The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-03-29
SOUTH STEADILY
FORGING AHEAD.
Progress in Population and Material
Resources Wonderful.
GAIN IN RURAL DISTRICTS.
Increased Population in Other Sections Has
Been Largely in Cities, Hamlets and
Villages, While in the South the
Contrary Is True.
GAIN IN RURAL DISTRICTS.
(snecfal plspatc!, to The Timcs.l


BALTIMORE, MD. March 2S.-.tEor the
southern portion of the United States the
last decade was in some respects the most
noteworthy OF any in the nineteenth cen
fury. Its progress in population and ma
teriNt resources, when compared with the
corresponding advances OF the other
States and Territories, merits special con-
sideration. These statements are intro
ductory to an elaborate presentation OF
figures and facts, showing the agricultu-
raj progress of the South, prepared for the
Manufacturers Record by Mr.. L. G.
Towers, chief statistician in charge of
agriculture for the twelfth census He
shows that in the ten years past, While
nearly eighty per cent OF the increased
population in Northern States was in
cities. villages and hamlets in the four
teen Southern States the movement Of
popula ton was of an opposite character.
The gain in rural population in the South
was sixty-five per cent. CT the total in
crease there, the relative addition to this
agricultural population being more than
twice that in the North and West.
RURAL POPULATION.
Mr. Powers says: If Oklahoma and
Indian Territory are included in the
Southern States, as they are in nearly all
official publications. and allowance made
for the inclusion in Massachusetts and
Rhode Island CT urban populations in
tow nship reports, it will be found that
the relative increase in the Southern aS-
ricultural population. in ten years is about
four times that of the remainder Of the
nation. With such a large actual ard
relative gain in rural population, the stu
dent OF social and economic subjects is
at once made aware of the enormous
strides in the development of the asricul-
tural resources OF the South in the closing
ten years of the century,
The estimate of the total number OF
farms in the country is something slight
~ in excess of coo. OF which nearly,
if not quite, 100000 are in the fourteen
Southern States, and the relative gain in
number is greater in the South than
that in the remainder of the country. The
percentage OF increase i'll the rural Dopu-
lation is less than the increase in the
number OF farms, and this fact indicates
to Mr.. Powers the rise of many families
from the status Of farm laborerS to that
OF farm tenants or farm owners lie says
ssrhe marked increase in the rural popu-
lation OF the South taken in connection
with the fact OF the increased use of
improved farm ma chinery, makes it GER
tain that there has been an unprece-
denied gain in the acres OF land under
cultivation, and hence of so-calied I'M
proved lands in the South.
NUMBER OF FARMS.
1.-The increase in the number of farms, as
shown by the reported farm schedules ana
the increase in rural population. makes
it certain that the Increase IN the last
decade in improved land is greater than
in either of the two preceding decades. If
the final figures fail to show such a gain,
if NAV be concluded that there was an
error in the figures OF the earlier years,
owing to the lack OF definite instruction
to the enumerators as to the meaning OF
the term improved land Taking all the
available facts into consideration. the
writer estimates the acres OF improved
land in the fourteen Southern States N
1904 at not less than $50, 0Q0,0o3. The re-
latiye increase. as shown by It's percent
age of gain if population can be taken
as q basis of estimate. must be as great
as in the decade from 1870 to 1850. II that
relative increase is chronicled the I'M
proved acres OF the South will be found
to be 15o,0oo,o0o.''
BRIGHT FUTURE
Mr. Powers presents several taples as d
basis for his study, and. IN conclusion
ventures the prediction that the South in
1900 will show, as in other decades per
centage of gain in all farm values, with
tbe exception Of that of live stock great
or than for the nation as a whole. He
saws. with the opening up Of new iahdS,
the subdivision OF old plantations into
ST aIler holdings and the consequent ais-
oreciation of farm, values, it becomes evil
dent that the Southern farm resources
have increased in the last ten years with
a percentage greater even than IN the
decade from 1870 to 1850, and that the cen
sus figures when published. Will show Tor
the wear 1900 total exceeding Sa,5te,eotoo-
This total may possibly closely approx
mate $, coo, 600, 000-