Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1907-02-20
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Hnlladelpnla.-In latest estimate
OF the total population of the world is
1,4S7, 100000, yet a French statistician,
DR.. Meslier, has just published some
figures by which he strives to prove
that the human race is dying out.
Limited to the birth rate in Europe
an and a few other countries of white
population, DR.. Meslier appears to
have established his case. His figures,
at any rate, are startling, but, as he
leaves out of consideration some of
the most populous countries and pro-
lltc peoples-the Asiatic races-it is
doubtful if he maintains his position.
IaklnS the years of 1881 to 1903, he
says that for every thousand married
women from Is to So years of age
taken from differen4 countries the
births have decreased in England IS
per cent, ten per cent. in Scotland,
TEN per cent. in Bavaria, seven per
cent. in Italy, seven per cent. in
Sweden, IL per cent. in Russia, II per
cent. in France, II per cent in Den
mark, Is per cent. in New Zealand, "a
per cent. in Saxony, % per cent. in
the state of Victoria and SO per cent.
In New South Wales. AS the census
returns of the United States for 1900
are as yet incomplete, there are no
satisfactory figures upon which DR..
Meslier can carry his comparisons to
this country.
If the birth rate figures are missing.
the mortality statistics of some SO of
the principal cities of the United
States show that there is an appreci-
able decrease in all but two cities
New Orleans and Columbus-between
1890 and 1900.
Birth Rate of Past
The ancients did not leave any very
authentic records of the population of
their cities or countries, but such frag-
mentary information as has descended
to our times shows a steady and con-
tinuous growth in the number of the
worlds people, says the Philadelphia
Ledger. While the birth rate, proper
tionately, was perhaps greater in some
parts of the world 1000 years ago than
1t is to-day, long years of warfare and
Commissions of nature, to say nothing
OF accident, assassination and disease,
Kept the growth of population within
a narrow rate of progression
Only the barest estimates of the
population of the world are possible
before the nineteenth century. Even
now universal census is wanting, but
the present means of estimating lead
TO more reasonable results than were
possible so recently as a hundred
years ago.
The cry that the human race is
dying out was not unfamiliar in
ancient Rome and in Sparta. Efforts
were made in those states to rectify
the failing birth rate by enacting yari-
Gus laws. In the meantime a new
world has been discovered and the
globes population, despite innumer.
able natural and artificial drawbacks,
has grown probably hundredfold.
1.-THE American Idea"
An American woman, Mrs. Lydia K
Commander, known as a woman suf.
fragist has just published book I'm.
der the title. "The American Idea" in
which she tries to show that what she
calls the American race-not Indians
but the people who have stamped their
individuality upon the country-is dis
appearing. She declares that two chill
dren are the limit of an American fam
lily, rich or poor, educated or unedu-
Gated.
About a century ago Prof. Nautilus
in a voluminous exposition attempted
to prove that in few centuries the
world would have progression of in
crease in the food supply. The NAL
thusian theory still continues to alarm
certain lyceum platform orators, but