The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-08-12
Increase in Population.


aside from it's educational condi-
tons, you will undoubtedly agree with
me in saying that there is no better
test of the practical religious and
moral training of people than its
increase in population. According to
the Spanish census there were in 1891
population of 667,612 souls in the
Philippines; in 1735 a population of
837,1S in 1900 population of 1861
251; in 1845 population of 3,488,258;
in 1903 a population of 6,997, 1856.
Thus in the last sixty-five years we
find an increase of So per cent and
this in spite of the instruction and
wars, plaques, and the cholera. Ac-
cording to these statistics there is no
race of people on earth today that
shows greater power of multiplying
than the Filipino. And it is to be
noted that the economic development
of the islands kept pace with that of
the population during the last one
hundred years. This was in great
measure due to the system of primary
schools established in the Philippines
by O'Donnell, SPANS greatest Minis
ter of War, and carried out under the
care of the Catholic Church. Both
this economic development and in
crease in population were in great
measure due to the fact that the peo-
pie in general owned their own homes,
and followed closely the laws of God
and tho Church in fhnirs M pTfo IN Yca-
lations. They knew not what divorce
meant. If they did they were not al
lowed to practice it. Consequently
the social evil of divorce and race
suicide found little place in their life.
Race suicide as an addition to other
problems in the Philippines lies far
off in the distant future, according to
the birth statistics complied in the
last quarterly report Of the Bureau of
Health and reported in the Manila
Times. Manila takes position in
birth rate far in advance of other
countries of the world with an aver
age of 1923 births 1000 of the popu-
lation. In international statistics of
birth rate Hungary, with an average
of 405, leads the civilized world.
Austria, with 81, and Germany, with
36, are next.
The Filipino Woman.
In 1903 the average excess of births
over deaths was IL per 1000 per year
or greater than any European coun-
try. The mothers are noted for their
remarkable chastity, SO the daughters
in their love for holy purity. The
Filipinos may have their faults, and
what nations or people has not, but
they are sternly denied entrance into
the family circle. re the Filipino
woman is not generally highly edu-
Gated in letters she can claim the
GROWING distinction of being able to
make her own clothes; OF frequent
knowledge of the arts that go SO much
to make the home paradise on
earth; of music, both vocal and in
strumental, and the arts of entertain
ing and conversation Those of you
who have visited the Philippine vii
lagos at the Chicago, ST. Louis or
jamestown Expositions will, no doubt,
bear me out in this, especially in the
wonderful and beautiful works OF
cloth of just and Pima and Sinamay
and the exquisite needle work daily
executed by skilled Filipino feminine
hands. As one rides or drives along
the highways in the Philippines, espe-
cially on the Island of Luzon, he
catches a glimpse in every house OF
cloth weaving machines, looms and
shuttle and generally at work before
it some female of the family. But it
is not alone at the handicrafts that
. you will find the women of the Philip
pines employed. In Manila alone
there are nine orders of sisterho0ds
engaged in the education of fe
males This work was begun az early
al 1896 by the Sisters of Charity al
. Santa isabel C0l1age-then the Nor