Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-09-05
The New Census Surprises.

The new census, as far as abstracts Of
population have been given out, IS fu II OF
surprises. In the first place 1t has batiled
all the calculations of persons OF statistl-
cal turn OF mind with respect TO the in
crease of population during the past ten
years. If the natural rate Of increase had
been the same that prevailed between 1870
and 1880 we ought to have had IN
1890 a population of sixty-six millions.
The new census in round numbers
puts IL at sixty-four millions. This loss
of two millions is attributed to the fact
that the natural increase among native
American families has declined during the
last decade. This tendency of the native
stock TO multiply less rapidly applies par
ticularlv to the New England States. The
census shows that in Vermont the birth
and death-rate were about equal; that
in Massachusetts, and Rhode Island
the increase was only about one half
Of 1 per cent, and in. New Hamp..
shire as low as seven-thousandths Oh
1 per cent. Indeed. all the New Eng
land States have shown a remarkably
low rate of increase since the war. The
cause OF il, in great part. Is attributed. and
perhaps not unjustly, to the migration OF
the younger generation to the States West
and South, but 1t does not account Tor the
fact that. taking the whole OF the States
and Territories covered by the census,
there has been decline III the natural rate
OF increase. as compared with the rate OF
increase between 1870 and 1880. Stated in
another way, the increase of population
from all sources between 1870 and 1880 was
30 per cent. From 1850 TO 1890 the increase
was but n per cent.
Another surprise is this: 1t has been fire.
duently asserted that the colored popula-
ton at the South was increasing so much
faster than the white population OF that
section that 1t would not take many years
before they would be numerically so strong
that they would take practical possession
OF some of those States. The new census
does not bear out those speculations. II
shows that the colored people have not in
creased so RAPIDLY as was anticipated or in
an equal ratio with the whites. The
census of Mississippi has not yet been
made public. but enough has been
ascertained TO indicate that while there
has been large decrease of the negro
population in the central and billy region
Of that State and a considerable increase
in the Yazoo district, 1t is not believed
that throughout the State there has been
net increase. In Louisiana and North
Carolina there has been both an actual
and relative decrease of the negro popu-
lation.n Some of tins decrease may pro-
badly be accounted for by the migration
of q large number of colored people to the
new Territory of Oklahoma. We have no
definite accounts as yet from Alabama and
Florida, but from South Carolina. which
has scarcely been affected since the war
by any increase from outside of the State,
we find that while the general increase IN
the State during the past ten years
has been rather over 10 per cent.
the increase in the seven counties
comprising the black belt has been about
IL per cent. Further comparisons" we
are told. lead TO the conclusion that
the increase in the white counties had
been at least rs per cent" That Is TO
say, 1.-THE natural increase of the white
| over the black population in that State
has been in the ratio of more than two to
| one. IL does not follow, of course, that
there is not still an excess of colored popu-
lation in Louisiana, Mississippi, and South
Carolina. butt does indicate that the whites
are steadily gaining in natural increase
over the colored race even in the States
where the latter most abound. and that II
not interfered with the question Of white
domination will in the course of time natu-
rally aud quietly adjust itself"