Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-13
GREAT GROWTH OF CITIES.
What Forthcoming Bulletin of the Ger
sus Office VIII Show.

What Forthcoming Bulletin Of the Cen.
sus ONCE VIII Show.
One Of the most interesting bulletins that
will be issued by the census Office will come
out in few days. II will give the population
OF cities having more than 5000 inhabitants
and the list will embrace over 400 cities. The
grouping Of this particular class Of statistics will
afford an opportunity for comparisons and will
furnish data for number Of valuable studies.
Mr.. Porter, the superintendent OF the census,
in speaking TO STAR reporter today about the
city population Of the country, said:
GROWTH or URBAN POPULATION.
1.-THE most surprising fact which the forth
coming census will establish 10 the stupendous
growth Of urban population-the migration Of
the agricultural population to the cities. The
tendency Of modern civilization is to mass
population. The individual often sinks his
own will, his own property, his own
happiness, present and prospective, in
the tenement house Of the city when he might
have been an Independent man with fair COM
petence had ne been content with rural life.
Tho pre-eminent success of the few in the vast
commercial enterprises, in manufactures in pub
lie affairs, tempts those in scattered homes to the
centers of population, and hopefulness keeps
As q result Of this tendency the eleventh census
will show tremendous gain In city population.
RAPID INCREASE IN CITIES
During the past decade this gain has been no
less than GO per cent Speaking roundly, I,
may be said that In 1890 one-thirtieth Of the
population was found in cities Of more than
5000 population; in 1900 one-twenty- hfth in
1910 aud also in 1920, one-twentieth; in 1880.
one-sixteenth; in 1910, one-twelfth; in 1850,
one-eighth; in 1860 one-sixth; In 1870, more than
one-ffth; in 1880, half way between one-ffth
and one-quarter, and in 1890, nearly three
tenths. The eleventh census will show that In
the state of Massachusetts fully seventy five
per cent OF the population reside in
cities. This phenomenal growth in the
population OF our centers Of industrial
energy is indicative Of the rise Of our grea,
manufacturing industries during the last de-
cade and illustrates the fact that this country
is now the foremost manufacturing as well Al
the leading agricultural nation Of the world.
THE TOTAL RATE OF INCREASE DECREASED.
In speaking Of the effect of this
urban movement Mr.. Porter said: 1.-THE
growth Of cities has undoubtedly decreased
| the rate Of increase in our population, as the
birth rate in our cities il notoriously low. The
influence of immigration Is made much Of
though few seem to realize that the total during
the last decade has been larger than ever before
The character of the immigration has entirely
changed in the last ten years. The immigra.
ton from the united kingdom, from Germany
and Scandinavia, with their large families and
love of comfortable homes, has remained sta
tionary. immigration from Italy, Hungary and
Poland has doubled. Many Of this class OF i'm.
migrants save money for Q return to theiI
homes Others come in gangs and establish
no homes, as the former immigrants have done
The effect OF this ON the addition to our popu.
lation no one knows."