The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1901-07-05
GOOD FOR THE SOUTH.
HER RURAL POPULATION HAS DE-
CREASED BUT VERY LITTLE
DURING LAST DECADE.

DURING LAST DECADE.
The trend of the population OF the
United States from the rural re-
gi0ns to the cities and towns began
soon after the government was es.
tablished and has gone on steadily
ever since.
1t has wrought wonderful trans.
formation in the condition Of life in
this country, has raised new problems
and created new dangers.
One hundred years ago not one per.
son in ten in the United States lived
in a city or an incorporated town;
now nearly One-half OF our entire
population is found to be in such
places.
In some States the rural population
has actually decreased during the last
ten years.
This fact acquires especial signia.
canoe when we remember thaJ during
the last century we annexed vast
domain of almost unOcCupied terri
tory, amounting in area to many
times the space occupied by the origl.
nal thirteen States. liz spite of these
enormous additions of territory the
tendency of our population to crowd
into the cities and towns has contin.
ued without interruption.
This tendency has prevailed in the
South, however, in far less degree
than In any other part of the United
States. The South has had all along
and still enjoys the healthiest and
most symmetrical growth Of any part
OF the country.
The census Of last year gives some
interesting figures and impressive in.
formation on this point.
The population of the United
States outside of the Incorporated
towns increased during the past de-.
cade 3,34l, ,lS4. or this total the
fifteen Southern States furnished
1908, $50. That is tn say, the popu.
latiOn of the fifteen Southern States,
outside of the incorporated towns,
increased during the past decade to
an extent nearly equal to two-thirds
of the total increase of the country
population of the whole United
States.
The country population in everyone
OF the Southern States shows hand
some increase and at the same time
the town population shows a heavy
gain.
The country and the town popula.
tion in the Southern States increased
side by side, the towns showing an
increased population Of l,SS6,O7O.
In 1880, "A 4.lO per cent of the pop.
ulation Of the South lived outside Of
the incorporated towns and in 1900,
73 6l0 per cent of the total popula-
tion lived outside incorporated towns.
So that the proportion OF the peo.
pie living in the country in the South
varied but little during the past de-
cade.
BY no means can this be said of the
balance OF the country. A recent
census bulletin shows that Of the
whole United States, Al 1.lO per cent
of the people live in the Incorporated
towns.
Leaving the South out OF consider
alton, the remaining States OF the
Of the union, including all the West.
ern States and territories, have a to-
tai population OF 1850, ,269. or this
number 2S, 9O6, ,72O live in Incorporated
towns and 2O,9O2, $40 live in the coun.
try outside OF incorporated towns.
That is to say exclusive Of the South
SO lilo per cent Of the people live in
the towns and cities and IL $40 per-,
| SCuu itNC III uIC
The total increase for the whole
country for the decade was l3, llO,S72
hut of this number the Incorporated
towns Of the United States show an
increase OF 9,769,6Ss, leaving as stated
above an increase for the whole
country, including the South, out.
side OF the Incorporated towns, 3,34l,
lS4, or an increase for all the balance
OF the country, exclusive OF the South
and outside OF the Incorporated towns
Of only 1897, ,2o5,
i The difference between the rate Of
the growth Of the city and town pop.
uiation Of the South as compared
with the general increase and with
that in the Northern and Western
sections Of the country Is exhibited
very strikingly by these figures. They
make a most hopeful showing for the
South.
The old maid stood on the steam.
boat deck, whence all but she had
fled, and calmly faced kissing bug
that circled overhead. The maidens
shrieked and the matrons swooned
and the men all swore amen, but the
game old maid like hero stayad and
whispered "come again." There was
4 buzx.-a thunder sound-the old
n,3id-was she dead? Nit; she stood
ID cried for more, but the kissing
Ele bad hed.-Ennis Local.