The morning call., 1890-08-18
THE DRIFT OF POPULATION.

1t will probably be found, when the census
returns of population are in, that the drift
cf population TO the river States-such as
Iowa, Kansas. Nebraska, Illinois and
Minnesota-which began twenty years ago,
and which converted wide stretches of
empty prairie into populous States, has not
only ceased, but that a counter drift from
the river States TO other localities has set in.
Superintendent Porter has allowed ii to
transpire that some of these river States
will show smaller population than they
contained in $780, This was the natural
consequence of two or three crop failures,
and of long era of low prices for the only
products which the river bottoms yield.
An interesting question is, Where has the
population gone? There has been no de-
cline IN immigration, and the natural in
crease in times OF prosperity is sure to have
kept up. Where are the people TO be found
who. if the fashion of f8G0-SO had been
maintained, would have now filed farms on
the upper Mississippi and Missouri? They
have certainly not come to this Coast, for,
with the exception of Washington, no State
or Territory on this side of the con-
tinent has made an abnormal gain in popu-
lation in the past decade. California's in
crease is less than was expected, and the
same is true Of Oregon and Nevada.
1t viii probably be found that an unusual
proportion of the European immigration
Of the past ten years has remained in the
States where they landed-not so much by
reason of the temptations those States Of
fered, but because they could not get much
further West. A few years ago tremendous
efforts were made by railroad land agents
and other landowners in the river States
to attract new settlers, and the cost of
reaching the West was reduced to mini
mum. No such efforts are now being made.
An Immigrant landing in New York is
obliged to pay full fare if he wants to reach
Dakota OF Nebraska.
But ii will also be found that for the FIRST
time in our history there has been large
migration of European immigrants and
young men from New England and the mid
die States TO the cotton and what were for
merry known as the border States. The
South has always offered inducements tC
settlers in the shape of fertile land and eli
ibafe' Dui SO long as slavery existed, white
men would net move into that part Of the
country They were slow to do so. even
after tne abolition Of slavery, while the
problems oil reconstruction were still In
allegiance But Tor ten years past. a stream
Oh ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS small at first, but af-
terwsrd growing 10 large dimensions-ha
been flowing in the direction of Virginia.
Tennessee. Alabama, Mississippia and Texas.
The development Of the iron Industry in
Alabama and Tennessee has drawn consid.
cradle numbers OF people to those States
In Mississippi. especially in the Yazoc
country, and the river bottoms generally
cotton-raising on small farms is being pros
ecuted with vigor and good results. Thu
settlement Of Texas is proceeding at an as
tonishing rate of progress. 1t will proba
bly, turn out that the human tide which for
merry set toward the upper is now flowing
toward the lower Mississippi and the coun-
try between that river and the seaboard.