The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-11-05
Washington dispatch.

the Failing On-Growth of the Western
States.
Washington dispatch.
Bulletin No. IL on the population Of
the United States has been issued by the
Census Office. 1t says:
The population OF the United States June
l, 1890. as shown by the first count Of per-
sons and families. exclusive OF white Ier-
sons In Indian Territory, Indians on reser-
Vations, and Alaska, was 60. 4s0,540 These
figures may be slightly changed by later
and more exact compilations, but such
changes will not be material.
In 1850 the population was So 155, 7s3.
The absolute increase OF the population In
the ten year, intervening was 12,324.757 and
the percentage OF increase was 24.57. In
1870 the population was stated as IS. 55s.311.
According To these figures the al solute in
crease I'm the decade between 1870 and 1880
was ll.597,4l2 and the percentage of in
crease was 30.0s.
Upon their face these figures show that
the population has increased between 1880
and 1890 only 727,345 more than between
1870 and 1850, while the rate OF increase has
apparently diminished from 30. 0s TO "a. 81
per cent II these figures were derived
from correct data, they would be indeed
disappointing. Such "A reduction Ia the rate
OF increase In the face OF the enormous i'm
migration during the last ten years would
argue a great diminution i'm the fecun lily
OF the population or Il corresponding in
crease In its death rate. These figures are.
however, easily explained when the char
acter of the data used is understood. 1t
Is well known, the fact having been
demonstrated by extensive and thorough
investigation. that the census of 1870
was grossly defCi mt in the Southern States.
so much SO as not only 10 give an exaC-
gerated rate OF increase OF the population
between 1870 and 1850 In these States but -
fY.. L. Al.
in the country at large. These omissions
were not the fault nor were they within the
control OF the Census Office. The census OF
1870 was taken under law which the Su-
perintendcnt, Gen. Francis 4. Walker char
acterized as "clumsy, antiquatcd. and bar
barOus.1 The Census Office had no power
over its enumerators save a barren protest.
and its right was even questioned In some
quarters.
Some of Superintendent Porter's com
mentS on the conditions governing the
spread of population are Interesting,
particularly as regards the Western
States. In Ohio, Indiana. Iowa. and
Missouri and in Illinois, if the city of
Chicago be dropped from consideration,
the rate of increase has declined decid-
eddy. In Ohio 10 has fallen from 90 10 10
per cent; in Indiana, from Is 10 IL i'm
Iowa, from SO TO Il: in Missouri, from
26 to % per cent, in spite of the rapid
growth of st. Louis and Kansas City;
and in Illinois. dropping Chicago from
consideration, from l49 10 Sc per cent.
In these States the agricultural in
dustry, which is still the prominent one,
has begun 10 decline. owing 10 the sharp
competition OF Western farms The farm
ing population has migrated westward,
and the growth Of manufactures is not
yet sufficiently rapid 10 repair these
losses. The southern portions of Michi-
gan. Wisconsin, and Mime sofa are under
similar conditions. but the northern parts
of these States lying upon the frontier
of settlement. have filled up with suf-
licient rapidity TO repair either wholly or
in part the losses of the southern parts.
Michigan increased at the rate Of 80 per
cent. between 1870 and 1850. while be-
tween 1850 and 1890 the rate was but Is
per cent The increase between 1850 and
1890 was cut into unequal parts by the
State census taken in 1854. In the first
four years of the decade tha increase
was 1872 per cent. while i'm the last six
it was l2.7 per cent. In Wisconsin the
last decade shows an increase Of - per
cent, as against an increase Of - per
cent. in the decade between 1870 and
1850. The State census of Wisconsin.
taken i'm 1855, cuts the decade into two
cqlNl parts. and shows an increase in
the first half Of ISIS per cent, and dur
ing the second half Of but "a per cent.
Minnesota increased IS per cent. be-
tween 1870 and 1850 and 81 per cent. be-
tween 1850 and 1890. the numerical in
crease being over half Il million in the
last decade. The State census. taken i'm
1885. shows that the bulk of this increase
occurred between 1SS) and 1853. The
numerical increase during the first years
was 337 OPS, and the rate of increase
43 per cent. while during the last half
of the decade the numerical increase was
lS2, 2l9 and the rate Of increase 1913 per
cent.
During the last ton years tho popula-
tion of Dakota, considering the two
States Of North Dakota and South Da-
kota together, has increased from 1885,
IT 70 5L),273, or pr per cent. Nebraska
from 49,, 4O2 To .O56, 703, or 1874 per
cent; and Kansas from 996, 0J6 20 |, 423.-
4S5. or 43 per cent. This in
crease has not. However. con-
tnucd uniformly throughout tho dec
AIDE. In 1855 Dakota contained 1860
inhabitants, or more than four-ffths of
its present population. Nebraska con-
tanned 74O, 645 inhabitants i'm the same
year, thus dividing the numerical in
crease quite equally between the two
halves of the decade, but leaving the
greater percentage in the first half.
In the same year Kansas by its State
census had l,26S $50 inhabitants show
ing that nearly two-thirdS of the numer-
ical gain was acquired during the first
halt of the decade. The industries of
these States are almost purely agricult-
ural. and are dependent upon the supply
of moisture. either i'm the form OF rain
or by irrigation. Through these States
passes what is known as the subhumid
belt, a strip Of country several degrees
in width. in which during rainy years
there is an abundance of moisture for
the needs of crops, while i'm the years
when the rainfall is below the average
the supply is deficient. In this region
little provision has been made for
artificial irrigation the settlers hav-
ing thus far been content TO de-
pend upon rainfall Into this region the
settlers nockcd i'm large numbers i'm the