Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-01-31
s. I-ne,,nnnrted CInim.

The question whether the negroes are
! increasing more rapidly than the white
| people in the South is not entirely settled.
| There are writers who claim that the
| time is not distant when several of the
| cotton States must be almost wholly given
up to the negroes because they will be so
\ overwhelmingly in the majority that they
viii drive out the white people. Other
writers. who are apparently better forth
fed with facts, declare that the ratio OF
increase Of the negroes is steadily dimin-
ishing, and that there Is no occasion for
suppOsing that the proportion Of negroes
in any Of the Southern States viii be
greater than it is at present.
1t is worthy Of notice that the health
officers Of Southern cities take the posi-
ton that the negro race IS very gradually
dying out. The figures of their health
reports sustain them. The death rate oil
the negroes Is about twice as large as
that Of the white people, and the olrtn
rate is smaller than it used to be. The
negroes have not the power TO resist
disease that the white people have. and.
besides. they are not nearly so well cared
/ for in respect to physical comforts as they
were in the days OF slavery.
In this connection some figures, which
were prepared by the Superintendent Of
the Census in 1860, are interesting. These
figures show that the ratio OF increase of
negroes in the United states from 1900 to
1910 was 37.5S per cent; from 1910 to 1920,
2S.5S per cent; from 1920 to 1880. 1880 per
cent; from 1880 10 $40, 23.4I per cent.
from 1916 to 1850. 1852 per cent; and
from 1850 to 1860, 22.O7 per cent. Taking
these figures as a basis the SUperintend-
ent gave it as his opinion that the negro
/ population Of the country in 1880 would
I be 6.6lS. $50. How far was he cut Of the
way: The census Of 1880, which is adj
mitted to be very nearly correct,
/ gives the number as $3.50. 1913. The
1 Superintendent made mistake OF
only little more than $1,000. Could
/ there be any stronger proof than this that
/ the negro race is declining? II is esti-
/ mated that their ratio of increase during
/ the 10 wears between 1870 and 1850 was
/ less than 20 per cent. II this diminishing
ratio continues, and there is no apparent
reason why it should not, the time IS not
very distant when the negro race in this
country will reach the point when it will
show no increase whatever-when. in
| fact. it will begin to decrease.
Mr.. Tourgee and Mr.. Cable are the
writer's who have had the most 10 say
about the increase Of the negroes in the
South. and the tendency OF their writings
has been to create the impression that
/ the negroes were increasing much more
! rapidly tran the white people, and that
! eventually the negroes would control alb
| solutely a good portion Of the cotton
| growing region. They base their arsu'
| meuts CHIEFLY on the census Of 1870, which
is admitted TO be incorrect, and upon d
condition Of affairs which they assume tC
I exist.
1t would not De difficult 10 show that
the white people of the South are now in
creasing more rapidly than at any pre-
yious period, ana that this increase viii be
even more marked in very few years
| than it is at present. Those who art
| careful observers of events do not hest
tate to predict that immigration to the
| south in comparatively short time will
almost equal that 10 the West. The West
will be occupied, and cheap, rich lands
will only be found at the South. There
/ is no reason to apprehend negro suprem'
acy i'm any Southern State.