Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-07-18
Historical Census Facts.

| The first census of the United
States was taken just 100 years ago
The total population was So, 3,92O, ,214-
just above the present population O
the State of Illinois.
Virginia in 1890 was the most popu
lous of the States. Her inhabitant.
numbered 1850. Possessing great
natural resources, lying full on the
seaboard, penetrated by a great bay
which abounds in excellent harbors
diversified with valleys of great nat.
ural fertility, and with mountains full
of timber and minerals, Virginia
ought to have held the first place, and
would have held it had she not pre-
ferred to keep slavery, which produced
conditions fatal to her growth and
advancement, finally brought her
under the iron fail of war and led to
her mismemberment. A like cause
kept back North Carolina-a State
that in 1890 had more inhabitants
than New York, and was in fact the
third State in population.
In 1790 the State of New York had
a population just about as large as the
present population of Oregon-name-
ly $40, O,l20. This may give an idea of
the weakness OF the United States 100
years ago, compared with their pres
ent strength. The State of New York
now contains nearly 100000 of in
habitants. That Oregon will have as
many 100 years hence may be regard
ed as probable; indeed that number
may be reached long before the ex-
piration of 100 years-so rapidly does
all the forces of modern life accelerate
the movements aud hasten the destiny
of man.
In Kentucky in 1890 there were 49,
OFT inhabitants. The next year Ken
tucky was admitted as a State. Yer.
mont which returned S3,425 inhabi-
tants in 1870, became a State few
months earlier than Kentucky.
Next in the list OF States honored by
admission was Tennessee, which be-
came State in 1896. Tennessee did
not appear by name in the census of
179O, but was embraced within the
region known as the territory of the
United States south OF the Ohio, in
which the census takers found a pop
ulation of 35,691. In the territory
north of the Ohio, no census was
taken till the year 1900, when there
was return for the whole Of that vast
region of 1886 inhabitants. Ohio
was admitted as State in 1902, and
in 1910 had a population of 23O,76O.
Indiana first appeared in the census
of 1900, with q population of 5,641.
Mississippi appeared the same year,
with $3.50. The first enumeration in
Illinois was made in 1910, when the
inhabitants numbered 1922. In
1920 Missouri first appeared in the
census, with a population of $3.50.
Illinois became State in 1918, with a
population considerably less than
$4,000. The census of 1920 gave her
only 55,211.
We had 5O,OO0,OOO inhabitants in
1880; we probably have near 65,OOO,-
600 now. In 1880 we had 12,866,O2O; ;
so that the increase during the last
ten years much exceeds the whole
population of the country sixty years
ago. Our population has increased
five fold within sixty years. We
shall probably be a nation of 800, ,OOO,-
OOO before the end of the next century.
In the matter of fertility the human
race has always been one of the prodi-
gies of nature, when tho conditions
permit-that is, when food can be Oh
tained-and, as the limit of substance
will not be approached in our country
for long time yet, We may expect the
multiplication of the race to go on for
some generations to come in q scarcely
diminished ratio. An impressive fact
is found in the announcement that in
even so old and densely populated
State rs Pennsylvania the increase
OF population during the last ten
years has been nearly or quite one
million souls.
o