The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1910-11-26
A VANISHING PEOPLE.

There is no surer sign of a decaying civiliza-
ton among settled people than widespread race
suicide. DIR. Jacques Bertillon, writing about the
decline in the French birth rate points out that for
the first time in French history the births and
deaths during the year 1909 practically equal
The figures were: Births 10000, and deaths 1885,
500. He asserts that if it had not been that the
summer was exceptionally cool and therefore more
healthful than usual the death rate would have ex-
ceeded that of the births.
For years the number of births has been stead
lily decreasing. Before the establishment of the
anti-Chrstian republic the annual total of births
varied around million. Then until 1886 the rate
began with nine After that for twenty years
the figures began with eight, and now for three
years they have begun with a seven. Always a fall
ing off. "And" notice this, 'the birth rate" says
Dr. Bertillon, will continue to decrease until the
total extinction of the nation By list of com
paratve statistics he puts the case even more strk
ngly In France last year the excess of births
was only 1850. For the previous year the excess
in Germany was $4,000, in Austria $4,000, in
Great Britain and Italy about the same, and even
in little Holland the births exceeded the deaths by
$4,000.
There are, of course many speculations in re-
gard to the cause of the falling off in the popula
ton of France. Every specious explanation is adj
vanced, but the right explanation. One writer
blames society, in which it is not fashionable to
families, for the of children nuisance
and nterferes with socety's pleasure. Another at
tributes the falling off to the poverty of the middle
classes and the working people, if in other ma
lions these classes wallowing in wealth An
other says it's the law with regard to the devolu-
ton of estates The division of the farm among
the sons of the farmer results in very small hold
ings, and in comparative poverty for the holders.
Others say this, and others say that but the decline
goes on and France continues on her depopulating
way. Her legislators are resorting to desperate ex
pedents to check the depopulation. They are tax
ing bachelors, giving prizes for marriage, bonus
ing large families and altering the laws relating to
real property
What is most needed for the decaying nation,
and what her lawgivers cannot furnish, is a good
solid foundation of morality 1t was only when
Greece and Rome abandoned the practice of their |
religions and gave themselves up, as nations to
the practice of immortality that their decadence be-
came certainty Not till Greece deserted her tenn
PIES lost her ideals of art, and encouraged the rot
tnest kind Of low and lacvious literature, did she |
enter her career of national suicde-race suicide
or as Thucydides himself termed it "oligandria."
"the most complete example of genius
without principal that history Produces, according
to Sir Edward Greasy, returning from Syracuse to
Sparta foretold the ruin of his country from race
suicide.
When the Roman nations, long after the pros
porous days of the republic thought matrmony
farce and babes a burden, and declined to bring
children into the world, Rome was doomed AS
France today is trying to stay the impending ruin
With statutes, laws and bylaws, so, too, did Rome,
when her degeneracy was fermenting. She enacted
Ter "Papia Poppaea" and her "Leges Julia"
threatening fines and punishment on childless par
,nts, and promising honors and rewards to fathers
If families. But" writes the Roman historian
marriages and the begetting of children found no
avor, and childless homes were everywhere"
If France ever expects to rehabilitate herself in
ur own eyes and in the eyes of the world she must
is tn Sovereign Pontif advised her two years ago.
eturn to the practice of the Christian religion.
This she is not likely to do until she is bathed
n blood, the spectre of the armless hand is seen
writing her doom on the wall of the banquet room
f the Tuileries.
WILL HE COME THROUGH