmate. This difference in pOpu-
latiOn accounts for a great deal.
1t explains the necessity of Ger
man eXpansiOn-the restless de-
sire for fresh fields and pastures
new. 1t explains, also, the other
side of the shield-the recent
''frOusse" this country had when
the war lord lifted up his sword in
the direction of the VOsges.
1t is obvious that France can
never become a real cOlOnizing
power with new population"
that is diminishing. These things
are well understood by enlightened
public opinion here, but, unfOr,
tunately, no one has been able ia
suggest a scientific remedy. NJ.
Plot, the well-knOwn senator, la
bOrs in season and out of season
preaching the gospel of large fam
lilies, but no one pays attention ex.
cept to send the good man
shower of comic cards at the New
Year. But his remedies, such as
they are-bonuses for the fathers
of large families and medals for
the mOthers-can but touch the
fringe of the question. The real
reason is not economic, though of
course the division of property
among the children under French
law has something to do with it;
1t goes much deeper than that.
CivilizatiOn-if that is the right
name for it-Or at least the knOwl.
edge of good and evil, has reached
"a point in France unattained by
any other nation. Doctrines touch
ing upon the limitation of pOpula-
.tiOn are openly discussed and the
child is not brought into the world
unless there is at least a pewter
spoon in it's mouth. 1t is the ex.
cess of thrift, the oVercare for the
morrow, that is the secret of the