The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1892-01-18
THE NEGROES DESTINY.
Relative Decrease of Our Co1ored
Population.
Striking Facts Developed by the Last
Census-SomethingA About the Flu
ture Distribution of the
Race.

Hasty organizations concerning the
future numerical strength of the negro
in this country, based on his proper
tionate high birth rate, and the mislead-
ing reports of the census of 1870, have
done more than anything else to render
the negro problem a question of politi-
cal manipulation. Only two years ago
the presiding officer of a political con-
vention stated that at no distant future
the colored population would reach 50,-
100000. Statements such as this are
regarded with different degrees of salts
faction, and if true the negro would
himself soon overrun this continent.
The crudity of statements such as
this, which can be used so disastrously
for political purposes, is shown by Gen
Francis A. Walker in the Forum, in an
article sletching the future of the negro,
based on the statistics of the race back
to 1903, when the slave trade was abol-
ished At that time, or from the census
of 1910, the negro numbered roo, 600, or
10 per cent. of the entire population.
In the recent census he is but 11.0 of
the entire population, or, while the
white population has increased 16 fold,
the negro has increased but 10 fold.
Taking the statistics by 10 and 90 year
periods since 1910, Gen. Walker shows
that the increase by per cent. has de-
clined steadily, and asserts that in all
probability this steady reduction in the
Negroes relative Importance in the pop
ulation will never be reversed.
In confirmation he examines in detail
the respective birth and death rates in
% southern counties of equal popula-
ton, black and white, based on the
tenth census, and finds that per 1000
births of those born and dying, the |
rate for whites was 1901 against laos |
blacks. The proportion of death rates
between blacks and whites in the lar ge |
cities is greater against the blacks. In |
New Orleans the death rate for whites |
was 1857, blacks 36. In st. Louis,
whites 1919, blacks 1878. The results
show that the negro race is maintain
ing its slight rate of increase only by
means of a very high birth rate over
very high death rate.
Another fact worth noting is the
future geographical distribution of the
negro, now that he can move freely
from place to place. AS a slave, the
bred negro was forced to fol-
low the interests of his northern bred
master, often into regions where he
lived only at a sacrifice of vitality.
between 1SS0-90 the rates of
in Delaware, Maryland, Vir-
ginia, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee
and North Carolina with the cotton
growing states, it is found to be 10 per
cent. in the latter against per cent. in
lhe former. The inference is that in
hose parts of the country where the
negro is not an economic necessity,
,he black population will become more
md more reduced by the entrance of
-igorous white element. Industrial
considerations at the same time will
raw him to his more natural habitat,
he Gulf states, where the white man
annot take his place. Whatever
rowth may be expected from the col
red race will take place there, and it
5 not probable that race so limited in
is range will ever reach to one-third
ven of 50,000,000.
To recapitulate, the negro in 1890 was
ne-ffth the population; in 1910, but
ne-sixth; in 1860, one-seventh; in 1890,
sss than one-eighth. Industrial reasons
tendencies are draining him
IF toward the low lands of the gulf of
Iexico, and there his greatest rate of in
rease will be felt, which in the nature
things will be constantly decreasing
! its relation to the total population.
Facts such as these indicate that the
egro problem will become less and
,ss rather than more and more po-
teal problem, and that the solution
lay reasonably be left to the opera 2
on of physiological and economic laws L