The daily gazette., 1879-05-16
.5,357,3O5 4,402,339


Here we see quinquennial increase
Of no more than 954 1857, or of about 21s
per cent. instead of 33a. 1t is extremely
doubtful whether the remaining two
States, Ohio and Illinois, have maintain
ed even this rate ofgrowth. In the table
of the Times the vote of Illinois in 1872
is taken as some indication of her pOpu-
latiOn. 1t was 426,99S. In 1868 Illi-
nois cast for President 449, ,436 votes, so
that If there is anything in the Times
column of 1872 as point of departure
Illinois comes into 1t in that year 22,500
votes, or say 10000 population, behind
her position in 1868, to say nothing of
the more natural increase which must
have gone on between 1868 and 1872.
Small wonder that the West gains tre-
mendously. Ohio too is started in 1872
with 526,173 votes, or merely 1900
more than were cast in 1853. On the
other hand, the total vote of 1876 was SO
unusually heavy that it is no fair index
of growth when compared with that cast
at any previous election. Statisticians,
therefore, will be slow to adopt the con-
clusion that the nine States named by
the Times are sure to see their represen-
tation increased from % in 1879 to 121
In 1880. We. observe, too, the Times
has failed to carry its arguments to their
legitimate conclusion and to apply them
to the sixteen States which it sets down
"as forming the solid South" "Dur-
"ing the four years preceding 1876"
Essays the Times, 'the vote, and conse-
"quently the population, in heNorthwest
"increased almost exactly one third" If
our esteemed contemporary will figure
up the vote of the sixteen States Of the
South it will find in round numbers the
folio wing result:
Vote in 1872. 2,064, 900
Vote in 1876. ,OOO
In the South therefore, also, if there is
any weight to be attached to the figures
of the Times, "during the four years
preceding 1875 the vote, and conse-
"quently the population, increased al
"most exactly one-third," or, to be pre-
else, the gain in the Northwest having
been 33 10 per cent, the gain in the
South was 32 II. The Times state
ment, therefore, is exaggerated by about
thirty-t,co hundred per cent at the first
stage, which is showing worthy of Sec
ICtdly ouUJCSt
thus touched upon is so grave and i'm
portant and has so many relations to
the prosperity as well as the politics Of
the country that it is pity it should be
hastily and inaccurately handled.
The Times on reconsidering the mat.
ter must see that it has assumed position
as to the vote of 1872 which is not war
ranted by the facts; that it has taken
for granted an increase of population
between 1872 and 1876 in the same ratio
with the increase of votes, when the fig
ures were within its reach to show that
its calculatisnt were so per cent. out OF
the way, and finally that it has neglected
to apply the same argument to the case
of the Southern States which it applies
to the case of the Western States. A
reference to such thoughtful and care
full ante-bellum works as the Texas
Journey of Mr.. Olmsted will lead any
clear-headed student of our statistics, nc
matter what his politics may be, to think
at least twice before he speaks once as
to the question of possible and probable
changes in the distribution ofpOpulation
| and Of power in the republic.