DECREASING BIRTH RATE

Thames Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9976, 24 June 1901, Page 2

DECREASING BIRTH RATE

The ChrUfchurch Press, writing on. the census returns touching the birth rate, says: Investigations made lately as to the number of births per 1000 of married couples in Various European, countries, show France to be hopelessly last. Wurtemburg is first-with 216, Prussia has 206, Scotland 205, Germany 202, England 190Italy 185, Belguim 184, France 115. Many projects have been put forward in the hope of counteracting the retrograde movement which is becoming so painfully apparent. "The Northern Railway Company of France many years ago increased the sfflairies of its employees by 24fr. a year for each child. The other companies have followed this example, and one of the French public departments gives to its minor employees an annual bonus of 60fr for every child after the fourth." M. Piot, Senator who has thought deeply on the subject, advocates an extension of this principle. He urges that the taxation of every father of four children should be lightened, and correspondingly diminished with each additional child, besides giving fifty francs a year for every ,chil9 from the fourth to the seventh. He would exempt for two years from military service tlie eldest son of every family of four or more children, and would also give facilities to fathers of large families for obtaining land in the French colonies. Finally, -lie would specially tax chilless people and celibates, and render, marriage a less formidable business than it is at present in France. But until he manages to awaken the people to the danger that threatens their country, all tihese schemes will be futile, and France will gradually dwindle and decay.