The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-03-16
Negro majority

The increase of the negro race for the ten
years from 1870 to 1880 was 206. 494, or at the
rate of 1854 per cent. The white increase
was 97.179, the rate of increase being 25.29
per cent.
If the same rate of increase and the same
ratio has been preserved since 1880. in 1880
the negro population Will amount to 9o9,oeo,
while the white race will only have in
creased to COS, 267, showing negro majority
of 1868 in total population of ], 563, LOO.
1t is supposed that the census of 1870 is
not entirely accurate, but it certainly gives
a fair approximate of the relative popula-
ton of the two races. On the other hand.
1T is thought by many intelligent persons
that the negroimmigration to the State has
been much greater since than prior TO looU
The causes which have produced this IN
crease of the colOred population can be
briefly stated. The birth-rate of the ne
groes is higher and their death rate is
little greater than among the whites. =,
Carolina, and South Carolina. are coming
in steady stream to the Delta, while
it Is probable that more white people are
leaving than are coming into the State.
All these causes in combination, and con-
tinuing in full operation for ten more years,
will present a condition of things difficult
to contemplate or even imagine.
In 1880 South Carolina had the largest
cOlored majority of the Southern States,
amounting to 212.227 Mississippi now
Carolina is losing it's negro population.
If the westward tide of negro migration
continues. In ten years South Carolina will
probably have only a small negro majority,
comparatively speaking.
Louisiana, in 1880, In total population
of 93S.507, had a negro majority of 2S,SOS,
and this has probably been extinguished
by the present time. If not, 1t soon VIII
be overcome by white immigration from
southern Europe.
If the nresant sto+e of things continues in
operation for ten years longer, Mississippi
will be the only State in the Union with a
negro majority, and that will be of extra
ordinary proportions.
Estimating one vote to every five per-
sons, the figures show negro voting popu-
latiOn in Mississippi, of 19l .977, and a white
voting population of 120.653, giving a
cOlored voting majority of q, S26.
The census of 1880 places the number OF
illiterate adult white males at IL, Alb out of
los 254, and colored males. at 1SO,27S, of
which. go, 06S are illiterate.
The illiteracy was then, among the
whites. II per cent, and among the negroes,
76 per cent.
Assuming that the same percentage and
ratio exist at present, then out of
18l,979 adult male negroes, 145,s04 are
illiterate and out of 12o,653 white
male adults. there are 1921 who
are illiterate; and in total voting popula-
ton of 81, 623 there are 159,O65 voters in
Mississippi who can neither read nor write,
which is slightly over 80 per cent. of the
whole. 1t would be fair to assume, how
ever. that illiteracy has been decreasing in
Mississippi in the past ten years, but de-
creasing slowly.
Allowing wide margin for this, there
would be left 10000 cOlored and 1900
white illiterate voters in the State. If IL
literacy were eliminated from the suffrage
there would be estimated approximately
of the white voters, los, 653; of colored
voters, 1870; white voting majority, 36674
This condition of affairs presents prob
lem which every public man in Mississippi
shuns as he would pestilence. And yet
everybody out of politics knows that i,
can not be postponed forever.