New-York tribune., 1901-11-01
SFGRC GAINS UNDER THE CENSUS

Rv the Census Bureaus count the white ana
negro elements In our population grew at an
almost even rate during the last decade. Inc
announcement of this fact in the bureau 5 SEX
color and nativity bulletins has started good
daaI of olarmist comment on the role when HIS
racial fecundity and tenacity may enable the
American negro to play eventually IN our Social
and Industrial life. Coupling the auii'iSsoii
that the negro percentage of growth i'll the last
decade has almost equaed the white percent
age with the fact that between Iooo ana lo.o
the negro rate of increase was but hail 'ht
rbi+e rate. some pessmistic prophets have
nroeessed 10 see ahead n gradual Africanizatloh
of o;lr population, and consequent daFkehiiS
Of the problems forced upon us by the INCLUSION
IN orr body polite of an Inferior non-aSs1iii
Liable
Ii is clear. however, on closer s'uo! Vi '.e
hureau's figures that such predictions are po'i'
fanciful and extravagant There is niue rea-
son to question the accuracy or the count Ioi
1900 but it is plain that little confidence can be
nut In the value of earlier race ana color
enumerations. BY the last five censuses the
negro population in this country Is SHOWN 10
have increased in this ftful and Irregular man
nor. from, 1850 to 1860. 22.07 per cent: 1850 I"
1870 @ Sc ner cent: 1870 to 1880 34.So per cent;
1880 TO 1890. 1881 per cent; 1890 to 19oo lSl
nor cent Surely Just measure Of negro IN
crease is only to he found by averaging all these
nercentaces-a process which would show but
LITTLE acceleration in the growth from lnoo 10
1900 as compared with that OF the decade ne
fore But even We're the statistcs OF eaFheI
censuses 10 be depended on and an increased
negro rate of growth from 1890 to 1900 were 10
no admitted that rate does not threaten the
Africanization Of the United States, If the
,ooro ro+a of increase was ISL. the native born
white rate of increase for the decade was 194
and including the increase by immigration the
total white percentage Of growth was Zi.f. Inc
percentage of whites III the tota. popuiatioh is
now SIS against So ten years ago. The per
centace of negroes is 11.G. against l1a In lSs".
80 that the strength of the negro element shows
fnr the decade a decrease not an increase
II IS encouraging also 10 note that in most Of
tbe former slave States the white population
Is growing more rapidly than the black. Lou
fsiana has ceased TO be black State her white
citizens now outnumhering her colored AIR
hama has gained distinctly in white population
So have Georgia. Tennessee. North Carolina
South Carolina Kentucky and Maryland. South
Carolina and Mississippi are now the only TWO
States in which the blacks preponderate MIS-
sissippi has a negro percentage or $50 anu
South Carolina of 5S4. But If the present IN
dustrial revival in South Carolina continues
that State will soon follow Louisiana out OF TINS
narrowing class leaving Mississippi the only
commonwealth where on count OF noses the
ooIorad race wouId rule Diffusion is apparently
doing a good deal 10 lessen the preSsur" OF the
negro Droblem in the cotton States-as much
nerhaps as could have been expected from
diminished birth rate. And this process EN-
phasized by the figures of the latest census
bulletins viii undoubtedly continue to over
come. so far as the dangers Of negro overcrowd-
ire are concerned any relative imitation from
one census to another in the rate of negro
growth.