The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-10-29
Is the Population of tins City Decreas
Ing

The total number Of voters who have regis
tered themselves in this city for the APP
preaching election is l43.O96. Last year the
registration amounted to 1906. and In 1875
II was lii, s3s There is, therefore. a falling OF
this year a compared with the last OF 39.9sO
names; and. a. compared with 1878. Of .7i2
names. No particular inference can bc
drawn from the decrease since last year,
because 1t was the year Of the Presidential
election but that since 1875 indicates an
absolute dminution Of the adult male popu-
lation The interest taken in politics 10y
""' ,iti.-' 40 - 'i.se- {.
In 1875, If not greater; and that there are
nearly two thousand fewer Of them regis
tered as voters now can scarcely be account
cd for, except by the fact that there are that
number fewer residing within our precincts.
This diminution Of the voting population
is an indication, also, of a still greater dim
mutton Of the population in general. Ac-
cording to the usual computation, one in
habtant out of five in any given place il n
voter, aud this is more than the average
shown 10y the record of our elections. The
United States census of 1870 made our pop
ulation 2,292, 10 which must bc added
about $4,000 for the newly annexed district
beyond the Harlem river giving MS eG7 2o2
in all. One-iifth of this number II l93. 73s.
or l0,6G2 more than the registration for the
Presidential election Of 1876. Assuming
however, the proportion Of one in five t. be
correct, decrease of l,7i2 voters Is cquiva-
lent To total decrease Of $40, which IS
about one per cent. OF the entire number of
our inhabitants.
Other facts corrOborate this conclusion
We know that immigration from Europe To
the city has almost entirely ceased. The
empty dwellings, both new and old, which
are to be seen in every quarter, point to n
diminution of the tenants who did or should
occupy them The number of the inmates
Of tenement houses has also notably de-
creased, some owners reporting that they
nav" only halt as many rs they used to
have. The numerous failures among mcr-
chants and manufacturers have deprived
thousands of employment and compelled
them to seek n living elsewhere. If they had
remained in the city they would have he
come dependent on public charity and
swclled the ranks of the paupcr class but
this they have not done, as the experience
Of our charitable agencies attcsts, ana the
inference il that they have emigrated if. in
deed, they have not died Considering the
great falling Off in business since 1873, there
is no other way Of accounting for the small
number of hcggars among Us. II would he
interesting to know whether the former en-
ployrrs Of the cmigrating nborcrs have
adopted Tia" same course, or whether they
have fingered in the city, living ON the re-
mains of theirfortuncs, the bounty of friends,
on the plumber of their creditors
Theoretically, too, population ought to
diminish with diminishing prosperity Sta
ti-tics show that the number Of marriages
in any country lluctuatcs according to the
supply OF food, and it is but reasonable to
suppose that it is also regulated by the
IA, ility Of obtaining the means of buying
TINT food. We do not know what the te.ti-
mony Of our marriage records is on thl,
point, but There must have been since 1873
fewer marriages than the average, because
Of the hard times. People do not marry
with the same readiness when the mcaI- of
supporting n family are wanting, ~ when
they are easily attainabr The effect of
hi, factor in the problem has not yet been
seen in its application to the numbrr of
voters because that Is determined by the
arrival at adult age of children born long
ago so that the registration figures to
which wr have called attention do not tell
the whole story lnaddition to the decrease
Of $40 winch they Indicate, n careful ccnsu,
would probably show n further falling olr
arising from th" excess Of deaths over births.
These are facts which deserve the careful
consideration of the leaders of both politi-
cal parties. N'H York is only small part
OF III" entire country, aud what ha, taken
place here, has also taken place more or loss
"NorNWhcr" else. GOLDsNIrII long ago rX-
pressed n grcut truth when he said
i iur il' land a. has, ming in. a prey
W mere wealth 'unniato> ana men 4,,uN
! Inc earth was made to be pcoplcd, and