Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1914-06-04
According to Census Bureau Tennessee Towns Rate
 Is 20.8.
SAMPLES IS LOWEST
In Southern Cities With High Death Rates the Deaths Among Negroes Are Nearly Double Those
 Among Whites.

reau of the census, the death-rote of
 the registration area of the United
 States for 1913 was Al per thousand estimated population. In 1912 it was
 13.9, in 1911, 14.2. For the years from
 1901 to 1905 the average was 16.2;
 from 1906 to 1910 it was 15.1. We
 are therefore continuing in improve
 ment. the average for 1911, 1912 and
 1913 being 14O6. These are the ex7
 act figures as stated in the report of
 the census bureau. What they mean
 in actual lives is not indicated except by closer analysis. The decrease
 from 162, the average from 1901 to 1905, to Al, the average for 1913,
 amounts to 13 per cent, or reduc-
 tion of one death in every eight. If
 the same rate had prevailed in 1913
 as in the period from 1901 to 1905, there would have been 1,025,446 deaths
 recorded instead of S900,S23, an ex-
 cess of 134,623.
 The largest percentage of decrease
 was shown for Rhode Island Q5.D,
 followed by New York (12.3), New
 Jersey 11.2) and Massachusetts
 (9.6). It seems to be only peculiar coincidence that these leaders should
 all be in one small section of the en- tire territory discussed. Slight in- creases which occurred in some
 tsates Michigan, 4.5; New Hampshire, 8. and Indiana, 08) are believed to be due in some cases to increased accur- acy of registration. The state with the lowest death-rate is Washington, with S.5 deaths per thousand popula- tion; and then in the following or der come Minnesota, 10.4; Utah, 11.0, and Wisconsin and Colorado, 11.5. The doubtful honor of possessing the highest rates falls to New Hampshire with I'll; North Carolina, 16.S; Mary land, 16.2; Vermont 15.8; Maine, l15.3. and Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island, 15.0. It seems that in the New England states there occurred most of the higher leath-rates and most of the improve ment from previous years. .5 1t is significant that the four states in the registration area which have colored population of over 10 per cent, Kentucky, Maryland, North Car olina and Virginia, should average 15.O, while group with equal popula- 1 tion but fewer colored, Wisconsin, Washington, Vermont. and Minnesota, averages 11.5. s Among cities of over 100000 popu- ration. Seattle and Spokane lead by far with death-rates of only S.4 ana l S.9, respectively. Portland, Ore, fol lows with a rate of 9.5, so~ that this particular corner of the United States l by comparison would seem to be more than holding it's own. It seems al | most obvious that location, climate
 and character of population are re- l sponsible for this low death rate
 Minneapolis and St. Paul as usual
 contest for next place with 111.6 and I11. Oakland and Milwaukee follow ling with 125 and 12.7. The highest rates occur in Memphis, Tenn., EOS; Richmond, Va, 20.4; New Orleans |19.9: Albany, N. Y., 19.S; Baltimore l1S.5: Nashville, Tenn, IFS; Birming-
 ham, Ala, TIA; Atlanta, Ga. 17.4, and
 Washington, D. G. 17.3
 l The cause of this high death rate l in Southern cities has probably often been mentioned and often explained but we cannot too often point the way to betterment, says The Journal of the American Mtdical association. In the
 accompanying table. the significant Ifigures need no explanation.