Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-09-29

The October number OF the Century contains a
Striking article from Gen. Francis a. Walker
superintendent OF the census, upon the gro with OF
the U lited States THIS growth Is shown by a
presentation OF the condition OF the country t
each successive generation or interval OF thirty
years, beginning with 1879 and ending with 1880
In 1870 the United States covered about $4,000
square miles, lying between the Atlantic, the
Mississippi, Canada AMI the Cult The popula-
ton was 3,9292ii, and was almost entirely on this
side OF the AIleghenes There were but six cities
with population Of 5000 or moe.
In 1870 the territory hal been extended to the
Pacific, embracing 2,0O00)O 81 Iare miles, with
9,63,S22 Inhabitants. OF this number the MSSis-
Bppi valley had attained population OF 2OoO, 900.
About twentieth or the population OF the
country lived in the thirteen cities having 5000
or more inhabitants.
In 1850 the territory had been increased by
acquisitions from Mexico to about 1000 100 square
miles, containing a population OF 23,057,2 62 The
figures OF this census showed notable increase
In city population. The thirteen cities OF 1920,
with 5000 Or more inhab.tlnts, hal, in 1850, ex-
banded 10 eghty-hye, with population of about
8,O00O00- Nearly one-erhth OF the population
WAS now resident In these elghty-fve cities. This
census, for the first time, recorded city (New
YOrk) o! 10000 Inhabitants.
The census OF 1899 shows territory increased
by the cesslOn OF 5000 square miles BY Mexico
5O,155,1S5. The number OF cities having popula-
ton OF 5000 or more has increased to 23j, with
population OF 11,30S,755, or over twenty-five per
cent OF the total population or the country. At the
same time the development OF material resources
has been largely beyond the phenomenal growth
OF popul ltiOn In these ninety years.
The statistics OF population present many inter-
eStinS points. Thus tle number OF foreigners in
the country now is little over 65OOO)), while the
coored population reaches almost the same num-
Der. Speaking roun1ly then OF the whole popula-
ton as 5O,OOO,OO0 AMI deiuctiny the 6500,0o0 OF
foreigners We have total native born population
OF 43.500,0Ol Take from this 6.5O1010 co.ored and
1t leaves 81 000, 900 native born whites.
The normal proportion OF the sexes by which
females should be very slightly In excess, has
been greatly disturbed within the United States
as whole. by immigration from Europ, and
Asia; males largely preponieratIny among the
arrivals from the former and constituting nearly
tae whole OF the ASiatlc element Throughout all
the states OF the Atlantic coast, AMI IN Alabama
and Louisiana, among the gulf states, females are
In excess. Everywhere else males exceed
females In some of the mining and grazing
states the males form two-thiris AMI more of the
population. The total number OF males Is % SIS
So Of females, 1886 963; marked features OF the
social developments of the last thirty years have
been the reduction of the marrying class: the
procrasttnatiOn of marriage within that class
and the close restraint put upon reproduction
within the married state among the native popu-
lation OF tho northeastern part OF the country,
and In the cities of the west 1t Is only among
the foreigners OF the east among the residents OF
the prafrieS OF the west and among the southern
people generally, that the od-fashIoned birtn-rate
Is maintained.