Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1882-01-11
WHAT THE CENSUS SHOWS.

A recent number of the New York
Times contained very valuable census
tables. They indicate pretty clearly the
states and territories that are marching
onward with rapid pace, those that are
growing slowly, and those that are stand
ing still. The increase In population in
the last decade has been 1852, 40
which is equal to a gain of 80 per cent
In some sections of the country, how
ever, the gain has been very small, while
in others it has been very large. Yer
mont shows the smallest increase, the
gain being only one-half of 1 per cent,
while the territory of Dakota stands at
the head of the list, with gain in popu-
lation of S53 per cent.
The figures show that the eastern or
New England states all fall below the
average increase in population. Maine
comes next to Vermont in her slow pro-
gress, with q percentage of 81; New
Hampshire follows, with gain of per
cent, Connecticut Is, Massachusetts, %,
and Rhode Island 81. The middle At
lantic states do not present much more
favorable showing, all, with the excep-
ton of West Virginia, being under the
average. New York, strange to say,
stands at the bottom of the list, with
gain of only 16 per cent. in 10 years,
Delaware comes next, with IT per cent,
Maryland 20, Pennsylvania %, Virginia
%, New Jersey &c. West Virginia is
above the average, having an increase of
40 per cent, and the District of Column
bia shows the respectable gain of 35 per
cent. The central states, with the excep.
ton of Minnesota, cannot claim any I'M
usual advance in population, as the in
crease in two-thirds of their number falls
below the average. Indiana's gain lis
only Is per cent, Ohio's reaches only
20, Illinois 81, Kentucky Is, Wisconsin
25, Missouri 26. Iowa runs above the
average, her increase being So per cent;
Michigan is slightly better, with gain
of 38 per cent, and Minnesota stands at
the top of the list, with gain of 78 pc
cent.
The southern states present hopeful
features. In six of them the increase in
population is equal to or about the aver
age, while In the others it does not fall
far below. Tennessee's gain has been %
per cent, Alabama has %, Louisiana 20,
Georgia 80, North Carolina 81, Missis-
sippi 81, South Carolina Al, Florida Al,
and Arkansas heads the list with gain
of &c per cent. The Pacific states and
territories, including the western
plateau, exhibit, with slight exceptions.
an extraordinary gain in the number of
their inhabitants. The population of
Dakota, as already stated, has increased
53per cent. Colorado comes next, with a
gain of 388 per cent, Arizona $40, Nebras-
ka 268, Washington Territory Ola, Kansas
173, Wyoming Territory 1913, Idaho Ter
ritory III, Texas "a, Oregon 80, Montana
Territory 80, California 81, Nevada At,
and New Mexico 80.
The outlines here given of an analysis
of the census tables indicate clearly that
the tide of emigration is flowing to the
great northwest and the states and terri
tories west of the Mississippi. Not alone
| have natives of the eastern and middle
states left their homes for the western
plateau or the prairie states, but very
large proportion of the immigrants from
Europe have settled in that section of
the country.