The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-02-09
THE NEGRO POPULATION.
Important Facts and Some Conclusions
Drawn,

recently completed an investigation of the
negro population OF the United States. The
facts which he produces from the census
statistics are of much interest, and in some
respects surprising, whatever may be said
OF some OF his conclusions. He sums up
the results OF labols as follows:
The negroes, while increasing rapidly in
this country, are diminishing in numbers
relatively to the whites. They are moving
southwark from the border states into those
oil the South Atlantic and the Gulf. They
prefer rural to city life. The proportion of
criminals among the negroes is much
greater than among the whites, and that of
pauper is at least rs great. In the matter
oi education, the number of negro atten-
dants at school is far behind the number of
whites, but is gaining rapidly upon that
race
In regard to the number of slaves brought
from Africa, either directly or by the way
OF the West Indies, Mr.. Gannett says we
have little information. The first reliable
data OF the numbers and distribution of
the negroes are afforded by the census of
1890. In the space of one hundred years,
between the census periods of 1890 and
1890, the white population increased from
little more than 100000 to about
%, OOO,O and the colored population
from 100, 900 to 100000. In 1890 the
whites were eighteen times as numerous as
they were a hundred years before, and the
blacks only ten times us numerous as in
1870, In other words, hundred years
ago the blacks constituted nearly twenty
per cent. of the total population, and they
now constitute not quite twelve per cent.
This relative increase of the white popu-
lation will be readily attributed to the
great volume of immigration. Mr.. Gam
nett shows, however, that in the five CEN
sus periods from 1890 to 1910, during
which the immigration was insignificant,
the white population increased more rap
idly than the colored. He thinks that the
should set at rest all fear Of a possible race
conflict. The negroes, while in no danger
of extinction, are increasing less rapidly
than the whites, who will become numeri-
cally more and more the dominant race in
America. This conclusion will hardly
serve to remove altogether the apprehen-
sin al ~ f.pp ilints | n,iSin,., nd
sissippi, where the negroes constitute more
than half, and in South Carolina, where
they constitute two thirds of the popula-
ton. But in all the Southern states,
except Arkansas the colored population
has declined i'll the last ten years in rela-
ton to the whites.
AS evidence OF the tendency OF the neg
roes to country life, the figures show that
in 1850 only l.2 per cent of all the colored
population lived in cities OF 5000 inhabt-
ants and upward. In the closing years of
the decade from 1850 to 1870 the negroes
locked to the cities, and the year 1870 saw
So per cent. of them there. In the follow
ing decade the white as well lis the colored
population, i'll cities declined relatively in
the same degree But in 1890 the census
shows that twelve per cent OF all the
negroes and 1911 per cent of all the whites
of the United States lived in cities and
towns.
These statistics make rather unfavor-
able exhibit for the negro population on
the score OF morality. The white prisoners
OF native birth confined in jalls ut the tax
ing OF the census OF 1870 were in the pro-
portion of to each 10, 900 white inhabit-
of native extraction. On the other hand,
the negro prisoners were in the proportion
OF % to each 10000 OF the negro popula-
ton. Mr.. Gannett has found however,
that commitments OF negroes are for petty
offences IN much greater proportion than is
the case among the white. There are, for
obvious reasons, few forgers, counterfeiters,
embezzlers, fraudulent defaulters and alb
sconding bank cashiers among the negroes.
They make up the criminal record in other
ways. DuU IL dlSO Sttlu III Illelr
behalf that the penal laws are enforced
more strictly against them than against
white offenders. The negroes have fewer
friends to secure bail for them when ar
rested and to employ counsel for their de-
Tense in the courts. This serves to account
in considerable degree for the greater pro-
portion of them that is found in Jail by the
census takers Prejudice of race operates
in this field as eifectually as in others. The
negroes who are declared from mechanical
crafts and from trades unions by this pre-
judice frequ nifty drift into vagrancy, and
thence into prison for petty violations of
the law, it is somewhat that, in view of
these criminal statistics that the census
does not show also a greater proportion of
paupers among the negroes than among the
whites; but Mr.. Gannett concludes from
the figures that the proportion is sat least
rs great. Philadelphia Record.
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