Omaha daily bee., 1892-07-18
Instructive Data on Population by Sex and
Nativity.

Instructive Data on Population by Sex and
Nativity.
The recent census bulletin giving the
population of the United States by sex, color
and nativity in 1899 contains data of much
interest to the student of social science. OF
the total population 53,3T2,T03 were native
born aud 9,G3S 800 of foreign birth. CLASH
fed In accordance with color the white in
habitants of the country numbered "a, $685. 800
and the colorcd 1898, 800. In the colored ele-
ment of our population arc included Chinese,
Japanese aud civilized Indians, as well as
persons of African descent.
But the immediate purpose Of this article,
says the Philadelphia Record, is to call at
tention to the distribution OF tae inhabitants
OF the United States according to sex. In
most countries that have been long settled
and are not subject to immigration the fe-
males are slightly in excess of the males-a
law which seems to prevail largely through
out the animal kingdom. In England there
are lO4 females TO 100 males; in Scotland ITO
females to 100 males; in Ireland, l03 females
to 100 males, and in Sweden, l06 females TO
100 males. The proportion between the ssxes
in these countries Is largely influenced by
emigration, as 1T is Influenced in the United
States by immigration. France, on he other
hand, which is little affected by emigration,
| shows u little over lei females to 100 male
| inhabitants. In Belgium, also little dis
turbed by emigration, the proportion of fe-
males is 1904 to 100 males. In some coun-
tries OF Europe there is, owing TO transient
causes a slight tendency to au increase and
in others to decrease in these proportions
between the sexess.
But In the United States the rule is com
pletely reversed, the proportion being only
nlnety-hve females 20 each 100 males. The
cause readily assigned oy Superintendent
Porter for this great disparity between the
sexes is IN the large increase OF immigrants
since 1850, over three-tfths of the entire
number having been males. Immigration,
however, does not wholly, or even partially,
account for the great disparity in the local
distribution of the population by sexes In
New York the foreign born inhabitants num-
Der l,51l ,050, ana III that state the females
outnumber the males by A, ,O61. In Penn
sylvania, on the other hand, the foregu-o born
inhabitants number Si5, 12O, while the males
are ii,64S in excess of the females. In
former article we have shown that IN Penn
sylvauia the great disparity between the
sexes prevails only in those portions of the
state (the coal and iron regions) which have
attracted foreign labor. In all other parts of
the state the proportion OF the sexes is
normal, as it is in Europe.
Turning, however, to other states that are
little affected by immigration, 1T is difficult
to account for tho undue numerical disparity
between the sexes In the census returns OF
1890. Massachusetts contains 657, 1877 iu-
hab!tants of foreign origin in total popula-
tion OF 223S943, ana il that state the
females are 81, 525 in excess of the males. In
Connecticut. with foreign born population
of lS3,60l in a total of 1925 the females
outnumber the males I,lS2. But how comes
it that New Hampshire with foreign born
population of =, $40 in a tota! of 3i5, 80, has
3,39S more females than males, while in Ver-
mont, with 44,0SS inhabitants of foreign
origin in u population OF 332, 422 the males are
d, ,232 in excess of the females!
Going southwark, much greater diSparitles
are observable in the distribution of the
sexes, for which migration oifords no ade-
Quate explanation. kentucky with a foreign
born population of 59.35 only in a total of
l,S5S, G35, has "a, SSl more males than females.
In Arkansas, with l4,26t inhabitants of
foreign birth, in q population of ,l2S 49, the
males are 1881 in excess of the females.
Mississippi has a total population of l,2S9,
800, of whom 1852 are foreigners, and in that
state the males are 9, I64 in excess of the
females. On the other hand, IN Louisiana in
a population of l,llS,5S1, containing 40, IA Of
foreign birth. the sexes are nearly equal,
there being 559 $50 males and 559, 237 females.
In Alabama, containing population
of 1,5l3,0l7, of whom l4,iT are of
foreign birth, the males are l,S95 in
excess of the females. What are the social
conditions that cause such a disparity be-
tween the sexes in communities that are not
much affected by immigration, and in which
the people differ little IN pursuits and GUS
tomsi The census returns afford no answer;
but there is an answer If it be diligently
sought for
or course IL 10 easy enough to explain why
Montana has only 44,211 females to s7,SS2
males, or why there are only 2l,6 ,632 females
in Wyoming in a total population of 60, 7O5,
Notwithstanding the inducement Of woman
suffrage. The population OF these Rocky
Mountain states has much increased since
1890. and the disparity between the sexes
has somewhat declined But Texas, with a
total population of 2,23j,5 523, of whom
l52 9j6 only are of foreign birth, has Ill 1913
more males than females. The only adequate
explanation of the extraordinary disparity
between the sexes in Texas and other states
is that the females have not been fully re-
turned.