Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-02-10
THE TIDE OF MIGRATION.
Western Wave Receded During the
Past Decade.

Director Merriam has issued from the
census bureau the following statement in
regard to the increase Of population of
places of less than 1000 inhabitants, east
and west Of the Mississippi river, and the
counties which have decreased In popula-
ton:
The Increase OF population in the states
east of the Mississippi river was 1871 be-
tween 1880 and 1880, and 1872 between 1890
and 1860. In the same area the increase in
urban population, meaning thereby all
places of more than 1000 inha bitants was
55 per cent between 1880 and 1890, and
only 37.2 per cent between 1880 and 1900.
Both of these statements could not be true
unless the population of places having less
than 1000 inhabitants had been growing
more rapidly in the last ten years than in
the preceding decade: Such is the fact. Be
tween 1880 and 1890 the population east Of
the Mississippi, and excluding places of
more than 1000, increased 40 per cent, but
between 1880 and 1900 81 per cent.
To throw further light upon this in
creased prosperitNof the small towns dur
ing the last ten VARS a study has been
made by the census office IF those counties
which actually decreased in population at
either decade, after making allowance for
changes In county boundaries, Counties of
TINS class are predominantly agricultural
and usually have lost through migration to
more favored localities the natural increase
OF the population by excess of births over
deaths. Between 1880 and 1890 the counties
east Of the Mississippi which lost population
extended over an area Of ,202 square
miles, or nearly as great as New England,
New York and Pennsylvania. This was
about one-sixth ar per cent? of the total
area east OF the Mississippi river. Between
lS9O and 100 the counties east of the Mis-
sissippi river which lost population extended
over an area Of 90.21S square miles. This
Is only about one-tenth Q0.6 per cent? Of
the total area east of the Mississippi The
ngures snow that in this part of the coun-
Try an area almost equal to that of New
England lost population between 1880 and
lS9O, but gained between 1890 and 1900.
w est OF the Mississippi the changes
were In the reverse direction, that Is the
area losing population was slightly larger
between 1870 and 1900 than it was between
1880 and 1880 (234 1862 square miles as COM
pared with 2O6,95S square miles) But in
the country as whole the area Of coun-
ties losing population was over 10000
square miles less in the last decade than
1t was between 1880 and 1890. To show the
influence of this change the per cent Of
total area as defined by county lines which
shows loss Of population has been COM
puted. occasional corrections being made
I'm the North Atiafit ie group the per
cent of county area losing population
between 1880 and 1890 was 26.s; between
1880 and 1900. 2l.9. The corresponding
Atlantic: 1sso-1soO, 116 per cent; 1880
1900. 6.3 per cent; north central, $780,
1917, III per cent: iS00-19O0, 101 per
CeHtI south centraA 1SeAtelSv5, VI per cent;
lSU-l9OO. 4.6 per cent; western division.
1SSo-1S.O, 12.9 per cent; 1S90-1309, SO per
cent These figures show that in four Of
the hve divisions. all except the north CEN
tra1. the Increase OF population was more
widespread and general in the last decade
than 1t was between 1880 and 1890. If the
north central division be divided into two
parts at the Mississippi river. the per cent
OF area In the eastern part showing loss
OF population fell from 300 in the earlier
to HI In the later decade. On the contra-
~, In the western north central the per
cent rose from 7.aIin the earlier to 225 in
the later decade. Further analysis shows
that gain Of population in the last decade
was reported from every county of Minne-
sofa and North Dakota and every county
but one OF Iowa. In South Dakota. Nebras-
ka and Kansas. on the contrary, there Were
large areas, mostly in the western part
and sparsely settled. for which decrease
or population was reported.
The tide of migration In 1890 had pushed
up the slopes Of the great plains farther
than conditions warranted, and In the last
decade the wave has been receding, depict
ing these areas and filing up the rural
counties of such states as Iowa and Illinois.
IN iowa the per cent of area losing popuia-
ton fell from go between 1880 and is9o to
1.6 between 1890 and 1900. In Illinois 1t fell
from 2S.S to AZ. In other words, over about
quarter OF each state the population de-
creased between 1880 and 1880 only to in
crease in the last Sten years. In no other
important state has there been so marked
change"