Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1886-05-27
FLOCkiNG TO CITIES.
The Rapid and Dangerous Increase of
Urban Population.

Urban Population.
The rapid growth of the population
of our large cities have been made the
subject of frequent comment in this
country, where the excess of growth in
the urban population has perhaps been
more rapid than elsewhere. Nevcrthe-
less, that the movement in the United
States offers no exception to the gener-
al rule is amply shown by the statistics
of other nations. The same movement,
or, as it was generally denomnated the
same evil, was discernible in Great
Britain, where it has been attributed
largely to the unfavorable circumstances
attending the tenure of land and to the
growing dissatisfaction of tenant farm
ers; but recent statistics showed that in
France, the country par excellence of
the peasant proprietor, the same thing
was taking place. For instance, in
that country, according to the figures
given by a distinguished French econo-
mist, AZ large towns embrace a popu-
ldIioi VI o'OOO,Oov, ahu llio SlndiieI
towns population of 100000.
The population of the purely rural
districts embrace 24,5OO,000. Now,
| although the excess of births
over deaths in the five years,
from 1876 to 1881, in the towns and
cities was only 3S,500 the increase in
population was liz, 146, leaving there
fore 1,0S0, 646 to be accounted for by
immigration. Now, the total foreign
immigration during the period desig-
mated was 259, 263, so that even though
the total foreign immigration had been
absorbed by the cities, it would still
leave an increase of S2l 1888 persons at
the expense of the rural districts. By
reference to the census figures of the
two dates named we find this was just
what is the case, for while the births in
the rural districts during the same pc
riod exceeded the deaths by 46S, 497, the
decrease in population was neverthe-
less $50, 1856, showing that during the
same time no less than s2l, 1888 persons
must haze left the country which is
just the number by which the popula,
ton of the cities increased over and
above the total foreign emigration.
Another startling fact is shown in that
an investigation of the increase in the
cities shows that the forty-seven largest
cities, although possessing the
smallest aggregate population, gave
by far the smallest number
of births over deaths, and yet showed
the largest gain in population, thu;
proving that the tendency to migrate
from the country to the city IS directed
to the largest cities. The cause of thi:
movement has not yet been fully ac
counted for in the older countries, al
though, no doubt, the feverish anxiety
to get rich and to make money by trad
ing and swindling, instead of by intel
ligent and honest work, is there a!
here, largely responsible for it. Tha
condition prevails more among Ameri
cans than among Europeans, and thu
movement is therefore greatly enhanc
ed among us, but besides this thu
} greater distance and the newness of thu
country makes country life less attract
i've than city life, and here lies anothe
cause not to be found, at least in west
ern Europe. The movement is on,
which, whatever the cause, is fraugh
with danger to the country as a chic
: factor in the mischievous tendency al
ready sufficiently developed among u
to increase the number of the very poor
and add to the wealth of the few rich
= National Lire Stock Journal.