The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-11-10
ISLANDERS HURT SOUTH,
SAYS CENSUS DIRECTOR
False Impressions Make This Section
Lose 100000 Immigrants
Yearly.
VITAL STATISTICS NEEDED
Proper System of Death Registration
Would Save South From Itself.
Other Important Medical Papers
Are Read.

Declaring that 100000 immigrants
having an average wealth of $1,000
each. had gone into Canada since July
l, 1907, instead Of entering the South
ern States. az they might have done ~
they had not been under the impres-
sion that the South was an unhealthy
section OF the country, w. j. Harris
Director OF the United States Census
Bureau. Washington, d. c., said yes
terday afternoon. In the symposium on
vital statistics at the conference Of
public health officials of the Southern
States. that the only way to remove the
SANDER on the South Is TO have an ac-
curate registration of deaths. Such q
registration, lie said. would prove the
South to be M beautiful ae any part
OF the United States
'On account OF the large number of
negroes. among whom the death rate
is greater than among the white peo-
pie. 1t Is far more important" DR..
Harris said. that the South have ac-
curate vital statistics than In the
North. j am convinced that the death
rate among the whites, except In a
as In the North. while the highest
death rate among the negroes is in the
North"
LIFE INSURANCE COMPANIES
CHARGE HIGHER RATES
In support of his argument that lack
OF proper death registration has in
jured the South. DR.. Harris said fur
thcr that life insurance companies
charge a higher rate among policy
holders In the South than among those
in the North. and that it is costing
the South annually millions OF dol
lars. money that would be saved for
use In the Southern States II IT had
q proper system OF death registration.
Or. Harris's address produced pro-
found Impression. He made 1t clear
that II was part of the physiciars
duty to aid in the work 10 give
proper system of death registration in
the South II the South would be saved
from itself.
1T is important to householders"
he continued. ito know the cause Of
the death of their negro servants, and
this can he accomplished only by &C
curate tistics Soon after I was
made director OF the United States
Census Bureau I ordered that the ne
groes and whites should have sepa-
rate statistics. and 1 have detailed I'M
employee of the Census Bureau to help
the Southern States in !Hauyurating
4 proper and scientific system.
"One OF the most important uses
of vital statistics Is their practical
employment for the protection of the
public health and for the prevention
and restriction Of disease. Modern
statistics. and ii sanitary service.
whether State or municipal, that is
deprived of accurate, vital statistics Is
absolutely handicapped in It's work. It
Is necessary to know when and where
q death occurs and it's cause. in order
that we may know how best 10 remedy
the condition. So long az they are
without vital statistics health boards
are cropping in the dark" DIR. Harris
said that the deaths front cancer In
1917 had been greater than during any
year before, and pointed out TINT vital
statistics might have been used to
prevent such large percentage o.
death from this dread disease.
Dr. Harris stated that the rcgistra-
ton area In 1913 included twenty
three States. the population of which
is 63,29s71s, or col per cent OF the
these States are Virginia. Kentucky,
Maryland and North Carolina.
URGES LOCAL. SYSTEM
Of DEATH REGISTRATION
The speaker advised the abolishment
OF the county system of registration
RS incomplete. and urged n local sys-
tenn.
Dr. H. Fl. Shoulders. Of Nashville,
Tenn. read paper on Preparation
Vital Statistics Law" and DR.. w. A.
Plecker, of this city. read paper on
Difficulties Encountered In Securing
Admission to the Registration Area for
Deaths" Other papers were read by
DIR. w. l.. Heizer. of Rowling Green,
KY: Dr., Il. l.. Watkins, of Jackson.
Miss. ard DIR. Richard n. Duffy, Of
Newbern. n. c.. who read paper on
Tile Prevention OF Cancer Those
who participated In the discussion
wele DR.. A. G. Fort. of Atlanta: DR..
James a. Hayne, OF Columbia, c.;
DR.. W. S. Rankin. OF Raleigh, ". c.,
and DR.. Oscar Bowling, of New Or